Edward, My Son (1949)

Synopsis:

Ruthless businessman Arnold Boult (Spencer Tracy, Bad Day at Black Rock) is obsessed with giving his son all the things he never had. Arnold’s behavior has devastating consequences, including the destruction of his marriage.

Reaction & Thoughts:

“In my business, I never admit failure.”

Although irritatingly theatrical and overly talky, Edward, My Son does explore two themes that will pique the interest of modern viewers: parental overindulgence and the ethics of capitalism. Both themes seem more relevant today than ever, thus the movie remains watchable despite its dated technical aspects.

George Cukor (My Fair Lady) directed from a screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart (The Philadelphia Story). The script is based on a 1947 play written by Noel Langley and famed character actor Robert Morley (Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?). No attempts were made to reshape the material for the big screen.

The movie preserves the play’s gimmick: the title character is never shown. This, and the fact that one character constantly talks directly to the audience, only serve to remind people that they are watching something that originated on the stage. Depending on your movie sensibilities, this is either a huge flaw or simply an artistic choice. Putting that aside, the dialogue is often sharp and most actors are excellent.

Although she appears in only four scenes, Deborah Kerr (The Innocents), who plays Spencer Tracy’s wife, received an Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category. The fact that Kerr was perceived as a lead speaks volumes of the power of her work. Her transformation from happy housewife to bitter matron is hard to watch.

Kerr doesn’t even look like the same person, and I’m not talking about aging make-up. Her walk, posture, and manner of speech convey the idea of a broken older person. She also portrays an addict in a super-realistic manner. The word alcoholism is never used, but you understand her problem just by looking at her — Kerr is simply brilliant!

On the other hand, Tracy is (surprisingly) off his game here. He sticks out like a sore thumb, and this has nothing to do with him being the only American in an all-British cast (we are told that Tracy is a Canadian expatriate living in England)

I tend to like Tracy, but his performance that didn’t ring true to me. Tracy looks stiff and self-conscious. Kerr wipes the floor with him, and it’s fascinating to see this young British actress take down one of the sacred cows of American cinema. The cast also includes Ian Hunter (The Adventures of Robin Hood) as Dr. Woodhope, and Mervyn Johns (Dead of Night) as Tracy’s ill-fated business partner, Harry Sempkin.

Conclusions & Final Thoughts:

Edward, My Son isn’t a pleasant movie. It’s dry and downbeat. It’s also prone to verbosity. But the film delves into some important issues — the movie tackles many problems we are still facing today. For instance, the film shows you in gritty detail the harmful effects of “helicopter parenting.” Above all, Edward, My Son gives us a chance to see the great Deborah Kerr at her very best. B&W, 112 minutes, Not Rated.