Four Sons (John Ford, 1928)
Adaptacion: Philip Klein, basado en "Grandma Bernle Learns Her Letters" de I.A.R. WylieIntertulios: H.H. Caldwell & Katherine Hilliker
Estudio: Fox Film Corporation
Productor: John Ford
Fotografía: Charles G. Clarke & George Schneiderman
Editor: Margaret Clancey
Reparten: Margaret Mann, James Hall, Charles Morton, Ralph Bushman, George Meeker
Sinopsis cortísima: Tres hijos de una viuda de Baviera luchan en la Primera Guerran mundial en el bando alemán, mientras que un cuarto lucha por los Estados Unidos, enemigo de Alemania.
A German Mother
Quite a graphic conception of the sufferings and tribulations of a German mother during the World War is unfurled in "Four Sons," a pictorial adaptation of Miss I. A. R. Wylie's story, "Grandma Bernle Learns Her Letters." This production, which was presented yesterday afternoon by William Fox at the Gaiety Theatre, is, as one might imagine, a highly sentimental study, one with a similar appeal to that old success, "Over the Hill." The menace, however, in this new contribution is not one of the sons, but the war, and the outstanding symbol of militarism is a Prussian Major, a fellow who might do wonderfully well in the role of Guy de Maupassant's "Mademoiselle Fifi." He is a pampered and perfumed pet of princes, who, when he uses his sword, knows full well that there are dozens at hand to protect him. He has a shallow chest, a stoop, a monocle and a sneer.
After the screening of the picture there was a dramatic few minutes when Mrs. Margaret Mann was introduced by Courtland Smith. Mrs. Mann is 60 years old. She impersonates Mother Bernle in the story. She, it seems, worked for ten years as an extra, and her first chance for fame came when Winfield R. Sheehan, general manager of the Fox Studios, chose her to act the principal role in this film. Mrs. Mann was obviously affected when called upon. She is a charming lady who gives an astoundingly competent performance as the German mother.
John Ford, who guided the destinies of "The Iron Horse," is responsible for the direction of this picture. In it he begins with the peaceful surroundings of a small German community, then he swings to the strife of war, then to official annoyances, and finally, he depicts his remaining characters enjoying comparative happiness. A little further imagination would have made some of Mr. Ford's sequences more stimulating, and, in the closing chapter, through some oversight, he fails to disclose how Mother Bernle was able to evade the Ellis Island authorities and land in Manhattan.
Anguish and sorrow seem to be reflected even in the manner in which some of the scenes are photographed. There are clear and misty effects, and the flashes of Mother Bernle's utter bewilderment at her first sight of New York on a rainy evening is finely portrayed. No sooner does Mother Bernle escape from the terrors of the subway crush than she encounters the hazards of traffic, and finally, for the first time, she loses her nerve, and sits down on the curbstone.
Mother Bernle's fortitude through the agony of war is brought out with a firm hand. She, before the clash of nations, sees her son, Joseph, leave for America. When hostilities break forth two of her sons are taken from her to serve in the army, leaving the youngest at home. Subsequently he is taken, and looking through a window. Mother Bernle watches the barber shaving Andrees's head. Her next shock is when she learns that Joseph is fighting with the American troops, and then she hears that the three sons in the German army have met their deaths. She is almost cheerful, courageous throughout, and in one scene this old lady is perceived sitting alone at the same table where she used to have the company of her four boys.
It is finally decided that she shall join Joseph in New York. But as she is illiterate she has to try to learn her "letters." So you see this grayhaired heroine sitting in a schoolroom with youngsters, learning what they are also being taught. Her mind does not grasp things as quickly, but she bravely tries to concentrate on her "studies."
When she is taken before the examining board at Ellis Island her memory fails her and she is therefore sent to a room. Joseph arrives at Ellis Island, but he is not permitted to see his mother because "it is after visiting hours."
Mrs. Mann is excellent in her portrain of Mother Bernle. She looks courageous. She appears to be bearing up in the face of great sorrow, and latterly she seems much too exhausted to fight any more. It is an extremely difficult rôle for an elderly woman, especially before a camera. Yet Mrs. Mann has succeeded in looking as if she were living the part.
James Hall is quite good as Joseph. The other sons are played by Francis X. Bushman Jr., Charles Morton and George Meeker. Their work is restrained and natural. June Collyer is charming as Joseph's American wife.
Among the notables in the cast are the Archduke Leopold of Austria, who contented himself by figuring as a German captain, and Ferdinand Schumann-Heink, son of the famous operatic singer, who impersonates a staff surgeon.
The Movietone accompaniment to this production was not always as melodious as one might hope for. The inclusion of a Movietone song is not especially appealing in this instance, and the idea of having a brother in the German army calling to his mother and being heard by Joseph, the Americanized brother, is rather disquieting.
Morduant Hall, NY Times, February 14, 1928
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Capturas
DatosFile Size (in bytes) ..........: 1,258,240,000 bytes
Runtime ....................: 01:36:30
Video Codec .....................: XviD
Frame Size ....................: 640x480 (AR: 1.333)
FPS .......................: 23.976
Video Bitrate .................: 1588 kb/s
Bits per Pixel ...............: 0.216 bpp
B-VOP, N-VOP, QPel, GMC.............: [B-VOP], [], [], []
Audio Codec .....................: 0x0055(MP3, ISO) MPEG-1 Layer 3
Sample Rate .....................: 48000 Hz
Audio Bitrate .................: 148 kb/s [2 channel(s)] VBR
No. of audio streams ...............: 1
Fox la ha editado con un nuevo soundtrack
comenta amnesiac sobre intentos de ajustarle tambien la pista original del TVRip que "I wasn't able to synch the Movietone soundtrack from the old rip to my satisfaction (the film was cut in places). I'll keep trying and if I ever get it synched correctly I will post it to the tracker."Película (silente con intertulios en inglés)
Four Sons (John Ford, 1928) DVDRip.avi 
Subtítulos (francés y español)
Subpack Four Sons (John Ford, 1928) DVDRip.rar IMDB - Senseofcinema - SilentsAreGolden
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TVRip VOSE - John Ford - Cine Mundo
