Expressionist cinema hit Hollywood in a big way in the mid twenties. With the release of such European masterpieces as Fritz Langs' "Metropolis", Mauritz Stiller's "The Saga of Gosta Berling", Murnau's "The Last Laugh" and "Variety" and of course "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari", Hollywood became very self conscious and, for a time turned to Europe for inspiration. No studio embraced this exciting new cinema more than Fox studios - William Fox signed F.W. Murnau and gave him a free reign to direct the film "Sunrise". Even John Ford, who was heavily influenced by D.W. Griffith, changed and slowed down his style in "Four Sons" to match Murnau. Sets of the small village in "Sunrise" were re-used for the New York sequences in "Four Sons". The script was also taken from a "stream of consciousness" screen treatment by an uncredited Herman Bing.
This movie is slow and sentimental (but in a nice way), telling the story of Mother Bernle and her four sons - Frans (Ralph Bushman), a soldier, fun loving Joseph (James Hall), Johann (Charles Morton), a blacksmith and Andreas (George Meeker), a goat herd. The mood is instantly darkened when Major Von Stromm gets off the train - uniforms not buttoned correctly and stray animals are a source of irritation to him. Joseph, who is yearning to go to America, also falls foul of him for dropping hay from a wagon. That night there is a big birthday celebration for Mother Bernle - the last piece of happiness before the war comes.
Joseph, with money his mother has given him goes to America but even though his letters are full of his new family and the store he now manages, he can never forget the indignity he suffered at the hands of Von Stromm and as soon as America enters the war he enlists. For once adding dialogue to a silent film gives "Four Sons" one of it's most powerful moments, when in the trenches, Joseph hears a soldier calling "Mutterchen" - "little Mother" and when he goes to his aid, finds it is his brother, Andreas, dying. After this the film slips into triteness - instead of finishing with the mother's reunion with Joseph, there is about 20 minutes of the mother's efforts to pass an English exam to migrate to America, her problems at Ellis Island (she is made to look like a naughty schoolgirl as she attempts and fails to recite the alphabet) and the "lost in the big city" scene, where a kindly policeman directs her to Joseph's home. I think the film would have been more heartfelt without the last part.
Frans - Ralph Bushman - Francis X. Bushman's son, this was probably his most prestigious film and his name was usually found down the cast list.
Johann - Charles Morton was a leading man of the late silents/ early talkies but by the mid 30s his career had fizzled out.
Andreas - George Meeker - "Four Sons" was the first in a long career that stretched to the early days of TV. For me his most memorable role was as Sidney Fox's straitlaced fiancé in "Strictly Dishonorable" (1931).
Joseph - James Hall, in 1928, had the film world at his feet (he was yet to star in "Hell's Angels"). He was a great bet for film stardom but booze got in the way. By the time he made "Millie" he looked bloated and old (he was only 31) and he made his last film in 1932.
Highly Recommended.
This movie is slow and sentimental (but in a nice way), telling the story of Mother Bernle and her four sons - Frans (Ralph Bushman), a soldier, fun loving Joseph (James Hall), Johann (Charles Morton), a blacksmith and Andreas (George Meeker), a goat herd. The mood is instantly darkened when Major Von Stromm gets off the train - uniforms not buttoned correctly and stray animals are a source of irritation to him. Joseph, who is yearning to go to America, also falls foul of him for dropping hay from a wagon. That night there is a big birthday celebration for Mother Bernle - the last piece of happiness before the war comes.
Joseph, with money his mother has given him goes to America but even though his letters are full of his new family and the store he now manages, he can never forget the indignity he suffered at the hands of Von Stromm and as soon as America enters the war he enlists. For once adding dialogue to a silent film gives "Four Sons" one of it's most powerful moments, when in the trenches, Joseph hears a soldier calling "Mutterchen" - "little Mother" and when he goes to his aid, finds it is his brother, Andreas, dying. After this the film slips into triteness - instead of finishing with the mother's reunion with Joseph, there is about 20 minutes of the mother's efforts to pass an English exam to migrate to America, her problems at Ellis Island (she is made to look like a naughty schoolgirl as she attempts and fails to recite the alphabet) and the "lost in the big city" scene, where a kindly policeman directs her to Joseph's home. I think the film would have been more heartfelt without the last part.
Frans - Ralph Bushman - Francis X. Bushman's son, this was probably his most prestigious film and his name was usually found down the cast list.
Johann - Charles Morton was a leading man of the late silents/ early talkies but by the mid 30s his career had fizzled out.
Andreas - George Meeker - "Four Sons" was the first in a long career that stretched to the early days of TV. For me his most memorable role was as Sidney Fox's straitlaced fiancé in "Strictly Dishonorable" (1931).
Joseph - James Hall, in 1928, had the film world at his feet (he was yet to star in "Hell's Angels"). He was a great bet for film stardom but booze got in the way. By the time he made "Millie" he looked bloated and old (he was only 31) and he made his last film in 1932.
Highly Recommended.