Blu Ray Review: All My Sons (1948)

New from Kino Lorber, the screen version of Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons is a powerful drama of filial anguish with a magnificent cast.

Edward G. Robinson is Joe Keller, a wartime manufacturer whose company was charged with shipping defective airplane parts that were used and resulted in crashes and deaths. Keller’s partner, Herb Deever (Frank Conroy) was arrested and sent to prison, but Joe was found innocent because he called in sick the day the parts were sent. One of the missing air men is Keller’s son Larry. Joe’s son Chris (Burt Lancaster) plans to marry Herb’s daughter Ann (Louisa Horton) who had once dated Larry. Mrs Keller (Mady Christians) objects to this because she won’t accept Larry is likely dead. Joe does not like that Chris and Ann plan to move away upon marrying, as Joe hoped that Chris would take over the plant eventually.

Robinson is typically magnificent as a determined, hard-working man who is so focused and driven, he deeply buries whatever guilt he might feel for the defective parts, and the phony illness that he used as a ploy to stay out of prison. The town still thinks badly of him, but Joe emotionally insolates himself. He struts and brags, at one point claiming he’s never been sick a day in his life, until he is redirected to remember the day he called in to avoid implication. It is a truly brilliant bit of acting, typical of Mr. Robinson.

Burt Lancaster is intense and emotionally powerful as the remaining son who has no interest in connecting with his father’s business, and who is conflicted and haunted by the events that he doesn’t want to believe but still realizes. The scene where he goes to the prison to ask the incarcerated Herb is one of the film’s most powerful moments. It is matched by the scene where Chris confronts Joe who admits he realized the parts were defective, but that he didn’t want to carry the cost of repairs. Chris's idolization of his father is destroyed as he reacts violently.

The strong cast, also including Howard Duff, Lloyd Gogh, and Harry Morgan, offer further support to the leading actors. Everyone is somewhere near their best in this striking drama that is typical of Miller at his most intelligent and layered. The screenplay adaption is by Chester Erskine.

Kino Lorber’s blu ray includes a typically excellent commentary by film historians/writers Lee Gambin and Kat Ellinger who offer insights and assessments that enhance our appreciation of the film.

Highly recommended, the blu is available at this link: ALL MY SONS