Absolutely Fantastic

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Outstanding performances mark this movie from 1949 with Spencer Tracey, and Deborah Kerr in the leading roles. Kerr, in particular, demonstrates a range that comes only from a great character actor in her slow but definite slide from respectability to debauchery. Her appearance and speech usually remind me of Queen Elizabeth but she moves out of that upper crust bearing in portraying Evelyn Boult, the long-suffering wife. The movie feels like a stage play and the darkened sets give it a rather brooding atmosphere. Spencer Tracey is the ruthless businessman Arnold Boult, said to be modelled after Canadian Lord Beaverbrook, whose smile and joviality mask the true nature of a man who will do whatever is required to further his own interests. He also turns a blind eye to the unethical conduct of his wayward son Edward, who never appears on the screen. Edward's upbringing and youthful misdemeanours bother his mother who feels her husband is not instilling him with the proper values. Tracey is clearly the smiling charmer who can take advantage of his business associates and women alike. Tracey and Kerr's talents are ably combined with a supporting cast led by Ian Hunter as the family doctor, Leueen McGrath as his secretary, Felix Aylmer as the schoolmaster, and Mervyn Johns, an often morose character actor, as his broken partner. Actor Robert Morley wrote the script for the movie, which was also a stage play. George Cukor directed the movie, one of his many outstanding movies. This movie is not for the faint of heart but it does serve up some fine acting talent.

"Edward, My Son" is a 1949 film based on the play that starred Robert Morley. Here the stars are Spencer Tracy, Deborah Kerr, and Ian Hunter. The title role, Edward, is never seen. The movie is really about his father, Arnold Boult, who spoils the boy and ruins everything and everybody he touches.There was a mention that Spencer Tracy was miscast, that the character shouldn't be so amiable but more acid. I think in a way, Tracy's amiability was more sinister - he threatened people and seemed so cheerful about it. It's quite effective.The revelation, the stunning, knockout performance comes from Deborah Kerr as Arnold's unhappy wife Evelyn. Young, pretty, and cheerful in the beginning, her character development, in looks and personality, is remarkable - right down to her osteoporotic walk with the slightly stooped shoulders. How often do we see really wonderful actors play older people with just a little gray in their hair, with nothing else changed? The only other "aging" performance I have seen to equal this was Emma Thompson at the end of "Remains of the Day."I always knew Deborah Kerr was a fine actress, but obviously, she mostly did roles that were beneath her capability.Ian Hunter is very good as the doctor s a man who see through Arnold's behavior, and who has always been in love with Evelyn.Don't miss Kerr's performance in this film.

When it was originally presented on the London stage, Robert Morley starred and wrote Edward My Son and I believe he had Lord Beaverbrook in mind. If that is the case Edward My Son was as daring in its way as Sweet Smell of Success was in America taking dead aim at Walter Winchell.Lord Beaverbrook for those on this side of the Atlantic was a Canadian industrialist Max Aitken who settled in the UK and purchased a string of tabloid like newspapers. He was a very powerful force in the post World War I United Kingdom and served in the War Cabinet of Winston Churchill. He was every bit as cunning and as ruthless as we Sir Arnold Boult made out to be. And to accommodate Spencer Tracy's North American speech, Sir Arnold is made Canadian. That was making it more daring. Beaverbrook was not a man to cross.We never see Edward at any time in the film, the picture we form of him is through the eyes of the other characters. A kid spoiled rotten by his ever indulgent father. Boult, ruthless in business and finance, is just as ruthless at getting whatever for his son, giving him everything but a decent set of values to live by.Tracy's portrayal rings true for me because I actually knew someone like Arnold Boult in my life. He was a political person who spoiled his son absolutely rotten, used up favor after favor for him. When the son developed a drug problem he never tried to deal with it, but actually schemed to give him jobs he couldn't handle. I look at Tracy as Sir Arnold Boult and see this man staring right back at me.Deborah Kerr is Tracy's wife and Edward's mother and Leueen McGrath is his secretary and mistress. They are the major female roles in Edward My Son and both are captured well. Others to look for in the cast are Felix Aylmer as the prep schoolmaster, Mervyn Johns as Tracy's tragic former business partner, and Ian Hunter as Tracy's friend and eventual second husband to Kerr.Look at Tracy's methods in dealing with his personal and professional life and it's small wonder Edward turned out to be the spoiled brat he was.

Very sophisticated writing and restrained acting performances make for a compelling drama of a ruined father's dreams. Spencer Tracy plays the not very lovable father who's desire to protect and give "the best" to his son distorts his behavior with all those around him, including Deborah Kerr as his wife, his business partner, and ultimately his son himself, whose character is never allowed to develop. A nice conceit is that we never see the son, Edward, just his birthday cakes.