All My Sons (1948)
All My Sons is a 1948 film noir suspense post-WWII drama directed by Irving Reis, based on Arthur Miller’s 1946 play of the same name, and starring Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster.
Director – Irving Reis
Writers – Arthur Miller (based on the play by), Chester Erskine (written for the screen by)
Cast –
Edward G. Robinson as Joe Keller
Burt Lancaster as Chris Keller
Louisa Horton as Ann Deever
Mady Christians as Kate Keller
Frank Conroy as Herb Deever
Howard Duff as George Deever
Lloyd Gough as Jim Bayliss
Arlene Francis as Sue Bayliss
Harry Morgan as Frank Lubey (as Henry Morgan)
Elisabeth Fraser as Lydia Lubey
Watch “All My Sons” (1948)
Plot
Joe Keller is sorry to hear son Chris plans to wed Ann Deever and move to Chicago, for he hoped Chris would someday take over the manufacturing business Joe built from the ground up.
Ann’s father Herb was Joe’s business partner, but when both men were charged with shipping defective airplane parts that resulted in wartime crashes and deaths, only Herb was convicted and sent to prison.
Another son of the Kellers’ is in the Army air corps, missing in action and presumed dead. Ann used to be engaged to him and her engagement to his brother upsets Kate Keller, who hasn’t yet accepted that son Larry is gone for good.
Ann’s attorney brother George strongly discourages her from marrying a Keller, and many in town still whisper that Joe was responsible for the death of twenty-one pilots. A war widow even calls Joe a murderer to his face in a restaurant.
On a visit to Ann’s father in prison, Chris hears how Joe called in sick on the one day the Army came to pick up the airplane parts. Joe admits to Chris that he knew they were defective, but repairs would have been costly and could have bankrupted the business. Chris strikes his father in anger at hearing this.
A letter from Larry reveals that he knew of his father’s guilt and intended to go on a suicide mission in a plane, no longer wanting to live with the family’s shame. This is the final disgrace for Joe, who shoots himself. Chris and Ann leave together with Kate’s blessing to their future.