starring Robert Walker, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin, Dean Jagger
directed by Leo McCarey
122 minutes
Dan Jefferson, a member of the American Legion, has two sons who have done him proud by serving their country in the USMC. His other son, John (Robert Walker), is another story. John doesn't care for his father's bible thumping and rah-rah patriotism. He tries to be respectful but his father doesn't make it easy. Lucille (Helen Hayes), John's mother tries to make peace between her husband and her son, without much success.
John ends up cutting a visit short with his parents after his father knocks him over. He returns to Washington DC where he works. He leaves in such a rush that he leaves behind something of value. His mother retrieves the item but not before learning that John is being investigated by Stedman (Van Heflin) an FBI agent.
Stedman, over the course of a few conversation with Lucille, convinces her to look into the allegations against him. She finds a gap in John's story. She assumes the worst, that John is a Communist. She urges John to tell Stedman everything and refuses to help him hide the truth from the FBI.
This was Robert Walker's last film. He died before My Son John was released. I have also seen him in Strangers on a Train (1951).
I don't have any major problems with the Dean Jagger's performance as Dan Jefferson but there is something about it that leaves me puzzled. I don't understand why he is made out to be such an idiot when the movie as a whole comes down very hard on Communism. It leads me to believe that part of the message was that veterans like Dan Jefferson are a problem too.
I saw this movie as part of the Fabulous 50s series at the AFI Silver Theater. It was introduced by author and film historian Foster Hirsch.
I'm glad that I went to see this movie. It was good but very heavy handed towards the end. I'm not in any rush to see it again.
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