Four Sons is a 1928 silent drama film directed and produced by John Ford
and written for the screen by Philip Klein from a story by I. A. R. Wylie
first published in the Saturday Evening Post as "Grandmother Bernle Learns Her Letters" (1926).
It is one of only a handful of survivors out of the more than fifty silent films that
Ford directed between 1917 and 1928.
It starred Margaret Mann, James Hall, and Charles Morton.
The film is also notable for the presence of the young John Wayne
in an uncredited role as an Officer. Though "silent," it was released
with a Movietone music and sound effects track.
It was remade in 1940 with Don Ameche and Eugenie Leontovich, directed by Archie Mayo,
albeit the time frame was moved up to World War II.
John Ford asked that Duke be assigned,
to the crew of this picture.
In what was supposedly an autumn scene,
and whilst the mother was crying
Duke's job was to toss up maple leaves,
so that a fan would blow them onto the set.
Duke remembered.
QuoteI'd go out and sweep the leaves away,
and get ready to do another take....
We kept doing this, over and over again,
and it got to be fairly monotonous
During one take, Duke the still in-experienced prop boy,
threw the leaves into the air, and watched them waft across the set.
QuoteI figured the scene was over
Said Duke
Quoteand I picked up the broom, went in, started to sweep.
I looked up, and I'm looking right into two cameras-
and they're turning!.
I just threw down down my goddamn broom
and started to walk off.
Ford shook his head and broke up laughing
Duke said
QuoteThey took me back to Ford
and he bent me over, and kicked me in the a**
User Review
QuoteDisplay MoreB]This classic John Ford masterpiece has been spoiled by bureaucratic incompentece.[/B]
Author: finki from Chelsea, MA
Somebody in 20th Century-Fox has decided to remove the original Movietone soundtrack
and replace it with an inappropriate score.
it seems that for certain people, the original intentions of director John Ford
were no good enough for today.
Hence, the film was stripped of its sound...
which means that we do not have the film as it was originally intended to be seen.
Even though in most parts of the world, as well here in the United States,
most people saw the film in a silent version,
the original soundtrack is a crucial element of the film and without it,
the experience is incomplete.
A great film, but avoid the DVD until an authentic restored version
with the original soundtrack becomes available.