Hollywood focused on a series of women's pictures known as "mother love" sagas, showing suffering women pining for their lost child or sacrificing their own happiness for the good of their ungrateful offspring. This overwhelmingly emotional drama is about "father love" where the emotions between father and son tie them together through the infidelity of the mother, witnessed by the young lad. An outstanding young actor, Frankie Thomas Jr., made his debut, and will grab you instantly as the pre-teen son who loves both his parents, but particularly adores his father (Edward Arnold), who gives every waking moment of his rare times at home to make sure his son and wife (Karen Morley) are happy
It's Morley who tears the family apart, having fallen in love with another man during Arnold's mandatory times away. She's no villain, however, as the script shows the decent sides of both parties, as well as their weaknesses. The emotional court case documenting the divorce is followed by the most moving montage of the calendar flowing by as Morley anguishes over her son's misery at being away from his father. But his happiness at being home changes when he learns that his father has moved on with the lovely Shirley Gray.
Certainly a more believable actor than MGM's big three male child stars (Cooper, Bartholomew and especially Rooney), Thomas is a natural, every action of his fresh and true. Arnold tones it down from his gregarious patriarchs and ruthless millionaires and comes off as gentle, loving and fair. Morley acts with her looks of worry and guilt as much as she does with her words. Thomas's real life parents appear in smaller roles. This avoids being melodramatic and tedious, and is perhaps one of the most honest screenplays on this topic in my many years of classic film viewing.
It's Morley who tears the family apart, having fallen in love with another man during Arnold's mandatory times away. She's no villain, however, as the script shows the decent sides of both parties, as well as their weaknesses. The emotional court case documenting the divorce is followed by the most moving montage of the calendar flowing by as Morley anguishes over her son's misery at being away from his father. But his happiness at being home changes when he learns that his father has moved on with the lovely Shirley Gray.
Certainly a more believable actor than MGM's big three male child stars (Cooper, Bartholomew and especially Rooney), Thomas is a natural, every action of his fresh and true. Arnold tones it down from his gregarious patriarchs and ruthless millionaires and comes off as gentle, loving and fair. Morley acts with her looks of worry and guilt as much as she does with her words. Thomas's real life parents appear in smaller roles. This avoids being melodramatic and tedious, and is perhaps one of the most honest screenplays on this topic in my many years of classic film viewing.