My Son John

Watch Out For That First Son...
One of the best things to happen in the world of home video in recent days has been Paramount releasing a virtual explosion of classic titles on both Blu-ray and DVD under the Olive Films label. The stellar releases continue with MY SON JOHN, an anti-Communist picture from the early fifties that's part political thriller and part family drama, featuring an outstanding cast that includes Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger, Van Heflin and, in his final screen appearance (he died during the film's production), the great Robert Walker.
The story concerns some proudly patriotic and religious parents (Hayes and Jagger) who begin to have suspicions that their oldest son (Walker) is a Communist. Walker gives a fascinating performance, similar to his role in Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN but this time giving his character a kind of scoffing arrogance to go along with his sinister charm. You get the feeling that this guy is so much smarter than everyone else that he finds their beliefs and...

"A Time Capsule"
I have just recieved and watched the Blu-ray version of "My Son John".. I'de seen it when I was a teen ager in the 50's and I thought it was pretty slow, but interesting. I went to see it because of Robert Walker who had been MGM'S Golden Boy next door. He was such a sweet charming guy in those Golden Age of MGM films. But of course Walker never got a chance to really act until he got from beneath MGM's grasp. Like he did in Hitchcock's "Strangers On A Train". And I don't believe that Leo McCarey produced or directed anything quite like this either. Poor Robert Walker had a sad personal life and I believe it showed in his face in this film. And it's a shame that he passed away, because he had just proven what a great actor he really was. But I don't believe they had the help back in the early 50's that they do now. Help that may have saved Robert Walker. Helen Hayes was also very good, but I thought that half her scenes were drawn out too long and very overacted. (excuse me Helen...

Interesting Bit of Americana
Produced during the Second Red Scare and the McCarthy era, My Son John, embodies the patriotism and paranoia of the early fifties. Robert Walker's last role is intended as a moral lesson for "good Americans" but also panders to the fears of a nation fresh out of a world war with facism, entering a cold war with communism and engaged in a "non-war" police action in Korea.

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