Product Details

• Actors: Edward G. Robinson, Burt Lancaster, Mady Christians, Louisa Horton, Howard Duff
• Directors: Irving Reis
• Writers: Chester Erskine, Arthur Miller
• Producers: Chester Erskine
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: June 30, 1998
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0783226721
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,079 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful drama of family destroyed by immoral businessman., November 12, 1999

By 

Russell Shepherd-Jr (La Porte, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All My Sons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is probably the most powerful and gripping drama I have ever seen. Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" invariably tops the critics'list of his plays, but I feel "All My Sons" is even greater. Edward G.Robinson is just marvelous as the businessman/father who OK's the release of defective airplane engine cylinders to prevent him from losing the lucrative government war contract. He makes his immoral act even more heinous by blaming his partner for it and letting him go to prison. He justified his actions as doing something that 'any man would do for his family'. When his duplicity is revealed and the horrible consequences of it are fully realized, you see Robinson go from a man on the top of the world to a man completely destroyed. This was, in my opinion, his very finest performance. Maidy Christian, as his wife, and Burt Lancaster, as his son, also give stellar performances.This is one of America's finest plays given its full justice on the screen.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Ask Joe... he knows everything!", December 7, 2008

By 

Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All My Sons (DVD)

A word about this disc's manufacturer.
NOSTALGIA FAMILY VIDEO, formerly "Hollywood's Attic," is an unauthorized purveyor of classic era movies, vintage TV shows, serials, foreign films and more. A good portion of their catalog is public domain material.

SYNOPSIS--
Based on Arthur Miller's play, ALL MY SONS features Edward G. Robinson as an atypical villain: a machine shop owner who thinks that his illegalities were committed for his family's sake-- he's in total denial of all culpability. During WWII, Joe Keller (Robinson) knowingly sends out defective engine parts that ultimately cause the deaths of 21 American pilots. He allows his partner to take full blame, and the man is wrongly imprisoned.

Burt Lancaster plays son Chris, just returned from war, who can't (or won't) believe what his father has done. Louisa Horton is Ann Deever, daughter of Joe's jailed partner. Ann was engaged to Chris's brother, now presumed dead in battle. Mady Christians is the mother who steadfastly and irrationally refuses to accept the death of her son.

Chris and Ann bond, fall in love and become engaged, which angers Ann's brother George (Howard Duff), for he knows the truth about Joe Keller's crimes. When Chris visits Herbert Deever (Frank Conroy) in jail, Deever convinces Chris of his innocence. Next comes a dramatic showdown of words between Chris and his father.


Although not issued by the studio on DVD (as of 12/08), there are still limited numbers of VHS copies of ALL MY SONS available (at premium prices).

A year after this picture, Edward G. Robinson was given a "Best Actor" award at the Cannes Film Festival for the superb film noir, HOUSE OF STRANGERS. (VHS edition) (DVD edition)
Burt Lancaster's sole Oscar win was for the lead in ELMER GANTRY (1960) (VHS edition) (DVD edition)


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.

(7.4) All My Sons (1948) - Edward G. Robinson/Burt Lancaster/Mady Christians/Louisa Hortins/Howard Duff/Frank Conroy/Arlene Francis/Harry Morgan

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem box., March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: All My Sons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

An underrated gem. Robinson's tour de force performance should have won him an Oscar. Lancaster as the "second son" elicits sympathy and admiration. The women in the cast make you hang on every word and facial expression. The whole ensemble is a jewelry box and Miller's script is impeccable. The story builds and culminates to a dramatic conclusion that leaves you feeling as if you are a member of this family in crisis.