The Sins of the Children (1930)

A German immigrant to a small American town is a widower with four children and a barber. He has saved enough money to invest in a partnership in a savings-and-loan company with a friend. ... See full summary »

Writers:

Elliott Nugent (story), J.C. Nugent (story),

Stars:

Louis Mann, Robert Montgomery, Elliott Nugent

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Louis Mann	...	Adolf
Robert Montgomery	...	Nick Higginson
Elliott Nugent	...	Johnnie
Leila Hyams	...	Alma
Clara Blandick	...	Martha Wagenkampf
Mary Doran	...	Laura
Ralph Bushman	...	Ludwig (as Francis X. Bushman Jr.)
Robert McWade	...	Joe Higginson
Dell Henderson	...	Ted Baldwin
Henry Armetta	...	Tony
Jane Reid	...	Katherine
James Donlan	...	Bide Taylor
Jeane Wood	...	Muriel Stokes
Lee Kohlmar	...	Dr. Heinrich Schmidt

Storyline

A German immigrant to a small American town is a widower with four children and a barber. He has saved enough money to invest in a partnership in a savings-and-loan company with a friend. But a son has been stricken with tuberculosis, and the investment money goes to pay for the son's treatment in Arizona. The man continues to be a barber. Twenty years later, the wastrel son of the now-rich man who was to have been his partner, falls in love with the barber's daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

barber | son | children | tuberculosis | widower | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Italian

Release Date:

28 June 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Father's Day

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 87 min (copyright length) 86 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht"
(1818) (uncredited)
("Silent Night, Holy Night")
Music by Franz Gruber
Lyrics by Joseph Mohr
Sung a cappella in German by the entire Wagenkampf family at the end

User Reviews

Excellent performance by Louis Mann

I want to echo the comments by the May 21 commenter: the performance by Mann is a good reason to see this film. The ending is too pat, and the performances by the children not very good (including Robert Montgomery's, imho) but Mann makes the whole thing worthwhile. He was already in his '60s when this film was made and he died the next year. So I can see why he has no subsequent career, but I'd like to know more about his earlier life.