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Agentti 52

Original title: My Son John
  • 19521952
  • K-16K-16
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
646
YOUR RATING
Van Heflin, Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger, and Robert Walker in Agentti 52 (1952)
Drama
The Jeffersons are the ideal picture-perfect all-American family in a small town, but their eldest son John returns home after a long absence spouting views that cause them to worry he may b... Read allThe Jeffersons are the ideal picture-perfect all-American family in a small town, but their eldest son John returns home after a long absence spouting views that cause them to worry he may be a Communist.The Jeffersons are the ideal picture-perfect all-American family in a small town, but their eldest son John returns home after a long absence spouting views that cause them to worry he may be a Communist.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
646
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Leo McCarey
  • Writers
    • Myles Connolly
    • John Lee Mahin(adaptation)
    • Leo McCarey(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Robert Walker
    • Helen Hayes
    • Van Heflin
  • Director
    • Leo McCarey
  • Writers
    • Myles Connolly
    • John Lee Mahin(adaptation)
    • Leo McCarey(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Robert Walker
    • Helen Hayes
    • Van Heflin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 41User reviews
    • 16Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos

    Helen Hayes and Robert Walker in Agentti 52 (1952)
    Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger, and Robert Walker in Agentti 52 (1952)
    Van Heflin, Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger, Frank McHugh, and Robert Walker in Agentti 52 (1952)
    Agentti 52 (1952)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Walker
    Robert Walker
    • John Jefferson
    Helen Hayes
    Helen Hayes
    • Lucille Jefferson
    Van Heflin
    Van Heflin
    • Stedman
    Dean Jagger
    Dean Jagger
    • Dan Jefferson
    Minor Watson
    Minor Watson
    • Dr. Carver
    Frank McHugh
    Frank McHugh
    • Father O'Dowd
    Richard Jaeckel
    Richard Jaeckel
    • Chuck Jefferson
    James Young
    James Young
    • Ben Jefferson
    Lee Aaker
    Lee Aaker
    • Boy
    • (scenes deleted)
    David Bond
    David Bond
    • College Professor
    • (scenes deleted)
    Gail Bonney
    Gail Bonney
    • Jail Matron
    • (scenes deleted)
    Russ Conway
    Russ Conway
    • FBI Agent
    • (scenes deleted)
    Bill McLean
    Bill McLean
    • Parcel Post Man
    • (scenes deleted)
    Frances Morris
    Frances Morris
    • Secretary
    • (scenes deleted)
    Erskine Sanford
    Erskine Sanford
    • Professor
    • (scenes deleted)
    Irene Winston
    Irene Winston
    • Ruth Carlin
    • (scenes deleted)
    Jimmie Dundee
    Jimmie Dundee
    • Taxi Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Douglas Evans
    • Government Employee
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Leo McCarey
    • Writers
      • Myles Connolly
      • John Lee Mahin(adaptation)
      • Leo McCarey(screenplay) (story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Parts of the film were rewritten after actor Robert Walker (John Jefferson) died during production. Several scenes use a double shot from behind, and others recycle footage of Walker from Muukalaisia junassa (1951). The final scene, where a recording of John delivers an anti-communist speech, is lit with a halo around the tape-recorder.
    • Quotes

      Dan Jefferson: John!

      John Jefferson: Oh, Father, let's not go into it any more.

      Dan Jefferson: Now I've, I've got another subject for you.

      Dan Jefferson: As your father, you and I are going to have a talk, a good talk, away from your Mother. And it's about you, son.

      John Jefferson: Well, if you'd enjoy it, Father...

      Dan Jefferson: Well, I don't know whether you will. But as I told you, we're alert. And we ARE alert.

      John Jefferson: You just said that.

      Dan Jefferson: Yes, and you sound to me like, like one of those guys that we should be alert about.

      John Jefferson: One of those guys?

      Dan Jefferson: I just said that you sounded like one, I didn't say that you... 'cos if thought that you really were, you know, I'd take you out in the backyard and I'd give it you, both barrels.

      John Jefferson: No trial, huh?

      Dan Jefferson: Nah, you're off on the wrong slant. And you know what I'm talking about. Cos as your father, I want to know where you're headed.

      John Jefferson: Well, I can help you there. I'm headed for the bathroom, wash my hands and clean up for dinner.

    • Connections
      Edited from Muukalaisia junassa (1951)

    User reviews41

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    It's a movie with great acting, so quit yer political bellyaching
    Apparently, (from the other reviews) if you haven't seen the movie and you are a Communist apologist, you hate the movie, the actors, the script. Too bad for you.

    McCarthyism is not the opposite of communism. McCarthy was wrong, but the Red threat was real. There were, and probably still are, communist agents actively working in America. It's history. Go look it up and stop crying.

    This is a story of a mother whose heart is breaking because her son is a communist. We don't know much about him, but we know he is a communist. The story isn't about him. It's about the mother and her anguish.

    Personally, I started to watch it because of the commie angle. There isn't much. I continued to watch it because of Hayes. I don't watch chick flicks, but my lord, she pulls at your heart strings.

    Overall, I found it mildly interesting. The actors are terrific. The story was almost non-existent, despite the pinko protests of bashing the commies. Poor, poor commies.

    There is a guy named John who is being followed. His mama notices. She finds out he is a commie. She cries. John is torn between mama and his goal of destroying America. She cries. John searches his soul. She cries. John is torn: How can I do my commie stuff if mama is always crying. Oh, the horror, the pathos.

    One more time, kiddies: McCarthyism was wrong. Communism was a real threat. Kruschev wanted to nuke us. George Bernard Shaw thought it was right for the "state" to put to death anyone who did not contribute enough. Mao killed 70 million. Stalin killed 40 million. Add in Italy, the Balkans, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Vietnam, Laos, etc., etc., etc. Communists killed more people than Hitler. They killed before Hitler and after him. Even when Hitler was actively killing people, the communists were killing at a rate three times faster. Just counting the Jews, Russia killed more of them during World War II than Hitler.

    This won't be a movie that I watch again. There's no action. The commies just talk. They had enough raincoats, but they didn't fill them with people like Bogart. He would have shot all of those dirty commies. He might even have slapped mama for crying so much.

    This movie is known as a "propaganda" film because it has a point of view that the US Govt. approved of. If you choose to believe that Hollywood deliberately put out movies to support our government, you are free to do so. But if you have a brain in your head, I'm sure you realize that Hollywood puts out movies solely to make money. They thought that this movie would sell. The commie threat was big in the news. It was everywhere. They used it for their gain.

    Nowadays, the communist threat is not as virulent, and the pinkos are more amusing than annoying. I just hope that they do not start apologizing for bin Laden and the other idiots who now attack America.

    Keep your Papa Joe nightlight. Keep your Che t-shirt. Keep reading your little red book from the Chairman. You can deny history as much as you want. As for me, I'm sticking with Thomas Paine, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Captain America.
    helpful•15
    14
    • Bob_Zerunkel
    • Jan 27, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 24, 1953 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • My Son John
    • Filming locations
      • Manassas, Virginia, USA
    • Production company
      • Rainbow Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,000,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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    Van Heflin, Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger, and Robert Walker in Agentti 52 (1952)
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