Four Sons

(1928)

100 minutes

Drama / Silent

Directed by John Ford

Cast:

Margaret Mann as Mother Bernle
James Hall as Joseph 'Dutch' Bernle
Charles Morton as Johann Bernle
Ralph Bushman as Franz Bernle
George Meeker as Andreas Bernle
June Collyer as Annabelle
Earle Foxe as Major von Stomm
Albert Gran as The postman
Frank Reicher as The schoolmaster
Archduke Leopold of Austria as a captain
John Wayne as Officer 
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink as staff sergeant 
Jack Pennick as The Iceman 

A German family is torn apart and shunned by the events of World War I.  Mother Bernle's four sons begin to go their separate ways shortly before the outbreak of World War I and her oldest son Joseph takes a job offer in America .  Franz joins the military, and, when the town discovers that Joseph has joined the American armed forces, force Franz’ brothers to also join the German military.

Notes:

Four Sons was remade in 1940 with Don Ameche and Eugenie Leontovich, and the setting was changed to reflect World War II.

This is one of a series of films that has an uncredited appearance by a very young John Wayne.
The sets for New York City were first used in F.W. Murnau's film Sunrise .