The Sins of the Children

I had never heard of this film before I saw it for sale, but being an early MGM Robert Montgomery vehicle and being the only talking film in which Louis Mann had a role, I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did. Mann plays a German immigrant who has fled to the U.S. as a young man because of a violent act he committed during a fit of temper. Here in the U.S. he raises four children and becomes the owner of a barber shop. He has the chance to become the partner in a savings and loan, but discovers that his son Ludwig needs to go to a dry climate for two years so he refuses the deal so he can take his son out west.

Years later the savings and loan has become a success and the man that Louis Mann's character would have partnered with has become wealthy. On top of this, the would-be partner's son (Robert Montgomery) has grown up to be a spoiled rascal who happens to be in love with Mann's daughter. But that is the least of his problems. Although this is a very good drama in the MGM-Irving Thalberg era tradition and I highly recommend it, don't be fooled by Robert Montgomery being placed so prominently in the cast. He actually has a very small supporting role. This is basically a one man show and that man is Louis Mann. He's perfect as the man for whom no sacrifice is too big where his children are concerned. That is mainly because he doesn't consider his acts sacrifices, for his most valuable possession is the love of his children. In fact, at the end, Mann's character is feeling like a failure not because of the horrific things going on in his life at that time. It is because he feels like he has lost the love and affection of his children when he is seemingly forgotten by them at Christmas.

Roan put out a DVD release of this film, and the video quality is excellent. The audio can be troublesome in spots but it is clear enough. There is just that background hiss in places that you often have in early talking films. There are some good extras on this DVD too. There is an introduction plus two featurettes. One featurette is on the film itself and the other is about being a child star. The final extra feature is a weird little dance number by some children entitled "The Radiation March". If you have other Roan DVDs you've likely seen this one before.

Sorry to hawk a particular product, but the Roan release is the only way I know to see this film which has apparently been forgotten by the company I think has the copyright, which is Warner Brothers.

THE SINS OF THE CHILDREN cause their father grief, but he never stops loving them.

Despite its slightly lurid title, this film is all about love. Full of small moments beautifully played, it gives a portrait of an American family over a series of several years, held together through times of tribulation by a proud papa who adores his family unstintingly. This is a 'feel good film' in the best sense of the phrase and perfect to enjoy at the Christmas Holidays. It is a shame that this little gem has become so obscure.

As Adolf Wagenkampf, immigrant German barber, Louis Mann is nothing short of magnificent, giving one of the first great performances of the sound era. Showing enormous confidence in front of the camera, Mann steals the show with his mannerisms and accent, his pliable face registering every triumph or tragedy, every hope or defeat, which comes his way. Mann's beautiful soul is authentic, his talent undeniable. Unfortunately, this was to be virtually his only film. Louis Mann died in February of 1931, at the age of 65.

A very fine cast supports Mann throughout: Clara Blandick as his gentle wife; Francis X. Bushman Jr as the doctor son ashamed of his family name; Elliott Nugent as the inventor son, whose unwise impulse costs his father dearly; pretty Leila Hyams as the headstrong youngest daughter; and James Dolan as the obnoxious son-in-law.

(It was actor Nugent, playing the part of the youngest Wagenkampf son, who was largely responsible for both the original story and dialogue for the film. It's success is his, as well.)

In one of his earliest roles, Robert Montgomery scores as the local cad who compromises Hyams; Robert W. Wade is his heartless father, the richest man in Harristown. Henry Armetta is excellent as Tony, the exuberant and intensely loyal Italian barber who works for Mann. Mary Doran is the feisty new manicurist and Dell Henderson is the town's genial sheriff.

Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Jackie Searl playing Montgomery as a child.

I decided to comment on this movie, primarily, for one reason - Louis Mann. He plays the hard working patriarch of a loving family whose children constantly disappoint him. He scrapes together enough money from his barber shop to send his older son Ludwig to college, only to have him renounce his immigrant German family and change his name once he becomes a doctor. The son marries a social climber and turns into a spineless worm. The old man mortgages the barber shop to rescue his younger son when he embezzles money from his company to play the horses. When the old man is unable to repay the loan, he asks his son, the doctor, for help. The wife promptly turns him out with a peck on the cheek. His beautiful young daughter sacrifices her virtue to the town bankers weakling son (well played by Robert Montgomery). Well, you get the picture.

But back to Louis Mann. Until I caught this flick on TCM, I never heard of him. Apparently for good reason. I was so impressed with his performance that I did some research. He has virtually no history. I just can't understand it. His performance in this movie was so genuine, poignant, natural, and sympathetic I would have sworn he had an extensive, well rounded career in the business. I don't know anything about his ethnic background, but his German accent was very authentic. I grew up in a 1st generation German home and his delivery reminded me very much of those times. The lapses into German, the emotion, the unintentional humor. He reminded me, at times, of Albert Basserman.

The story has been done many times, the ending is way too pat, and the performances of the actors was mediocre, but this movie is still worth seeing. It will probably be your only chance to see Louis Mann perform, and you need to put everything else aside and watch. I am sorry he never got the recognition I think he deserves and I'm grateful that I got the chance to see him and honor his performance.

Interesting to see others speak highly of Louis Mann in his one and only sound screen performance. Hence the only visual/aural record of his work. But for those writing why they've never heard of Mann, the reason is that he spent a very full career on the New York stage where he was very well known(www.ibdb.com). Born April 20 1865(six days after Lincoln was shot)Mann spent his youth in the theater during the 1890s-1900s. This is obviously before sound films were invented so no record of his early work is preserved. To 1930s film audiences he would have been familiar and especially to New York film audiences. Mann, like many high brow theater stars, opted to make a sound film as an 'experiment'. Not always for the money but to test the waters of a new medium. His one other film, a 1914 silent, may indicate he did not like the film medium and preferred theater acting & writing plays. Perhaps as the technology & prestige of films got better and he got older he had a change of heart. Also Mann's actress wife of many decades, Clara Lipman, was one of the dialogue writers on Sins of the Children. They were a well known stage couple coming to the big screen in a way similar to George & Florence Arliss in "Disraeli". SoTC is a good candidate to serve as a Christmas classic along with "If I Had A Million". If only MGM/Turner would release SoTC in their 'Glorious Black & White' video series. **Many fascinating pictures of Mann & Lipman can be found in Daniel Blum's "Pictorial History of the American Theater"

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.