Edward, My Son (1949)

An amoral Canadian (Spencer Tracy) living in England has ambitious plans to embark on a career in finance. His sole reason for his ambition seems to be to provide his son Edward (who is never seen in the film, only talked about) with the social status that money can buy. But his ruthlessness in using people or buying them off, criminal activities (he sets fire to his business for the insurance money) and even blackmail only spawns a spoiled and privileged brat. Even his wife (Deborah Kerr in an Oscar nominated performance) falls victim to his merciless ways when she attempts to stand up to him. Based on the play by Robert Morley and Noel Langley and directed by George Cukor. Tracy rarely played unsympathetic characters but his father here is just as much a monster as his Mr. Hyde in 1941. I'm sure we've all seen this type in real life. Parents who continually make excuses for their children, enabling their bad behavior and not providing a moral structure in their growing up. Kerr is particularly impressive here. Only 28, she has to age some 30 years from a young loving mother and wife to a broken down alcoholic crushed by a cruel husband. With Ian Hunter, James Donald, Felix Aylmer and two performers that stand out: Mervyn Johns as the business partner Tracy uses as a fall guy thus destroying his life and Leueen McGrath as the mistress Tracy tosses away when she becomes an impediment to his plans.