The Family Secret (1951) User Reviews (11)

Feels like late-1940s

[HotToastyRag · 6/10 · 17 November 2022]

The beginning of The Family Secret immediately hooks you in: John Derek, the teenage son of Lee J. Cobb and Erin O'Brien-Moore, comes home early from a night on the town. He washes mud off his tires and changes his clothes before greeting his parents and their dinner guests. We find out soon why he's so morose and cryptic: he's just killed his childhood friend. It was self-defense and accidental, but he still fled from the scene and tampered with evidence. Lee, an upstanding citizen and prominent lawyer, knows his son will do the right thing and confess immediately. Erin wants to cover it up. John's entire life would be ruined, she argues, and it wouldn't bring the dead boy back. As you can tell from the title, John decides to take his mother's advice.

With exception to the jazz music played in some scenes, this feels like a noir from the 1940s. There's a lot of voice-over narration explaining things that don't need explaining, and the scene construction and direction feel very much a part of the silver screen rather than the golden age. Plus with solid character actors from that era like Whit Bissell (who will tug win your sympathy as he struggles with his weak heart), Henry O'Neill, Carl Benton Reid, and Harry Cheshire, it sets the mood of the late 1940s. I rented it to see a solid, fatherly performance from Lee (but I didn't mind the eye candy of John either) and it was nice to see him in a good-guy role, unlike On the Waterfront and The Trap. If you like this one, check out a similarly themed drama also starring John Derek, Knock on Any Door.

right versus wrong

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 10 July 2022]

Twenty five year old john derek. When david may be in serious legal trouble, his parents (lee cobb and erin obrien moore) can't agree on what to do. Dad is an attorney, and certainly knows the law inside and out. To make matters worse, it involves their best friends. Small role for familiar face whit bissell. Some heavy issues in this suspense drama.... having the courage to do the right thing, as well as damaged family communication. Right versus wrong tackled in the 1950s in films. It's very well done, although they could have left out the over the top drunk scene where david acts like a total jerk. Cobb was nominated for two films in the 1950s, and appeared in the HUAC congressional hearings. Directed by henry levin. Directed a couple biggies, but looks like he never got the oscar. Check out john derek's story on wikipedia; he sure covered a lot of ground.

A Cross + to Bear

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 10 February 2012]

***SPOILERS*** It's when young law student David Clark, John Derek, came home one evening disheveled and confused that his father attorney Howard Clark, Lee J. Cobb, senses that something was very seriously wrong. As it soon tuned out David's best friend Art Bradley was found dead with his skull crashed outside a tavern wher the two usually hung out at. As it turned out it was David who killed Art, who was drunk and disorderly, in self-defense. It all started when Art caught David innocently talking with his girlfriend Vera Stone, Jane Alexander, and just flipped out!

Howard left everything up to David in him turning himself into the police which David at first intended to do. But at the very last moment the next day at D.A George Redman's, Santo Ortega, office he got cold feet and just offered to help find Art's "murderer". As fate would have it local bookmaker Joe Elsner, Whit Bissell, ended up taking the rap for a crime that he didn't commit. It was Elsner who came upon the scene of the crime but was too sacred to report it. Not in just that he was involved in illegal, taking book, activities but had a fight, verbally, with Art over money he owed Elsner while placing bet with him.

Howard took the case for Elsner knowing that he's innocent and trying to keep this tragedy in the Clark Family from getting worst than it already was. David meanwhile is on the verge of having an emotional collapses in that now he's not only responsible for one life being lost but possibly another Joe Elsner! If he's convicted in murdering Art Bradley and ends up either behind bars for life or executed by the state.

***SPOILERS*** Things just couldn't get any worse for both David his father Howard and especially Joe Elsner. Just when Hoaward was about to brake the case wide open in his client's favor by proving that main witness for the prosecution Archer Sims, Raymond Greenlest, was not only a proved liar but spent three years in a mental institution Elsner, while on the stand, suffered a massive heart-attack and died a few moments later! With now two people's deaths on his conscience David after talking things over with his fiancée and secretary Lee Pearson, Jody Lawrance,decide to do the right thing and give himself up for the self-defense death of Art Bradley. It was the totally innocent Joe Elsner's death that finally made David see the light in what he's done. And with that and two years behind bars, for homicide not murder, he can finally clear his conscience and then marry Lee who'd be withing for him when he gets out.

starts with good premise but...

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 June 2022]

David Clark is in trouble. He had killed his best friend in self-defense. He confesses to his lawyer father Howard Clark (Lee J. Cobb). They are set to come clean to the D. A. but another man gets arrested for murder. It's the dead man's bookie and Howard gets the job to defend him.

I like the starting premise but I don't like David. It's a complicated role and the actor doesn't seem to be up to the task. He has to play both innocent and guilt. Mostly, he's playing snarky and cold which leaves me a bit cold. He should be running around and changing the evidence. The plot needs twists and turns. This could have centered around Lee J. Cobb instead. He's the veteran actor and the more capable one. I would also get rid of the narration. When done well, this premise has generated plenty of good tense shows. There is so much potential but I don't see it being maximized. The final turn is more a morality play than a surprise twist. The opening premise is full noir but the movie turns into a bland 50's morality lesson.

Gripping theme, but slightly problematic

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 7/10 · 10 May 2023]

A small conflicted family drama about a young man (John Derek), son of a wealthy and retired lawyer (Lee J. Cobb), trying to find ways to escape justice after accidentally killing his best friend during an argument. His whole family end up knowing about his secret and they'll find ways to either help him out in one or the other - the father advises the son to surrender himself because he might get a fair trial with the friendly prosecutor, of whom he's applying for a working position; but the mother is more desperate and feels that since no one found out about him maybe they can hide the truth from everyone. But the real challenge comes to the man himself, tormented each step of the way with his heavy conscience. Is there ever a way out?

"The Family Secret" is one of those typical crime drama where the society's morals and values are put into questioning and it's all thrown back at us in those kind of scenarios where you can imagine yourself being put to the test in finding solutions or alternatives in dealing with everything or facing the consequences. Nothing wrong with this concept since it has resulted (and still do) many great films over the decades but it all depends on a number of factors such as the story and elements presented - and how it all ties everything together - and the casting as well. Obvious there's some bumps along the way and fullfilment and enjoyment on it can affect some viewers.

Mr. Cobb is an honorable actor that always bring quality and presence with his roles wheter being in classic masterpieces such as "On the Waterfront" or "12 Angry Men", or in lesser known films such as this one, "The Man in the Grey Flannel" or "The Man Who Cheated Himself". As the father, he carries a powerful emotional weight while trying to solve his son's problems yet always advising him that he should turn himself to authorities, and when a third party is accused of the murder and her wife wants to hire Cobb as the lawyer things get desperate for everybody involved.

Pity that except Cobb and other veterans, the youngers in the movie make it a very distracting experience to the point it can almost make it unberable at parts. Major problem comes with John Derek, since there's no appeal to him, neither to the character who keeps finding romance on two ways which is confusing, almost pointless at parts. He's somewhat engaged with a tedious rich girl but at the same time he keeps charming his own secretary at work - none of them really want them, there's always some rebuttal of theirs on him yet he keeps chasing both of them until some enlightment comes to his head, and all that while the investigation and a possible murder trial pending that he also keeps obsessing. Didn't care for the girls acting either, too bland.

The heart of the matter which is the whole case and the ethics within the household is what makes "The Family Secret" a positively enjoyable and thrilling experience where you keep on the edge to find out how everything's gonna get solved. It's a small film with some big questioning, and it's all up to us in the audience to be the judge of their actions, the family mostly. Maybe some conclusions and some actions are wronged because of the egotist and spoiled manners of the young man.

A real pity that the actual crime isn't shown on the opening scene neither the friend is given a face (audiences like that, to form a bond between a character or even form an emotional bond with the victim) and most of that's said as motivation (though an accident) gives the impression that a lot more was going between those two guys. It's never mentioned and it makes audiences make some theories about it - quite valid.

Go with little expectations, except that Mr. Cobb surely delivers again a stellar performance that makes everything the more enjoyable as possible. 7/10.

Suspenseful B-Movie Morality Tale...Restrained Lee. J. Cobb...Brooding John Derrick

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 7 July 2023]

Taut Indie Produced by Bogart's Short-Lived "Santana-Studio".

An Intimate Family Conflict Brought On by John Derrick (at 25 playing young) and his Revelation to HIs Family of a "Self-Defense" Killing (a friend) and Subsequent Fleeing the Scene.

The Drama Heats Up When Lee J. Cobb (in a very unusual laid-back mode), the Father, and an Attorney, Advises His Son to Turn Him-Self In, while the Mother (Erin Moore) Thinks He Should Lay-Low and Forget it, even though the Victim is Her Best Friend's Son.

A Fever-Pitch is Reached when an Innocent Man (Whit Bissell) is Arrested and Put on Trial for the Crime.

Then There's a Big Twist.

A Brooding, Simmering Story that is Familiar but Given Enough Gravitas from the Players and some Surprises.

John Derrick Plays the "Playboy" Girl-Magnet with Ease, and Reaches Deep for some Angst, Regret, Conflict, and His "Better Angels".

Overall, Somewhat Compelling "Little" Movie with "Big" Life-Lessons on its Mind.

Directed by the Prolific but Inconsistent Henry Levin.

It Succeeds with some Melodramatic Ways that Makes it a Borderline Film-Noir and...

Worth a Watch.

It is good John Derek married well

[mls4182 · 1/10 · 25 June 2022]

John Derek was a terrible actor. The rest of the cast isn't any better and neither is the writing.

A spoiled young man kills his friend In the heat of anger. The family decides to say nothing and see how it plays out. The killer's mother is especially cold, "After a while we will forget all about this!" Never mind that the slain boy's mother is her best friend. An innocent man is accused and tried and drops dead from a heart attack.

Even the resolution at the end is boring. The movie just STUNK!

Don't waste your time!

[PudgyPandaMan · 2/10 · 17 July 2008]

This movie was horrible. I couldn't even get through it. It's about a young man that supposedly kills his best friend in self defense. He claims the friend was drunk and starting attacking him so he had to defend himself and accidentally kills him. John Derek plays the man who commits the murder. And his dad, played by Lee J. Cobb, just happens to be an attorney.

This is cookie-cutter soap opera drama. The acting is horrible, except for the gal that plays John Derek's secretary, played by Jody Lawrence. At one point, she is relaying phone messages "from your harem", to Derek's character. But she does it by taking on the accents and mannerisms of each of the callers. It's hilarious! But there's nothing else here worth watching.

Makes You Think

[daswitzer · 8/10 · 29 April 2022]

Spoiled son who's also a playboy accidentally kills his friend and then tries to hide it. His sense of guilt and his father's sense of honest justice keeps you guessing. Makes a parent think what they would do in the same situation.

the family secret

[mossgrymk · 4/10 · 17 July 2022]

If you really want to expose a bad actor's badness then put him or her up against a great actor. Like Ava Gardner opposite Bogie in "Contessa". Or Natalie Trundy juxtaposed with Dean Stockwell in "Careless Years". Or John Derek, in this snorer, next to Juror #3.

The story of an apparent characterless jerk...and his enabling parents.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 25 June 2022]

When the film begins, David Clark (John Derek) drives home. Apparently, he killed his friend and instead of going to the police, he sneaks home and acts as if nothing had happened. Eventually, he tells his father (Lee J. Cobb) what happened...how it was an accident and how he was attacked first...and his father and mother agree to keep this a secret. Soon you learn that the father is an attorney...and that a man was just arrested for the killing! Instead of telling the truth, the parents continue to enable David to be a stinking weasel...and through the course of the film David shows himself to be a characterless jerk. What's next? Will he do the right thing? Watch the film to find out for yourself.

I really liked this film because it was so unusual and much more realistic than most movies of the day. In addition to this nice script, the acting is also very good and it's well worth seeing....especially because it offers some neat twists along the way.