User Reviews

The Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto recently had a Bette Davis film festival to celebrate her 100 year birthday. All of her films from the 1930's were shown and showcased as double features. On April 17-18, 2008, Seed (a thought to be 'lost' film) was shown with the film, "The Menace" at the Stanford Theatre. Seed starred Lois Wilson and John Boles as the parents of 5 children, with Lois as the devoted mother and John Boles as a weary copy writer. A chance meeting with old flame, Genevieve Tobin who is the manager of the Paris division of his work, convinces him to write novels again and gives him her apartment as space to work in solitude. He tries to write at his home, and the children try to be quiet but various falls and fights between them keep disrupting his work. Dickie Moore (billed at Dicky Moore) is a standout as the youngest child, with a mischievous grin and always saying, "Ah shoot!" Its not long before Lois realizes that her husband is interested in his old flame and after a confrontation she takes the children and heads out to Philadelphia then to California. However, through a rainstorm, the car runs out of gas and eventually she decides to return home and make up with her husband. Unfortunately, he has decided to leave for Paris with his old flame and let's his wife know. Ten years pass, and the children are grown, four boys and one girl (now a grown up Bette Davis) and the mother now owns a dress shop and has supported the family well. The mother contacts the father and reunites him with his children and they are enthusiastic to meet him again. He decides to take them off to various places, finishing school for Bette, Harvard for the twin boys, a job in New York for the oldest son (leaving behind his girlfriend (Frances Dade) and after much discussion having the youngest boy live with him. After much resistance, the mother agrees and feels abandoned until the old flame, now wife, comes to her and lets her know that the children will always be in her heart and will always come back to her. She is married to John Boles, but he will always be divided and conflicted in his heart to her due to the abandonment of his children. So, she let's the mother know...she won.