most american theater lover think that greatness descend upon arthur miller in 1947 with his great play the death of a salesman . it certainly be the play that people remember above all his work and even such later classic a the crucible and a view from the bridge . but a a matter of fact and just like the glass menagerie precede tennessee williams a streetcar name desire and all my son precede the death of a salesman . if williams find a tragic poetry in the soul of his fall aristocratic character his amanda wingfields and blanche dubois miller find a mine of power in the failure of the american cult of business success . in salesman it be willy loman gradual realization that a lifetime of hard struggle and strife serve his company do not result in his be show any respect when he can no longer bring in any large business . in all my son and joe keller ( edward g. robinson ) be not a small peg in the economy like willy loman . he be the owner of a factory on his way to be a millionaire which ( in 1948 ) be the proof of success in america . but while willy loman have a dirty secret that cost him his son respect for him a a father and keller have a dirty secret that make him a criminal . the film or play take place in 1945 46. keller old son have die in world war ii and in an military aviation crash . his young son chris ( burt lancaster ) have return too from military service upset he be aware that something be wrong about the death of his brother and but he be not sure what . he be also aware that his father have a secretive side one that he be sensitive about . it appear to be connect to the wartime trial of keller partner herbert deever ( frank conroy ) . it seem that keller and deever plant get a big government contract that require the delivery of airplane motor at a particular date . it be a very lucrative contract represent in fact and it build their company . but there be a defect in the motor which do not prevent deever from complete the delivery of the defective motor . a a result and twelve plane crash in the south pacific and kill their pilot and crew . deever end up go to prison and but the critical decision be make without joe keller be present ( he be ill that day ) and so keller do not go to prison . somehow and despite chris perplexity about his brother death in the war and the keller would seem not to have any problem . joe be an apparently successful manufacturer and seem well like . his wife kate ( mady christian ) be always ready to smooth over any little flurry of difficulty that may pop up . but chris come home with his girl friend ann ( louise horton ) . this be upset to joe and kate and though they try to put their best face on it represent ann be the daughter of jailbird herb deever . and sometimes tag along be angry and troubled george deever ( howard duff ) and who have occasionally visit his dad and have hear the story of the defective motor from a different perspective . and that perspective raise issue about good old joe keller . up to 1945 the subject of government contract and corrupt cost cut rarely pop up on stage or screen . but during world war ii it become a big issue because of the huge government contract that washington set up for the war effort . in fact and the u. s. senator in charge of investigate waste and corruption in these contract make a really big name for himself in the public eye . he be a senator from missouri name harry s. truman and and by 1944 he have become such a prominent figure that f. d. r. insist he be his run mate for the democratic national ticket . they win and and within a year truman have a high office than vice president . but the subject never really come up before in film . there be and oddly enough and a film in the 1930s about the spanish american war taint meat scandal that damage the career of secretary of war russell alger in mckinley administration . this be i love a woman . the meat packer profiteer involve in that film be play by edward g. robinson of all people . but that scandal be the only war profiteer one that come to the screen . so when miller do this film it be and if you will and virgin territory . miller and of course and turn the issue into a morality situation a joe keller come face to face to his sin against his partner and his country and the war effort and and his own son . and he do and in the end and learn that the material gain be too costly a he realize and the dead pilot be all his son .