Jory's bombast was perfect for the role of an aging man whose time has passed him by, someone who does not know how to command (and he does command, still) without continuously shouting at the troops and ignoring their feelings. Also, the pitch of his and Inga Swenson's performances, especially at the beginning, are a canny comment on the world of sound now lost to their infant daughter. Given how bombastic Keller was in this, it's all the more touching to see him in that quiet, private moment after Helen has been taken away by Annie: he sits, in shadow, up in Helen's bedroom, gently holding one of her dolls. It's a beautiful, fleeting moment that shows his caring and vulnerability, something he could never get anywhere near to identifying in himself, much less show to others.
His domineering presence is also vital to an understanding of his relationship with his son Jimmy. When Jimmy stands up to him right before the climax, it's a moment of real risk for him, and an utterly necessary right of passage to put the old man in his place at long last. If Keller were less tyrannical at any point, this wouldn't have worked at all.
"Thank you, thank you--you're most kind. In fact you're every kind."
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