House of Strangers (1949)

Edward G. Robinson's ill-gotten gains embroil his entire family in scandal and murder. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Wit, style and a solid story

Dialogue that can be relished, a classic yarn about a Lear like figure playing his children off against each other and black and white photography of delicious clarity - go ahead, do yourself a favour! May 8, 2008

JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ, OPUS 7

****1/2 1949. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, HOUSE OF STRANGERS is an adaptation of Jerome Weidman's I'll never go there any more. NYC in the early 30's. When the government starts to examine how Gino Moretti's familial bank really works, the old Italian born godfather must face three of his four sons who wants to forsake him. First-rate film noir that will force you to admit that Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (Widescreen Edition) was not the first movie to talk about the family problems of the members of the honorable society. February 14, 2008

House of Strangers

The DVD was in excellent shape. I wanted to buy it because Susan Hayward was one of my favorite actresses. I thought the plot of the movie wasn't the greatest, but it was good to have another Susan Hayward movie to add to my collection. November 28, 2007

What's up with that moustache?

I don't blame myself for assuming that "House of Strangers" would be a hard-hitting, insightful portrayal of the dysfunctional American family, this based solely on the story line and list of contributors: Joseph L. Mankiewicz at the helm, directing the great Edward G. Robinson along with Richard Conte and Susan Hayward. Fact is, the assumption isn't entirely wrong. It's just not entirely right either.

The plot in a nutshell: Robinson plays Gino Monetti, first-generation immigrant and heavy-handed family patriarch who works his way from modest means to successful banker while raising four sons. When his books don't balance, his second and favorite son Max, played by Conte, takes the fall while the others stand aside and watch. They are unwilling to sacrifice for the man that subjected them to years of torment and psychological abuse -- you know, calling them "stupid-head," refusing salary raises and the like. As Max stews in prison, his hateful father feeds his imagination with thoughts of revenge. The story starts immediately upon Max's release as he confronts his brothers in their father's erstwhile bank. The remainder, up to the end, is told in flashback.

The transition from present to past is brilliant. Max returns to the now-abandoned family home. He puts an old record on the phonograph and drifts to sleep beneath the imposing portrait of his father. The camera pans, and in what seems to be a single shot, dollies up the grand staircase, past billowing curtains, through the upstairs hall, and into the upstairs bathroom. We are introduced to Gino Minetti, singing as he bathes. His voice rises above the recorded music which fades out from the future. Fantastic.

Despite the fact that this film stands as a testament to the cinematographic skill of Mankiewicz and Milton Krasner (who also worked alongside Menkiewicz as cinematographer on "All About Eve") it suffers from critical flaws, not least of which is Philip Yordan's heavy-handed script, completely devoid of any subtext. Add to this the fact that key cast members, or rather mis-cast members, flounder through scene after scene grasping for direction while spouting campy, over-the-top dialogue that is served up as often as Mama Monetti's spaghetti, and you've got a recipe for a mediocrity.

I am awed by the work of E.G. Robinson. He is arguably one of the greatest American actors of any generation. But this? Let's just say that it isn't his finest hour. His Italian accent doesn't so much as come and go as meander through varying degrees of silliness, from a sing-songy, just-off-the-boat lilt to a Brooklyn-wizened staccato. In any event, it's utterly distracting. The characterization follows the same incomprehensible course. One moment Gino seems an amiable apple cart pusher, the next a ruthless white-color criminal. Characters should be multi-faceted, and I would even accept that Robinson was attempting to capture various shades of Gino. Too bad it didn't work. There's no rhyme or reason to this performance, let alone arc. Being a hard-working actor, however, Robinson manages to squeeze, through sheer force of will, a couple powerful moments out of hyperbolic situations and dialogue.

What's up with Gino's 1890's style waxed moustache anyway? It might seem ridiculous today, but imagine how it must have looked in the middle of the 50s, when men --especially bankers, I think-- were mostly clean shaven. This speaks volumes about the perception of Italian immigrants at that time, but little of their experience.

Susan Hayward's performance is the stand-out. Her portrayal of Irene Bennett, the illicit love interest of Max, is understated and infused with sardonic humor. Unfortunately, Conte isn't up to the task. His terse and aggressive outbursts in response to her playful banter leaves the audience wondering why Irene even bothers, when we should be secretly rooting for the inevitable hook up.

I have to admit that apart from his wooden performance in "Whirlpool" I'm largely unfamiliar with Richard Conte's work. I also have to admit that his performance in "House.." isn't all that bad. What is disturbing is that it misses the thrust of the film. If we don't buy into in Irene and Max as a settle-down-in-another-town couple then his redemption seems hollow. Instead of pondering the destructive power of abuse and transformative power of love, the audience is left wondering if the film might have turned out better if the direction, performances, and screenplay weren't considerably tightened.
September 22, 2007

House of Strangers

This is a great movie, black and white, but the acting is wonderful, well worth having in your collection September 15, 2007

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