The House on Telegraph Hill (1951)

Concentration camp survivor Victoria Kowelska finds herself involved in mystery, greed, and murder when she assumes the identity of a dead friend in order to gain passage to America.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Elick Moll (screenplay), Frank Partos (screenplay),

Stars:

Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese, William Lundigan

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Basehart	...	Alan Spender
Valentina Cortese	...	Victoria Kowelska (as Valentina Cortesa)
William Lundigan	...	Major Marc Bennett
Fay Baker	...	Margaret
Gordon Gebert	...	Christopher
Steven Geray	...	Dr. Burkhardt
Herbert Butterfield	...	Joseph C. Callahan
Kei Thin Chung	...	Kei - Houseboy
John Burton	...	Mr. Whitmore
Katherine Meskill	...	Mrs. Whitmore
Mario Siletti	...	Tony, the Grocer
Charles Wagenheim	...	Man At Accident
David Clarke	...	Mechanic
Tamara Schee	...	Maria
Natasha Lytess	...	Karin Dernakova

Storyline

Victoria has survived Nazi concentration by assuming the identity of one who died there. She arrives in San Francisco to see her "son" just as the boy's great-aunt dies leaving a lot of money to be inherited. Victoria falls in love with the boy's trustee Alan Spender, and they move into the mansion on Telegraph Hill. She then learns that Alan and his lover, the boy's governess Margaret, murdered an aunt and are planning the same for her.

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Plot Keywords:

concentration camp | greed | baseball | bergen belsen | child custody | 

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Taglines:

This is the house forbidden to every woman with a conscience, forbidden to every man with honor!

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Genres:

Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 1951 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

A Casa da Colina

Filming Locations:

Coit Tower, San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Furnishings and props for the mansion interior were acquired by property master Tom Little from the estates of the Aga Khan III and David Belasco.

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Goofs

In the establishing shot of the house at the beginning, the fact that the water in the bay in the background never moves indicates is it a matte painting.

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Quotes

Alan Spender: [to Victoria/Karin] The trouble with you is you really don't know how to relax.

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Soundtracks

"Blue Moon"
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Played immediately after the performance at the Chinese restaurant

User Reviews

Solid Suspense Drama

A concentration camp survivor assumes the identity of a wealthy woman who dies on her way to America. It doesn't get off to a great start, but gets better as it goes along. The San Francisco locations are gritty. Wise creates a terrific atmosphere and ratchets up the suspense to Hitchcockian levels. There's even a scene involving a glass of juice that is reminiscent of the glass of milk in "Suspicion," and the maid played by Baker is like Judith Anderson in "Rebecca." There are good performances from Cortese as the woman who comes to regret her get rich quick scheme and Basehart as her sinister husband; the two actors married during the filming.