IMDb > Never Love a Stranger (1958)

Never Love a Stranger (1958) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
5.0/10   110 votes
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Director:
Robert Stevens
Writers:
Richard Day (screenplay)
Harold Robbins (novel)
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Release Date:
22 June 1958 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
RAW and VIOLENT as the book that sold 3,000,000 SIZZLING copies!
Plot:
Following the life of an orphan and the events that change his life and lead him into a life of crime. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
An inglorious beginning for McQueen more (5 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)

John Drew Barrymore ... Francis 'Frankie' Kane
Lita Milan ... Julie Cabell

Robert Bray ... 'Silk' Fennelli

Steve McQueen ... Martin Cabell
Salem Ludwig ... Moishe Moscowitz
R.G. Armstrong ... Flix
Douglas Rodgers ... Brother Bernard
Felice Orlandi ... Bert
Augusta Merighi ... Mrs. Cozzolina
Vincent Barbi (as Vince Barbi)
Abe Simon ... 'Fats' Crown
Vitina Marcus ... Frances Kane (as Dolores Vitina)
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
91 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Finland:K-16 (1989) | Iceland:L | Finland:(Banned) (1960) | Sweden:15
Company:
Caryn more

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Referenced in Steve McQueen: The King of Cool (1998) (TV) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
An inglorious beginning for McQueen, 11 August 2005
1/10
Author: FANatic-10 from Las Vegas, NV

"Never Love A Stranger" was taken from an early Harold Robbins book and gave Steve McQueen his first significant role in films. Unfortunately, it is sub-standard in all respects and I would only recommend it to fanatic McQueen fans intent on seeing any and all of his film appearances. The budget must have been minuscule, since the production looks like it would have been cheap even for 50's television. The lighting, sets, and sound are all inferior. The writing is laughably bad and the direction has no sense of pace and certainly no dramatic depth. The lead is John Drew Barrymore, son of the Great Profile and father of Drew. He's not awful, and does what he can with the role, but he and all the other actors are weighed down by the dreadful script and direction. McQueen does not do much better. He is miscast, playing a nice Jewish boy...yes, Steve McQueen plays a nice Jewish boy, you read that right. Not only that, but he begins the film having to be taught how to box and defend himself by Barrymore. Then he grows up to be the noble, honorable district attorney out to get his gangster childhood friend. More astute future casting directors would eventually discover that McQueen's true forte was as the tough rebel and loner, not the goody two-shoes. Moreover, he is given no chance to shine, no scenes to dominate. Its all Barrymore's picture and McQueen is strictly there in support. Lita Milan is also in the picture as Barrymore's girl, and she's awful too.

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