The House I Live In (1945)

Frank Sinatra teaches a group of young boys a lesson in religious tolerance.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy (uncredited)

Writer:

Albert Maltz

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Teddy Infuhr, Harry McKim

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself

Storyline

A young Frank Sinatra is in the studio with a full orchestra. He records a take of "If You Are But a Dream," then breaks for a smoke. From the studio, he steps into an alley where he sees nearly a dozen kids chasing one smaller boy. Frank stops them, asks why, and they tell him it's because of the boy's religion. So Frank asks them if they're Nazis and explains a few things about America, blood banks, World War II, and teamwork. Then he sings "The House I Live In" for them. Off the lads scamper, and the kid Frank's saved gives him a look of gratitude.

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Plot Keywords:

social problem | ethnicity | italian american | common good | do the right thing | 

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Genres:

Short | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Éste es mi hogar

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frank Ross Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

11 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lewis Allen, lyricist for the title song, is the pseudonym of Abel Meeropol (1903-1986), best known for the anti-lynching poem and later song 'Strange Fruit'.

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Connections

Featured in Red Hollywood (1996)

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Soundtracks

If You Are But a Dream
(uncredited)
Written by Moe Jaffe, Jack Fulton, and Nat Bonx
Performed by Frank Sinatra

User Reviews

Hollywood smug

Best part of this 10-minute film is seeing a young, rail-thin Sinatra in the studio singing with a lush orchestra. And then he gets to show off some decent acting chops for a few minutes. But holy smokes, this is Hollywood Smug trying to spread itself across America and congratulating itself on its inclusiveness. In fact, they gave themselves an Academy Award for this little artifact. But Google the lyrics for The House I Live In Sinatra. Then Google The House I live In Robeson. The latter is remarkably well-written (by Jews later black-listed) and powerful (and sung by a black man also later black-listed). Whereas the Sinatra version has been bleached to a bland pointlessness, so anodyne and saccharine it should come with a diabetes warning. Apparently, the lyricist was outraged particularly by the deletion of the ''white and black" line. This is America (and particularly Hollywood) at its most self-congratulatory, and most cowardly (note not a single black kid in the mob of boys, either).