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IMDbPro

House of Strangers

  • 1949
  • Approved
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
Trailer for this drama about a house divided
Play trailer2:14
1 Video
11 Photos
CrimeDramaFilm-Noir

After years in prison, Max promises revenge on his brothers for their betrayal. His lover Irene and memories of his past yield him a broader perspective.After years in prison, Max promises revenge on his brothers for their betrayal. His lover Irene and memories of his past yield him a broader perspective.After years in prison, Max promises revenge on his brothers for their betrayal. His lover Irene and memories of his past yield him a broader perspective.

  • Director
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • Writers
    • Philip Yordan
    • Jerome Weidman
    • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • Stars
    • Edward G. Robinson
    • Susan Hayward
    • Richard Conte
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    3.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    • Writers
      • Philip Yordan
      • Jerome Weidman
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    • Stars
      • Edward G. Robinson
      • Susan Hayward
      • Richard Conte
    • 72User reviews
    • 19Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    House of Strangers
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch House of Strangers

    Photos11

    Richard Conte and Debra Paget in House of Strangers (1949)
    Susan Hayward and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
    Edward G. Robinson, Hope Emerson, Esther Minciotti, Paul Valentine, Tito Vuolo, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in House of Strangers (1949)
    Richard Conte, Luther Adler, Paul Valentine, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in House of Strangers (1949)
    Richard Conte, Luther Adler, Esther Minciotti, Debra Paget, Paul Valentine, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in House of Strangers (1949)
    Richard Conte and Debra Paget in House of Strangers (1949)
    Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
    Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
    Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
    Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Edward G. Robinson
    Edward G. Robinson
    • Gino Monetti
    Susan Hayward
    Susan Hayward
    • Irene Bennett
    Richard Conte
    Richard Conte
    • Max Monetti
    Luther Adler
    Luther Adler
    • Joe Monetti
    Paul Valentine
    Paul Valentine
    • Pietro Monetti
    Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
    Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
    • Tony Monetti
    Debra Paget
    Debra Paget
    • Maria Domenico
    Hope Emerson
    Hope Emerson
    • Helena Domenico
    Esther Minciotti
    Esther Minciotti
    • Theresa Monetti
    Diana Douglas
    Diana Douglas
    • Elaine Monetti
    Tito Vuolo
    Tito Vuolo
    • Lucca
    Fred Aldrich
    Fred Aldrich
    • Construction Worker
    • (uncredited)
    Maxine Ardell
    • Chorus Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    Larry Arnold
    • Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Al Bain
    Al Bain
    • Fight Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    David Bauer
    David Bauer
    • Prosecutor
    • (uncredited)
    Martin Begley
    • Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    Ray Beltram
    • Man on Street
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    • Writers
      • Philip Yordan
      • Jerome Weidman
      • Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Kenneth L. Geist's biography of the film's director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, People Will Talk, the film's producer Sol Siegel hired Philip Yordan to adapt Joseph Weidman's novel for the screen. After Yordan submitted three-quarters of the script, Siegel, finding the script unacceptable, fired him and asked Mankiewicz to redo the script. Mankiewicz rewrote all of Yordan's dialogue, reshaped the script and finished it. The Screen Writers Guild ruled that Yordan receive sole story credit and that Yordan and Mankiewicz share credit for the screenplay. Mankiewicz refused to share credit for a screenplay he had basically written and so received no credit. The studio remade House of Strangers as a western in 1954 as Broken Lance and Yordan was given credit for the story and won an Academy Award for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story. As Yordan's filmography shows, he was a prolific front in the 1950s for screenwriters who were blacklisted. And so, it seems oddly fitting that he received his only Academy Award for a film (Broken Lance) that he did not work on that was based on a screenplay to which his contribution is a matter of dispute.
    • Goofs
      At 2:00, Max approaches the front door of the Monetti Trust and Loan building. A young woman wearing a beret and a vertically-striped jacket steps out of the door, makes a right turn (from Max's perspective), and continues to walk until she disappears into the right side of the frame. 15 seconds later, the same woman is seen walking in front of the same building--again from Max's left to to his right--as if she had never been inside.
    • Quotes

      Max Monetti: Always looking for a new way to get hurt from a new man. Get smart, there hasn't been a new man since Adam.

    • Connections
      Featured in Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Largo al factotum
      From the opera "Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)" (uncredited)

      Music by Gioachino Rossini (uncredited)

      Lyrics by Cesare Sterbini (uncredited)

      Performed by Lawrence Tibbett

      Played on the phonograph before dinner at the family house

    User reviews72

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Every once in a while a great film comes along, and is somehow forgotten over a period of time...but is still well worth watching!
    This film appears in John Springer's movie book "Forgotten Films to Remember" by Citadel Press, and certainly lives up to it's name! It is a dark movie about the dysfunctional Monetti family. The late great Edward G. Robinson portrays Gino Monetti, the controlling patriarch banker father that rules his family with an iron fist. Richard Conte gives a sterling performance as the well meaning faithful son, Max Monetti. He takes a prison rap for embezzlement for his aging father. While he is in prison he helplessly learns that his brothers Joe (Luther Adler), Tony (Edward Zimbalist Jr., and Pietro (Paul Valentine plan to take over the family banking business. As a result of this his father dies. Max returns home from prison focused on revenge. Fortunately, Max's girlfriend (Susan Hayward)convinces him that the revenge he seeks is not worth it. Realizing that his father Gino was the real source of hatred and evil in the family, he decides to peacefully leave town with his girlfriend, but is soon confronted by his evil brothers.

    Amazingly this 1949 film was re-made in 1954 as a Western of all things! The title of the re-make was "Broken Lance". Same story different setting. Spencer Tracy (Controlling Rancher Father) plays the Robinson (Controlling Banker father) part, Robert Wagner plays the Conte part (Faithful son), Richard Widmark plays the Adler part (Ambitious older brother), Hugh O'Brien plays the Zimbalist part, and Earl Holliman plays the Valentine part (strong arm brother). Both films share a powerful script and good performances. Worth seeing!
    helpful•36
    10
    • wgie
    • May 31, 2004

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 1, 1949 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • East Side Story
    • Filming locations
      • Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, and Richard Conte in House of Strangers (1949)
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