House of Strangers (1949)

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 (screenplay), Jerome Weidman (novel)

Stars:

Edward G. Robinson, Susan Hayward, Richard Conte

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward G. Robinson	...	Gino Monetti
Susan Hayward	...	Irene Bennett
Richard Conte	...	Max Monetti
Luther Adler	...	Joe Monetti
Paul Valentine	...	Pietro Monetti
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Tony Monetti
Debra Paget	...	Maria Domenico
Hope Emerson	...	Helena Domenico
Esther Minciotti	...	Theresa Monetti
Diana Douglas	...	Elaine Monetti
Tito Vuolo	...	Lucca

Storyline

In New York, after seven years in prison, the lawyer Max Monetti goes to the bank of his brothers Joe, Tony and Pietro Monetti and promises revenge to them. Then he visits his lover Irene Bennett that asks him to forget the past and start a new life. Max recalls the early 30s, when he is the favorite son of his father Gino Monetti, who has a bank in the East Side. Gino is a tyrannical and egocentric self-made man that raises his family in an environment of hatred and Max is a competent lawyer engaged with Maria Domenico. When Max meets the confident Irene, he has a troubled love affair with her. In 1933, with the new Banking Act reaches Gino for misapplication of funds. Max plots a plan to help his father but is betrayed by his brothers. Now Max will see his brothers that have also being raised under the motto "Never Forgive, Never Forget".

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Plot Keywords:

brother versus brother | prison | bank | hatred | kiss | 

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Taglines:

A powerhouse of emotion.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1 July 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

East Side Story

Filming Locations:

Ocean Park, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first of three movies written by screenwriter Philip Yordan, based on the novel, "I'll Never Go Home Again," by Jerome Weidman. The other two were Broken Lance (1954), with Spencer Tracy (for which Yordan won an Oscar for Best Story), and The Big Show (1961) with Esther Williams and Cliff Robertson.

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Goofs

When Max & Joe are taken to the balcony to be thrown off, and presumably killed, Max later exits house, he only goes down a SINGLE flight to the street level. That would put balcony on the second floor, hardly high enough to ensure someone thrown a distance of about twenty feet would die.

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Quotes

Max Monetti: Pa, have you read the new banking act?
Gino Monetti: I don't even read the old one. Why?

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Connections

Version of The 20th Century-Fox Hour: The Last Patriarch (1956)

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Soundtracks

La donna è mobile
(uncredited)
From the opera "Rigoletto"
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Lyrics by Francesco Maria Piave
Sung briefly by Edward G. Robinson in the bath

User Reviews

Not a noir

I just bought this and was looking forward to watching as I like all the main actors and am a film noir fan. This title is being marketed as a film noir - it's a good movie - but it definitely isn't a noir. I certainly don't stick to the narrow definition of a noir either.

I won't bother to write a whole synopsis since that has been covered by earlier posts. Edward G Robinson never disappoints (even though he does kind of sound like Chico Marx in this) and Richard Conte is great. I hadn't seen Luther Adler in anything before but he was perfect in the role of the scorned older brother.

Like I said it is a good movie...just don't expect a noir.