House of Strangers

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Overview

House of Strangers is the first of three film versions of Jerome Weidman's I'll Never Go Home Any More, each of which was scripted by Philip Yordan. Edward G. Robinson plays a Giannini-like Italian-American banker, Gino Monetti, who runs roughshod over his four grown sons. The ruthless Gino engages in several illegal activities to build up his business, and is arrested as a result. Though the sons have always been fully aware of their father's questionable business practices, they refuse to help him stay out of ...
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More About This Product

Overview

House of Strangers is the first of three film versions of Jerome Weidman's I'll Never Go Home Any More, each of which was scripted by Philip Yordan. Edward G. Robinson plays a Giannini-like Italian-American banker, Gino Monetti, who runs roughshod over his four grown sons. The ruthless Gino engages in several illegal activities to build up his business, and is arrested as a result. Though the sons have always been fully aware of their father's questionable business practices, they refuse to help him stay out of prison; led by oldest son Joe Luther Adler, three of the sons take over the business and kick their father out. Only son Max Richard Conte remains loyal to his father, whereupon his three brothers conspire to have Max thrown into prison as well. Max promises the dying Gino that he'll exact vengeance on the treacherous sons; but when he is released, Max hasn't the stomach for revenge, not even after one of his brothers Efrem Zimbalist Jr. tries to kill him. Max leaves his brothers to stew in their own juices, and heads to California for a new life with his fiancée, Irene Bennett Susan Hayward. Subsequent film versions of the Jerome Weidman novel included Broken Lance 1954 and The Big Circus 1961.
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Special Features

Closed Caption; Audio commentary by film historian and author Foster Hirsch; Poster gallery; Production stills gallery; Unit photography gallery; Theatrical trailer
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
House of Strangers is a stylish, powerful but ultimately unsatisfying family drama that benefits from a quartet of top-notch performers and from Joseph L. Mankiewicz's stylish and assured direction. Although Mankiewicz is not credited as a writer, the screenplay for Strangers bears a number of Mankiewicz touches, including an extended flashback (started, as in A Letter to Three Wives, by an aural cue); incisive, character-defining dialogue; and a slight tendency toward over-explaining. It's the last characteristic that tends to hurt Strangers, especially at the end. This is exacerbated by the fact that the climactic change of heart by the lead character comes from nowhere; he goes over territory that he has clearly been over hundreds of times before, but for some reason, this particular time it causes him to do a complete about-face. Of course, the fact that his girlfriend is now involved is a factor, but he has earlier dismissed that element so thoroughly that something more is needed. Fortunately, Edward G. Robinson's commanding presence, Richard Conte's smoothness and strength, Susan Hayward's complex and richly shaded characterization, and Luther Adler's oily opportunism help to overcome the flaws in the script and make Strangers a good, if not great, film.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 6/6/2006
  • UPC: 024543244516
  • Original Release: 1949

    • Rating:

  • Source: 20th Century Fox
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Pan & Scan
  • Time: 1:40:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 28,396

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Edward G. Robinson Gino Monetti
Susan Hayward , Irene Bennett
Richard Conte Max, Max Monetti
Luther Adler , Joe Monetti
Paul Valentine , Pietro Monetti
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , Tony
Debra Paget , Maria Domenico
Hope Emerson , Helena Domenico
Esther Minciotti , Theresa Monetti
Diana Douglas , Elaine Monetti
Tito Vuolo , Lucca
Alberto Morin Victoro
Sid Tomack Waiter
David Wolfe Prosecutor
John Kellogg Danny
Ann Morrison Woman juror
Maxine Ardell Chorus Dancer
Argentina Brunetti Woman
Mushy Callahan Referee
Bob Castro Preliminary Fighter
Charles Flynn
Tom Browne Henry Judge
Marjorie Holliday Chorus Dancer
Frank Jaquet Man
Jeri Jordan
John Kullers Taxi Driver
James Little Cop
Joseph Mazzuca Bat Boy
Charles McClelland Cop
Silvio Minciotti
Howard Mitchell Guard
Dolores Parker Nightclub Singer
John Pedrini
Maurice Samuels Man
Mario Siletti Man
George Spaulding Doorman
Lawrence Tibbett Voice Only
Phil Tully Guard
Herb Vigran Neighbor
Rhoda Williams Woman
Sally Yarnell Chorus Dancer
Technical Credits
Joseph L. Mankiewicz Director
Daniele Amfitheatrof Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
George W. Davis Art Director
William Eckhardt Asst. Director
W.D. Flick Sound/Sound Designer
Roger Heman Sound/Sound Designer
Harmon Jones Editor
Milton Krasner Cinematographer
Charles LeMaire Costumes/Costume Designer
Thomas K. Little Art Director, Set Decoration/Design
Ben Nye Sr. Makeup
Walter Scott Art Director, Set Decoration/Design
Fred Sersen Special Effects
Sol C. Siegel Producer
Lyle Wheeler Art Director
Philip Yordan Screenwriter
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- House of Strangers
1. Main Titles
2. Between Brothers
3. Seven Years in Jail
4. At the Big House
5. Gino Monetti
6. At First Sight
7. Waiting Game
8. Family Dinner
9. Apartment 11A
10. No Since Eve
11. The Engagement Discussion
12. Last Night Together
13. Sweating It Out
14. Another Man
15. The Empire That Gino Built
16. On Trial
17. Jury Tampering
18. The New Monetti Bank
19. They Must Pay
20. Irene's Plea
21. Gino Is Dead
22. Taking Control
23. Joe's Rage
24. Saving Joe/End Titles
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Menu

Disc #1 -- House of Strangers
   Play
   Language Selection
      Language and Audio: English Mono
      Language and Audio: English Stereo
      Language and Audio: Audio Commentary With Film Author & Historian Foster Hirsch
      Subtitles: English
      Subtitles: Spanish
      Subtitles: None
   Scene Selection
   Special Features
      Audio Commentary With Film Author & Historian Foster Hirsch: On
      Audio Commentary With Film Author & Historian Foster Hirsch: Off
      Theatrical Trailer
      Still Galleries
         Poster Gallery
         Production Stills Gallery
         Unit Photography Gallery
      Fox Noir
         I Wake Up Screaming
         Boomerang!
         Vicki
         If You Liked This Movie, You May Want to Try...
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