House of Strangers

The dramatic action takes place in NYC in the 30's and early 40. Max Monetti (Conte), a lawyer, youngest son of Italian immigrants Gino Monetti (Robinson) and Theresa (Minciotti), released from prison after serving 7 years of a conviction for attempted bribery of a jury. Remember family history in a long flashback. Pay special attention to the authoritarian and tyrannical father, and the fact that it began as a humble barber in Mulberry Street, Little Italy (NYC), and became owner of a prosperous banking company in the Lower East Side (NYC). Shows how to have trouble with the IRS because of the way to run the business, very personal, anarchic, lacking books and formalizations of loans and deposits without the mandatory contracts. It is reported by the Treasury before the courts for alleged crimes of reckless management of debt capital, usury and tax evasion. Given the possibility of being liable to a heavy fine and loss of the activity license as a banker, decided to transfer all its assets to the wife.

The short film drama, psychological drama, family drama, social drama and elements of black cinema. Gets great success and is widely imitated at the time. Shortly thereafter, Fox produced a new adaptation of the novel by Weidman in the form of western ("Broken Lance," Dmytryk, 1954). Years later, the same producer takes third screen adaptation, this time set in the world of the circus ("The Big Show", Clark, 1961).

Yordan's script includes original contributions from Mankiewicz, particularly evident in the dialogues. Ground that he made a final review of the letter, which introduced amendments. The narrative reaches high levels of drama, based on a clever sleight of inconsiderate treatment, differential treatment, envy, jealousy, excessive ambition, hatred, greed and desires for revenge. They are splendid interpretations of Robinson, Conte and Hayward. As usual in the work of Mankiewicz, the story contains ellipsis and innuendo, which lighten text, and excerpts of truffled ambiguities.

Featured are scenes interviews with the children's father in the bedroom, the dialogues of Max and Irene in the apartment, Max's interview with the three brothers in Joe's office, etc.. The soundtrack, by Daniele Amfitheatrof, provides background music jazz sax-dominated, like ribbons of black cinema. Add pieces of operas such as "Rigoletto" (Verdi) and "The Barber of Seville" (Rossini). It offers three pieces of sensual songs by Dolores Parker at the Italian restaurant ("Can not We Talk It Over"). Photography, Milton R. Krasner ("Eve," Mankiewicz, 1950), B / N, creates compositions of contrasting light, plenty of shadows and oppressive spaces.


6/10