House of Strangers

Audience Reviews

View All (22) audience reviews

nick s Strong characters and a good story. There is a jump back in time early in the movie that took me a few minutes to figure out. The dialogue was good but sometimes a bit stiff. Protagonist is perhaps not all that likeable but that works with the plot. All up entertaining and thoughtful. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/24 Full Review Ashley H House of Strangers is an okay film. It is about Gino Monetti who has made his fortune banking. Edward G. Robinson and Richard Comte give decent performances. The screenplay is a little in places. Joseph L. Mankiewicz did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review william d House of Strangers is a good drama, ably directed by Mankiewicz. I just wish that a better actor than Richard Conte was in his major role. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review deke p 1949! CRIME noir. Italian-American banker Edward G. Robinson all his sons turn against him. RICHARD CONTE stars. SUSAN HAYWARD. Watched much of it again on tv set 5.5.2022. note to self watch again & pay particular attention A-Z. It's good, I'd recommend it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a drama about an Italian-American family centered on the complex dynamics within the family, especially the relationships between the ambitious, domineering father and the sons. Sound familiar? I'd never heard of this film, buying it because it's a Fox Film Noir, but surprisingly enjoyed it immensely. Why this film's banker Monetti family even earns the scorn of the government, which seeks to crush it as in Godfather II. This conflict between love and revenge will satisfy any Godfather fan. The story and acting are powerful, and while Edward G. Robinson's performance didn't receive the acclaim of Brando's, he did win Best Actor at Cannes for the performance. Richard Conte shines equally as favored-son Max, loyal to his father and sworn to revenge against his brothers, and Susan Hayward eclipses Diane Keaton as the son's love interest who just wants to get away. For those interested in Richard Conte's career or just movie trivia, he appears as Don Barzini, rival to Don Corleone in "The Godfather." Also, he must have been in the Rat Pack or at least been a friend of Sinatra's because he appears not only in this quintessential "Ocean's 11," but also in the Chairman of the Board's "Tony Rome" and "Lady in Cement." Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's films are uniformly excellent, with House of Strangers no exception. If you're a fan of either the Godfather saga or any Martin Scorsese/Robert Deniro films such as Goodfellas, check this one out. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member As the movie opens, Richard Conte is just out of jail and he goes to confront his three brothers who have taken over the family bank after their father died. Conte is angry and the brothers are defensive. He next visits his girl, Susan Hayward, who tries to convince him to leave New York for San Francisco. He refuses and retreats to his old house where a long flashback begins. In this flashback, we meet the father, played by Edward G. Robinson in stereotypical but convincing Italian drag (complete with mustache and accent). He is tough on his kids and he runs his bank loosely, charging lots of interest to the poor people in his community who nevertheless seem to like him and respect him. As the 1930s begin, however, there is reform to the banking laws and Robinson is caught out. Only Conte fights for him as the government moves in, as the other sons feel that their father has only belittled them over the years. The drama is well played by Robinson and Conte but most of the others are lacklustre, save for Hayward who shines in a rather dispensable role. On the edge of noir, but not quite in the genre - worth a look. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews

House of Strangers

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW