House of Strangers

by Ari

Family matters are a strong reoccurring theme in movies. And why wouldn’t they be? The family dynamic is a universal theme, one that immediately lends itself to easily accessible and naturally engrossing drama. Because you can identify with the characters and conflicts, the stories have a more personal and affecting edge. And while a universal theme such as this has often times been reduced to a very particular, manipulative, and completely simplistic formula, some of the best filmmakers have used it to create their pivotal works. From Capra to Fellini to Coppola to Allen to Spielberg, the family unit is the basis for some of film’s greatest dramas. Several movies included in many of these film noir dvd box-set are not actually noirs, just classic dramas from the 40’s and 50’s.

Fritz Lang’s powerful star-studded drama Clash by Night is a perfect example, as is Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s House of Strangers, a riveting account of family themes starring brilliant character actor Richard Conte, the beautiful (and young) Susan Hayward, and the extraordinary Edward G. Robinson in one of his many unforgettable performances. Made in 1949, House of Strangers explores the power, influence, repression, and stability of a wealthy Italian family in New York, a less violent, but thematically similar precursor to The Godfather. While not about gangsters or organized crime, House of Strangers has many thematic ties to Coppola’s triumph, especially in the relationship of father and son, and the responsibility of leading a family and how family is eventually torn apart. House of Strangers is intelligent and compelling, a classic drama that favors realism over the generic motions the theme has been subjected to on so many occasions.

Max Monetti (Conte) is released from a seven year prison sentence with the intent of seeking vengeance against his three brothers for betraying him and their father. His brothers own a bank, a bank that once belonged to Gino Monetti (Robinson) a powerful figure both professionally and personally. Max has a vendetta that’s been stirring for seven years, and he wants to rightfully take back what belongs to him and the father he loved and respected. He makes this clear to Irene Bennett (Hayward) during their reunion, the love of his life that he was forced to leave behind. He’s filled with hate and anger and poison, tortured by his loss and enraged by the family that destroyed him. The opening ten minutes gives the impression that the film will play like cold and serious revenge thriller, with Conte exacting his vendetta against his seemingly rotten and criminal brothers. But then, the story flashes back to the very beginning of the conflict, and an entirely new outlook is presented, something far different than expected, where the initial view of the characters is completely reversed.

When Gino owned the family business, he organized things to his liking and conducted business his way without considering the consequences. He favored Max, the family’s lawyer, the son who admired him most. He dismissed his other boys, mainly his eldest son Joe, paying low wages for hard work. Max was the future of the family, so Max received the attention and respect. His other sons were failures in his eyes, good-for-nothing deadbeats who should be grateful that their father even remotely cared about them. Gino treats them like servants most of time, people of little worth. When his son Piettro loses a boxing match, Gino tears his robe away, shaming him for wearing the family name. At a family dinner, he promises Joe a raise when he dies, laughing at his son’s request. In the meantime, Max is engaged to a beautiful young Italian girl, but becomes entangled with his newest client, Irene. Irene is feisty and intelligent, a strong woman who both charms and challenges Max. She plays difficult to get, and he loves and hates every minute of it. Max loves her, but has to work hard for her softer, sweeter affection. Their relationship is full of witty banter, the most noir inspired element in the entire film.

Once the government closes the bank and puts Gino on trial, the family splits apart. Max naturally defends him, but his brothers abandon the father they have the right to despise. A terrible sequence of events follows, sending Max in prison and his father out of business. While serving his sentence, Max sinks into a place of great anger, influenced by his father’s dishonest and venomous letters. What writer Philip Yordan does so well is establish real emotional complexity between the characters, especially Max and his big brother Joe. The drama is intense because the characters are developed, and the intimidating and powerful lead by Edward G. Robinson provides a compelling emotional center to the entire story. He’s the Vito Corleone of this movie, a man who loves being in charge and demands loyalty and respect even at his most despicable moments.

Mankiewicz’s direction is smooth and skillful. He directs his actors to excellent performances, and shoots the story with classical visual elegance. Mankiewicz brings a realism to the visuals, blending the sets and actual locations better than many films of the period. Studio-system pictures usually have a specific artificiality to their sets, House of Strangers included. Some directors worked well in that setting, using the sets and studio-lots to create classically cinematic environments. Mankiewicz is one of those directors. His acute visual sensibilities have aged incredibly well, along with the story and themes. House of Strangers is a great movie and an essential dvd.