The Red House (1947)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

George Agnew Chamberlain (novel) and
Delmer Daves (written for the screen by)
(more)

Release Date:

21 July 1947 (France)

Genre:

Thriller | Film-Noir | Mystery

Tagline:

Of this man ... and the girl who lived in The Red House ... people spoke only in whispers! (poster)

Plot:

Pete and Ellen have reared Meg as their own, ever since she was a baby and her parents took off. Now a teen...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Theremin | Based On Novel

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Pete Morgan
Lon McCallister	...	Nath Storm
Judith Anderson	...	Ellen Morgan
Rory Calhoun	...	Teller
Allene Roberts	...	Meg Mogan
Julie London	...	Tibby Renton
Ona Munson	...	Mrs. Storm
Harry Shannon	...	Dr. Johnathan Byrne
Arthur Space	...	The Sheriff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pat Flaherty	...	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Don Brent (uncredited)

Directed by
Delmer Daves

Writing credits
George Agnew Chamberlain		(novel)
Delmer Daves		written for the screen by
Albert Maltz		uncredited

Produced by
Sol Lesser	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon

Film Editing by
Merrill G. White		(as Merrill White)

Art Direction by
McClure Capps

Costume Design by
Frank Beetson Jr.		(as Frank Beetson)

Makeup Department
Irving Berns	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Stillman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Frank McWhorter	....	sound technician

Music Department
Dr. Samuel Hoffman	....	musician: theremin (uncredited)
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Dorcy Howard	....	interiors

Production Companies

• Sol Lesser Productions (as Thalia Productions Inc.)

Distributors

• United Artists (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Take 2 Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Timeless Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Delta Expedition (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood Classics (USA) (VHS)
• Vídeo Network (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

No Trespassing

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Sol Lesser Productions

Quotes:

Pete Morgan: You defied the woods and you were hurt. She defied them, and now she's dead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) (TV)

Down By The Old Mill Stream, A Terrible Secret

I'm not sure why this film was entitled The Red House. Not being shot in color the title will mean absolutely nothing to the viewer, especially the viewer of today who won't be dealing with a recent best selling book to compare it with.

The house of whatever color is located by a mill and it contains a terrible secret from the past of Edward G. Robinson. Robinson and his sister have raised young Allene Roberts on their farm since she was an infant and have been like parents to her. They have one standing rule at their place. Under no circumstances is she or anyone else to go to a certain stretch of woods and to enforce that rule Robinson has hired Rory Calhoun to keep trespassers off.

Of course you tell teenagers like Roberts, Lon McCallister, and Julie London not to do something or go somewhere and you know very well what's going to happen in movies and in real life. Their curiosity unravels both a terrible secret from the past and it also unravels Robinson himself who we see degenerate from a loving father figure to a terrible figure of fright and horror.

Robinson of course is his usual outstanding, but it was refreshing to see Judith Anderson for once not playing a baddie. No Mrs. Danvers here or a blackmailing wet nurse like The Ten Commandments. She's a kind loving sister who gave up her own chance at happiness and a marriage to live with Robinson and raise Roberts.

Allene Roberts and Lon McCallister are a pair of nice young people, but they don't stand up against Rory Calhoun and Julie London. Calhoun's part is mysterious and ill defined, but he has plenty of animal magnetism exploding all over the screen and this was his first big break. As for London, I'm still scratching my head why McCallister chooses Roberts when he's got Julie London giving him the come hither glance.

The Red House is a fine thriller a bit dated, but still entertaining. By the way it also has a fine Mikos Rosza score as well.