Toward the end of House of Strangers, Theresa Monetti (played by Esther Minciotti), wife of Gino Monetti (broadly played by Edward G. Robinson), states that her family is “a house of strangers,” brother pitted against brother. In 1932 Gino left barbering on New York’s Lower East Side to open his own savings and loan association, charging exorbitant interest to his customers, especially when they can’t provide collateral. The film begins with Gino’s youngest son, Max (strongly played by Richard Conte), staring up at Papa Monetti’s portrait. Max has just served seven years in prison for attempted jury tampering (his eldest brother, Joe, played by Luther Adler, informed on him because he was Papa’s favorite).

Max has already visited his brothers Joe, Tony (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., in an early role), and Pietro (played by Paul Valentine), called “Dumbhead” throughout the film because of his penchant for boxing, (he usually loses the bout). Papa Monetti died during Max’s prison term, and the brothers, especially Joe (who now runs the bank), offer Max $1000 to leave in peace. Max throws the packet of money on the floor in defiance, then visits the apartment of Irene Bennett (his former society-girl lover, dazzlingly played by Susan Hayward). After an evening of lovemaking, he revisits the family home, where a flashback to the early 1930s begins.

There is much stereotyping of the Italian-American family in this

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