The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry
Encyclopedia
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry is a 1945 film noir
directed by Robert Siodmak
, starring George Sanders
as an aging bachelor who looks after his two sisters, one of whom tries to sabotage his romance with his co-worker. It is based on the play Uncle Harry by Thomas Job.
.
Everything is disrupted by the arrival of a new young female designer at the mill. Deborah (Raines) comes from New York
and is slim, elegant, and very well-dressed. She clearly likes Harry and they fall in love. Planning to get married they aim to both live in the big family house, but this involves the sisters finding a new home. Whilst this is not an issue for Hester, Lettie is very resistant. After several months of having their marriage plans sabotaged, one Sunday, Harry and Debbie plan to run off to New York and just get married that evening. However their plan is thwarted when Lettie collapses and is taken to hospital. Debbie makes Harry choose: Lettie or her. He chooses his sister and they part, seemingly forever.
Meanwhile Harry discovers that their recently dead old dog "Weary" did not die of old age but because Lettie poisoned him. The local chemist tells how he gave her a bottle of quick death poison to put the dog out of its misery. To make things worse, Harry hears that Debbie is getting married in New York. Harry feels betrayed and starts to plot revenge.
One night, he slips some of the same poison, found in Lettie's desk, into her late night hot chocolate. Unfortunately due to some confusion, Hester drinks from it instead and drops dead. When the housekeeper sees it, she says that she did not think Lettie had it in her, but was aware that the sisters were always arguing. Harry sees his chance and conspires to blame the death on Lettie, as the more obviously motivated perpetrator. The local townsfolk are all sure of Lettie's guilt. The jury agrees; Lettie is sentenced to hang.
Harry has a change of heart and brings a written confession to the prison governor. However, he thinks Harry is just a nice man trying to save his wicked sister. He says it does not make sense; Harry wanted her dead, but now wants to save her. Lettie sees him and seems happy to hang and leave him with the guilt on his shoulders.
However, to satisfy the Motion Picture Production Code, everything from the discovery of the poison bottle turns out to be imaginary. Harry pours the poison in the bin. Debbie bursts in saying she decided not to marry the other man and has come back for him.
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
directed by Robert Siodmak
Robert Siodmak
Robert Siodmak was a German born American film director. He is best remembered as a thriller specialist and for the series of Hollywood film noirs he made in the 1940s.-Early life:...
, starring George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
as an aging bachelor who looks after his two sisters, one of whom tries to sabotage his romance with his co-worker. It is based on the play Uncle Harry by Thomas Job.
Plot
Harry Quincy (Sanders) is an amiable middle-aged man working as a designer in a fabric mill in the small town of Corinth. Younger people in the factory call him "Uncle Harry". He lives as a bachelor in a large house with his two sisters; Lettie (Fitzgerald) and Hester (MacGill). Lettie is pretty but spoiled, and idles days away in bed, feigning numerous ailments. Hester is a widow and is harder working. It is made clear that although the family was rich, the monies were lost in the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Everything is disrupted by the arrival of a new young female designer at the mill. Deborah (Raines) comes from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and is slim, elegant, and very well-dressed. She clearly likes Harry and they fall in love. Planning to get married they aim to both live in the big family house, but this involves the sisters finding a new home. Whilst this is not an issue for Hester, Lettie is very resistant. After several months of having their marriage plans sabotaged, one Sunday, Harry and Debbie plan to run off to New York and just get married that evening. However their plan is thwarted when Lettie collapses and is taken to hospital. Debbie makes Harry choose: Lettie or her. He chooses his sister and they part, seemingly forever.
Meanwhile Harry discovers that their recently dead old dog "Weary" did not die of old age but because Lettie poisoned him. The local chemist tells how he gave her a bottle of quick death poison to put the dog out of its misery. To make things worse, Harry hears that Debbie is getting married in New York. Harry feels betrayed and starts to plot revenge.
One night, he slips some of the same poison, found in Lettie's desk, into her late night hot chocolate. Unfortunately due to some confusion, Hester drinks from it instead and drops dead. When the housekeeper sees it, she says that she did not think Lettie had it in her, but was aware that the sisters were always arguing. Harry sees his chance and conspires to blame the death on Lettie, as the more obviously motivated perpetrator. The local townsfolk are all sure of Lettie's guilt. The jury agrees; Lettie is sentenced to hang.
Harry has a change of heart and brings a written confession to the prison governor. However, he thinks Harry is just a nice man trying to save his wicked sister. He says it does not make sense; Harry wanted her dead, but now wants to save her. Lettie sees him and seems happy to hang and leave him with the guilt on his shoulders.
However, to satisfy the Motion Picture Production Code, everything from the discovery of the poison bottle turns out to be imaginary. Harry pours the poison in the bin. Debbie bursts in saying she decided not to marry the other man and has come back for him.
Cast
- George SandersGeorge SandersGeorge Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
as Harry Melville Quincey - Geraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine Fitzgerald, Lady Lindsay-Hogg was an Irish-American actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
as Lettie Quincey - Ella RainesElla RainesElla Wallace Raines was an American film and television actress.-Life and career:Born Ella Wallace Raubes near Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, Raines studied drama at the University of Washington and was appearing in a play there when she was seen by Howard Hawks...
as Deborah Brown - Sara AllgoodSara Allgood-Biography:Allgood was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her sister was actress Maire O'Neill.Allgood began her acting career at the Abbey Theatre and was in the opening of the Irish National Theatre Society, appearing in many of their plays all over Britain...
as Nona - Moyna MacGillMoyna MacGillMoyna Macgill was an Irish stage and film actress and the mother of actress Angela Lansbury and producers Edgar Lansbury and Bruce Lansbury.-Life and career:...
as Hester Quincy (as Moyna Macgill) - Samuel S. HindsSamuel S. HindsSamuel Southey Hinds was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life and for his part in You Can't Take It With You , both films by Frank Capra...
as Dr. Adams - Harry von ZellHarry von ZellHarry von Zell , born in Indianapolis, made his mark as an announcer of radio programs and an actor in films and television shows....
as Ben (as Harry VonZell) - Judy Clark as Helen
- Coulter Irwin as Biff Wagner (as Coulter F. Irwin)
- Craig Reynolds as John Warren