Paulette Goddard was in early age one of most beauties actress at Hollywood scene, drawing attention of Charlie Chaplin who marry her, made great movies, in this minor British unknown Noir she is already older for the role, even so was a highlight to promote the picture, an unusual story of a disappeared wealthy businessman Philip Vickers who suddenly appears to find out who try out killed him in sea fishing travel with four friends at Portugal four years before, there someone hits his head and he fell off at ocean, stays with amnesia and has to work as seaman to survives, recovering his memory afterwards is backing home he suspects for all four former friends including his wife Angie (Paulette Goddard) soon one of the four is found death at river, the police takes over the investigation always suspecting of Vickers had commited as crime revenge, a dense and intriguing Noir, aside Goddard was the top billing cast who shines is the resentful husband Vickers (William Sylvester in a robust acting ) between betrayals and hate for past happenings the movie flows in a binding shadows of doubt, well-dramatized by the skillful director Terence Fisher!!
Most of the other reviews here rate this rather low, and say it's a poor example of film noir. Well I agree, it isn't great film noir.
This film begins in Dodge City where a heavily guarded wagon carrying gold to the local bank gets ambushed by some outlaws who set fire to a nearby mental institution to create a distraction. Although most of the inmates perish in the fire, four of them manage to escape and head out in the same direction as the outlaws.
Miss Goddard appears with an all English cast in this film noir and turns in a rather good performance. She is low keyed in this but still looks incredible.
The most interesting thing about 'A Stranger Came Home' is that it's based on a novel by George Sanders ... yes, I'm reliably informed that this was the well-known character actor of that name, not some other George Sanders.
A man with a rather unfortunate haircut shows up after being missing for three years. Turns out he had amnesia due to a blow on the head and has just recently recovered his memory.
Wow!
"The Stranger Came Home" is a 1954 British noir directed by Terence Fisher and starring Paulette Goddard. The film is based on a novel by George Sanders, THE George Sanders.
Neither Hammer studios nor director Terence Fisher are best known for their film noir style efforts; and after seeing this film, it's not difficult to work out why. The Unholy Four works from an intriguing plot line, and I was sure it would lead to an at least decent slice of British noir.
