We Were Strangers

Starring:Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro ArmendÃ¡riz, Gilbert Roland, Ramon Novarro, Wally Cassell, David Bond, JosÃ© PÃ©rez (IV), Morris Ankrum, Tito Renaldo, Paulo Monte, Leonard Strong, Robert Tafur, Rodd Redwing, Mimi Aguglia, Lelia Goldoni, Gertrude Chorre, Edwin Rochelle, Abdullah Abbas, Alfonso Pedroza
Director: John Huston
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

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Following the 1948 one-two punch of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Key Largo, and before hitting the halcyon streak of The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Red Badge of Courage (1951), and The African Queen (1951), John Huston directed a fascinating movie called We Were Strangers--which could have been the working title of almost any picture Huston made. The first endeavor of his and Sam Spiegel's independent Horizon company, it's a very offbeat film that deserves to be better known. In 1933, an American leftist (John Garfield) returns to his native Cuba to help topple a dictator. Thrown together with a diverse band of co-conspirators--including a recently radicalized young woman (Jennifer Jones) and an endearingly lusty proletarian (Gilbert Roland)--he hatches a macabre plot for planting a bomb under El Presidente and his cabinet. Have no doubt that, in finest Hustonian tradition, the quest will trace a twisted itinerary, with several grotesque detours, to the most bitterly ironical of endings. The casting of Garfield, soon to be a victim of the Hollywood blacklist, retrospectively darkens this HUAC-era production. Aesthetically, the Cuban setting, spare rhythms, and stylized, quasi-literary dialogue speak to the looming shadow of Ernest Hemingway, a big influence on Huston's early writing and a boon companion of the director and co-screenwriter Peter Viertel, while in theme and mood the picture honors the growing cult of French Existentialism-with-a-capital-E (hardly coincidentally, Huston had directed the first American stage production of No Exit not long before). --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

A drama and nothing more.......2007-01-04

I bought this movie for its historic value. Practically no film exists that covers Cuba during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Although I knew this was a US interpretation of the period and that it was made in the 1950s, I had hoped for some nod to the Cuban revolution of 1933. In fact, it is an overly dramatic love story of revolutionaries fighting for some undefined revolution who dig a tunnel from the home of an innocent and beautiful orphaned young woman. The rest is entirely predictable. She falls in love with one of the ardent young insurrectionists who is killed. Cuba is only some exotic backdrop for the age-old story of youthful promise and sacrifice. For today's taste, the acting is blatant, overdrawn, sappy, and predictable.

"They'll all be blown to hell, which is where they belong.".......2005-03-23

This neglected, controversial, and highly underated John Huston classic has thankfully been released on dvd so that movie buffs can rediscover this "lost" gem. While the dvd has no bonus features (besides a few meaningless theatrical trailors) it at least has a great sound quality and very good picture quality.

John Garfield stars as Tony Fenner, a Cuban-born expatriate who returns to his now troubled country for one purpose: to wipe out the dictator Gerardo Machado and his sinister puppet government. To do this he recruits a handful of brave Cuban patriots, including China Valdes (played by Jennifer Jones), a beautiful young woman who recently witnessed her own brother's murder by the evil chief-of-police, Ariete (played to perfection by Pedro Armendariz). China and Tony slowly but surely fall in love as they work together to free Cuba from dictatorship.

Tony and his comrades are plotting to blow up the Cuban government with a bomb, but when the plan goes wrong, they must split up and try to make their escape as best as possible. When Tony and China are trapped in a building and surrounded by the ruthless police, they decide to fight (rather than be caught and executed) back with a Thompson sub-machine gun and dynamite!

This movie was one of John Garfield's last roles before he was unjustly blacklisted, a blow that many say led to his fatal heart attack at age 39. Jennifer Jones and John Garfield have good chemistry together and the supporting cast is wonderful. If you enjoy classic movies add this explosive thriller to your collection!

Obscure Huston film surfaces.......2005-03-09

In between making the classics "Treasure of the Sierre Madre" (1948) and "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950), John Huston made "We Were Strangers," which virtually vanished and was never released on VHS and seldom shown on television. At the time of the film's release, which was right at the beginning of the HUAC Committee and American political paranoia, it predictably received unfavorable and questionable attention. It was released in April of 1949 but audiences were perplexed by it and it quickly vanished from theaters.

Based on the overthrow of Cuban dictator Geraldo Machado Morales in 1933, the story is about a group of revolutionaries who plot to bring down their corrupt government. China (pronounced Cheena) Valdez witnesses her brother's murder after he distributes leftist pamphlets and vows that she will kill his assassin. At his funeral, however, she is persuaded to join an underground group whose motives are more carefully orchestrated. China's house is next door to a cemetery and the leader of the group (John Garfield) devises a scheme to assasinate an official whose family plot is in the cemetery and detonate a bomb at the man's funeral thereby killing as many officials as possible. To do this, they must dig a tunnel from China's house to the cemetery. Most of the movie is concentrated on the digging of the tunnel as Garfield and Jones' develop a romantic interest in each other. However, the film never lets the romantic issues overpower the film's basic purposes of depicting the desperateness of the Cuban terrorists and the film ends with a violent and exciting shoot-out sequence.

The film often suffers in a few places from sluggish pacing but the performances are all first rate. Jennifer Jones, doing a convincing Cuban accent, is radiant but intense as China and has good chemisty with Garfield. The supporting players are unusually fine. Pedro Armendariz, as the corrupt police chief, is deliciously menacing. Look for silent greats Gilbert Roland and Ramon Navarro in strong supporting parts as members of the resistance. Look for a cameo appearance by director John Huston who appears as a bank teller.

Many of the film's outdoor scenes are shot against rear projections, which are quite noticable. The film, however, achieves an almost documentary-like feel with its stark black and white photography.

This high definition dvd transfer is very good with excellent contrast and a minimum of softness and grain. There are a few noticable specks and scratches but nothing to warrant any serious complaints. Sadly, there are no extra features provided.

We Were Strangers (1949).......2004-12-27

At long last a forgotten blockbuster film from Hollywood's Golden Era will soon be released on DVD! Passed up for re-issue on video this action packed, star studded epic will leave an unforgettable impression. Starring Jennifer Jones as the sultry cuban belle and revolutionary, "China" Valdes, John Garfield as Tony Fenner, a courageous Cuban-American revolutionary, Pedro Armendariz as Ariete, the ruthless chief of dictator Machado's police and co-starring Gilbert Roland, Morris Ankrum, Ramon Novarro and others. Filmed entirely in Havana, Cuba in 1948 and released in 1949, this film is based on a true story of the Cuban underground fight against the dictatorship of Machado,during the final days of his regime in 1933.
"We Were Strangers" is definitely one of Hollywood's best action films, virtually forgotten but luckily will soon be available.
I highly recommend this film. Do not miss it as it will definitely become one of your favorites!

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