THE HOUSE ACROSS THE BAY

US, 1940, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Bennett, George Raft, Lloyd Nolan, Walter Pidgeon, Gladys George, June Knight.
Directed by Archie Mayo.

The House Across the Bay is an entertaining old-style gangster and prison movie. It had plausible roots in the experiences in the 30s - but these are heightened, melodramatically, for the film. George Raft has a good central role. Producer Walter Wanger produced this film for his wife, Joan Bennett. There is interesting support from a stolid Walter Pidgeon and such character actresses as Gladys George. Lloyd Nolan is the suave villain. Direction is by Archie Mayo, director of a number of features at Warner Bros, including The Petrified Forest.

1. Popular melodrama? 1930s and 40s style? Tough crime drama? The stars?

2. Black and white photography, New York, the world of the wealthy? San Francisco, Alcatraz?

3. Steve, his work, the nightclub, money, the girls? The encounter with Brenda? Her taunting him? The nickname Lucky? Proposal and marriage? The collage of their marriage, its whirl, money, glamour? The danger for Steve, money, the arms deals?, Brenda and her concern, the arrangement of the arrest? The arrest, the trial? The lawyer? The transfer to Alcatraz? The visits, the effect of prison on Steve, his friendship with his lawyer, his feelings of betrayal, the escape, swimming in San Francisco Bay, the confrontation with Brenda and Tim, the truth about.the lawyer, his killing him, swimming back and his self-sacrificing death? A George Raft character?

4. Joan Bennett and her style as Brenda, tough singing, the chorus, the clashes with the girls, marriage proposal, accepting him, in love, the social whirl, her plan, the trial and his going to jail, the apartment with the window towards the house across the bay? Meeting the women going visit the prisoners? Friendship with Mary? The encounter with Tim, friendship, the plane ride? His falling in love with her? Secrets? The clashes with the lawyer, his love for her, the confrontation? Steve’s escape, the danger? The quick and rather glib happy ending with Tim in the plane?

5. The lawyer, shady, the deals, in love with Brenda, betraying Steve, visits to the prison, insinuations, his death?

6. Tim as alternate hero, solid, air background, plane ride, the dangers, happy ending?

7. The sketch of Mary and the prisoners' wives? Their prospects, love for their husbands, the visits to Alcatraz?

8. Themes of the 30s and 40s: the big cities, moneyed power, the law, sleazy atmospheres, trials, justice, prison? The background of Alcatraz and people not escaping?