''House of Numbers'' is a 1957 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...

, based on author

Jack Finney Walter Braden "Jack" Finney (born John Finney; October 2, 1911 – November 14, 1995) was an American writer. His best-known works are science fiction and thrillers, including '' The Body Snatchers'' and '' Time and Again''. The former was the ba ...

's 1957 novel of the same name, starring

Jack Palance Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...

and Barbara Lang. In the film, Palance plays two similar-looking brothers: Bill and his younger brother Arnie Judlow. Bill is a good citizen, trying to help his ex-

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

brother, Arnie, convicted of murder, escape from

San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is t ...

to return to Arnie's wife, Ruth, played by Lang. The movie was filmed on location at San Quentin and set in

San Quentin San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is th ...

and

Mill Valley, California Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States, located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and from Napa Valley. The population was 14,231 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...

, then the home city of author Finney.

Plot

Arnie Judlow (

) is an imprisoned gangster. During a prison visit, Bill Judlow, his law-abiding brother, switches places, allowing himself to be incarcerated as the real criminal walks free. Ruth Judlow ( Barbara Lang), wife of one of the Judlow boys, wavers in her loyalties.

Cast

as Arnie Judlow / Bill Judlow *

Harold J. Stone Harold J. Stone (born Harold Hochstein, March 3, 1913November 18, 2005) was an American stage, radio, film, and television character actor. Early life and stage career Stone was born to a Jewish acting family. At age six, Stone debuted on stage ...

as Henry Nova - Prison Guard *

Edward Platt Edward Cuthbert Platt (February 14, 1916 – March 19, 1974) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of the Chief in the 1965–70 NBC/ CBS television series: ''Get Smart''. With his deep voice and mature appearance, he played an ...

as The Warden * Barbara Lang as Mrs. Ruth Judlow * Frank Watkins as Brother * Joe Conley as Convict in line

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $500,000 in the US and Canada and $600,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $92,000.

References

External links

* * * *
''House of Numbers''
film review at ''Prisonmovies.net'' {{DEFAULTSORT:House of Numbers 1957 films American drama films CinemaScope films American black-and-white films Film noir Films scored by André Previn Films based on works by Jack Finney Films based on American novels Films about brothers Films directed by Russell Rouse Films set in San Quentin State Prison Films shot in San Quentin, California Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1950s prison films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links