''Never Love A Stranger'' is a 1958

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...

and

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

film that is based on Harold Robbins' 1948 debut novel with the same title. The film was shot in

black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

starring John Drew Barrymore and Robert Bray, and featuring a young

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and ...

Plot

Frankie Kane (Barrymore) is brought up in a Catholic

orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or a ...

. He befriends a Jewish law student named Martin Cabell (McQueen) and becomes romantically involved with Cabell's maid, Julie (Lita Milan). Kane learns later that he is also Jewish, and when told he will be removed from the orphanage and moved to a Jewish home he runs away and turns to a life of crime. Later, after joining a major

crime syndicate Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

, he reconnects with Julie, finally deciding to join Martin, now a

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a ...

, in shutting down the syndicate.

Main cast

* John Drew Barrymore as Frankie Kane * Lita Milan as Julie, maid to the Cabell Family *

as Martin Cabell * Robert Bray as "Silk" Fennelli *

Salem Ludwig Salem Ludwig (July 31, 1915 – April 1, 2007) was an American character actor and highly esteemed acting instructor. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ludwig was blacklisted in 1957 and could only find minimal stage work. He had many film and t ...

as Moishe Moscowitz *

R. G. Armstrong Robert Golden Armstrong Jr. (April 7, 1917 – July 27, 2012) was an American character actor and playwright. A veteran performer who appeared in dozens of Westerns during his 40-year career, he may be best remembered for his work with director ...

as Flix * Douglas Rodgers as Brother Bernard *

Felice Orlandi Felice Orlandi (18 September 1925 – 21 May 2003) was an Italian-born American actor, known for roles in films such as '' The Pusher'' (1960), '' Bullitt'' (1968), ''Catch-22'' (1970) and '' The Driver'' (1978). He also appeared in numerous TV ...

as Bert *

Augusta Merighi Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Sues ...

as Mrs. Cozzolina * Abe Simon as "Fats" Crown *

Vitina Marcus Vitina Marcus (born March 1, 1937) is a retired American actress of Sicilian and Hungarian descent. Her parents were Rose and Frank Marcus, and her Sicilian grandmother was named Vitina. She now works in real estate. Career Born in New York Ci ...

as Frances Kane

Original novel

Robbins' novel was published in 1948. It became a best seller. The book was one of a number banned in Philadelphia as indecent. The ban was overturned the following year.

Production

In August 1957 it was announced that Barrymore would star and Robbins would write and produce. The ''Los Angeles Times'' called the part "the usual Barrymore role". At the time, Barrymore was under a year's suspension from Actors Equity, but this seemed to apply only to stage work. The film was made through Caryn Productions, Robbins' own production company. Richard Day became co-producer and Allied Artists agreed to release. Filming started in the Bronx on 9 September. Robert Stevens agreed to direct and Steve McQueen was given an early role.Of Local Origin. New York Times 3 Oct 1957: 33.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Never Love A Stranger 1958 films Film noir American gangster films Allied Artists films Films directed by Robert Stevens 1958 crime drama films American crime drama films Films based on American novels 1950s English-language films 1950s American films