The Red House (1947)

I first saw this film on the late show back in the 50's when I was a mere child. It scared the pants off me then, and pretty much does the same now. This is what I call staying power. Too bad more people aren't aware of this film. The sad thing about the presentation of this film (I have both the VHS & DVD) is that the sound recording needs definite restorative work. This would really be disturbing if the film itself wasn't so compelling. The production values as well as the production team are all A-List, from the fine direction of Delmer Daves to the outstanding mood-setting score of Max Steiner to the casting of pro stars like Edward G. Robinson & Judith Anderson sharing the screen with teen magazine heart-throbs Rory Calhoun and Julie London. Lon McCallister is fine in what is really the lead role, and a very fine performance by young Allene Roberts (whatever happened to her!). The DVD is pretty much of the bargain-bin variety, though there are a couple of little extras on it...most notably explaining that Robinson's career came to a standstill after this film because of the Hollywood blacklist. The suspense factor is among the highest I can recall (EVER!); the script is literate and clever; characters are well-defined; and the creepy mood is consistant. See this film and tell all your friends; you will NOT be disappointed.

An underrated psychological mood piece directed with great skill by Delmer Daves, it is best watched in the dark with no interruptions so that its full power can be realised. I did not go down in the woods for quite a while after watching this film and gained an added appreciation for the work of Edward G. Robinson and that great actor Judith Anderson (see also Hitchcock's REBECCA). From one of the greatest periods of Hollywood movie making.

Buy The Red House (1947) Now

The Blu-Ray is the edition to snag for this fine psychological thriller. There are so many poor public-domain transfers of The Red House out there that it is a relief to finally see the film in a decent presentation. The downside to this purchase is the commentary by William Hare. He may be a fine author (he is listed as having written several film books), but this is undoubtedly the worst film commentary I've ever heard. Hare's commentary is "scene-specific," but he merely restates what is happening on the screen. When I choose to listen to a commentary, I expect to learn something beyond what I've already observed, not to be provided a verbal summary of what is happening on the screen. I found the commentary insulting to the viewer's intelligence and suspect that Mr. Hare simply "didn't do his homework." This is a real shame because there's a lot of meat in this film to dig into. The Miklos Rozsa score alone is a marvel, to say nothing of Edward G's outstanding performance. A real missed opportunity in the commentary department, but certainly worth the purchase for the much-improved image.

Read Best Reviews of The Red House (1947) Here

Edward G. Robinson is fantastic as the man with the dark secret, in this excellent thriller! I bought it expecting to be either bored or amused. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised! The Red House is actually pretty creepy. Robinson plays a farmer who is not what he appears to be. There's a red house in the woods where something terrible happened many years earlier. His daughter (Arlene Roberts), and his sister (the magnificent Judith "Mrs. Danvers" Anderson) live with him. A boy comes to help out on the farm and the web of mystery slowly unravels. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves thrillers, chillers, or just plain good movies...

Want The Red House (1947) Discount?

Many of the reviews I read about this April, 2012 Blu-Ray/DVD combo release were positive regarding the restoration; however, at least one review was negative.

I've been an Amazon purchaser for 10+ years and have bought every DVD of this movie hoping to get a decent copy. Until now, my best copy was from Critic's Choice their DVD copy is far from perfect. Since I have yet to purchase a Blu-Ray player, I've only experienced the DVD disk from this set. I'm amazed at how clear the film is from start to finish this is the video set to own! The only negatives are that the sound, although improved, could be a tad cleaner (perhaps I need a better sound system) and there are slightly faded right and left boarders of some of the frames that were shot in darkness (night scenes): to me these are minor issues. I now can relax and enjoy this movie as I've always wanted to. I sincerely appreciate HD Cinema Classics and those who restored this film for their wonderful work.

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