Guest in the House (1944)

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MissGoddess
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Guest in the House (1944)

Post by MissGoddess »

If any of you can bear to watch films on YouTube, I recommend this ripping
good yarn that makes Ann Baxter's performance in All About Eve look like
a cakewalk. It's John Brahm's Guest in the House (1944):



I was SO impressed, even chopped up and a murky print. I really would
love to see TCM broadcast it if they can find a worthy enough print. There
is a DVD out, which I may get but I understand it's edited by over 20 minutes.
I'm not sure if the YouTube version is the complete film or not, but what is
there, is +cherce+.

The story is about an invalid (Ann Baxter) who comes to stay in the vacation home of Ralph
Bellamy
, Ruth Warwick and Aline MacMahon. Some vacation. I don't want to give away
any more of the plot, a lot goes on and it's pretty twisted.

Brahm's direction is looser and more psychologically interesting, to me, than his more famous
films, including *Hangover Square*. I never even heard of GUEST IN THE HOUSE until Bronxgirl48
told me about it, and I think it's by far the best I've seen of all his work.

Enjoy!

Ruth Warwick warily eyeing her "guest", Ann Baxter
Image

"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: Guest in the House (1944)

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

Goddess, thanks for posting your GITH alert from TCM City here at SSO -- hopefully more people will know about this little-seen film and Anne Baxter's terrific performance!
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MissGoddess
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Re: Guest in the House (1944)

Post by MissGoddess »

Hi Bronxie---it was just too good not to share!
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
feaito

Re: Guest in the House (1944)

Post by feaito »

I'll try to see this one today.
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phil noir
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Joined: March 18th, 2008, 7:11 am
Location: England

Re: Guest in the House (1944)

Post by phil noir »

Thanks for the recommendation, MissGoddess. I've now watched this film on youtube, and was very impressed.

It reminded me a little of Leave Her to Heaven in the way it centred on the damage done to a family by a manipulative and neurotic young woman. Anne Baxter was excellent, and the look in her eyes when she was writing in her diary really chilling. It's interesting to consider whether her character played on tensions that already existed in this apparently perfect and well-adjusted family - I think she did. The ending was absurd of course - but that was interesting too, as though the film-makers had set in motion themes and meanings they could not quite control, and an arbitrary, rushed finish was the only way they could close the Baxter character down, and all the dangers she represented.

Apparently it flopped at the time, and was later reissued under the title Satan in Skirts. Make of that what you will...
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