User Reviews

Geraldine Fitzgerald recruits two strangers -- Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet -- from the foggy streets of Victorian London and asks them to her flat. She asks them to chip in for a sweepstakes ticket and sign a document that they are equal contributors and none will sell his third of the payoff to anyone else. Maybe I should explain because this confused me. The sweepstakes isn't a random drawing of a number. It's horse race. The favorite horse is announced just before the race, so suddenly anyone who happens to own a ticket with the name of the favorite on it -- in this case "Corn Cracker" -- finds himself with a bird in the hand. He can sell his ticket (or his share in the ticket) to someone else at a higher price than what he paid. But the document with three signatures forbids this. So we already know this is a set up for later conflict.

As a matter of fact, the three signators are all up to illegal or unethical doings. Geraldine Fitzgerald is a wife whose impulsiveness has alienated her husband, a Member of Parliament who is now in love and in bed with a Canadian woman. A scandal would be calamitous to his career. She squeals on him out of spite.

The bibulous Peter Lorre has been involved in a stick up in which a bobby was killed by his partner. He barely escapes hanging.

Greenstreet, a Mount Everest of blubber, has been embezzling funds from the trust fund of one of his agreeable but ditzy elderly female clients. When she insists on an imediate audit just before the race, Greenstreet becomes desperate and needs to sell his share of the ticket in order to make up the loss. He rushes to Fitzgerald's flat where he finds her and Lorre. Conflict ensues.

All the way through, I wondered how the screenwriter, John Huston, was going to pull these three disparate narrative threads together because, after that first adventitious meeting, they never meet again until the resolution.

Well, he does a pretty good job, and the director, Jean Negulesco, doesn't let the script down. Both the writer and director add something to what otherwise might have been a pedestrian story of suspense and murder and intrigue. The sets help too. Who can not be enthralled by the foggy streets of London where each shadow might hide a mysterious figure -- perhaps with a RAZOR? I kind of like it, especially the mountainous Sydney Greenstreet with his quivering lips and darting eyes. Great heavy.

Geraldine Fitzgerald believes in the Chinese God of Luck and Fortune. She goes out one night, and picks up Sidney Greenstreet. He follows her very easily (apparently believing her a prostitute, but why not), and they return to her apartment, where Greenstreet is surprised to find Peter Lorre there, having a drink. Lorre had been chosen earlier, and been waiting for his hostess to return. Fitzgerald explains to her two partners that if they work together the God of Luck will reward them. The Grand National is about to take place (this is 1938) and there is a lottery for a possible "winning" ticket. All three agree to join together in the purchase of a lottery ticket (but only one of them can have his or her name on the ticket - they agree to allow Ms Fitzgerald to have her name on the ticket). However, they have a written agreement to jointly share the results (if any) of the ticket. Oh...one condition - they can't allow any of the three to leave the agreement, or the chain binding their luck together will collapse.

It is a pip of a movie - not only the best of the Greenstreet and Lorre films (without Humphrey Bogart), but the best performance in the carreer of Geraldine Fitzgerald. Her Chrystal Shackleford is one of the least likeable or sympathetic women in the movies. She is having problems with her husband (Alan Napier). He is tired of her vicious nature and nymphomania (she burns his hand with a cigarette butt at one point). He's met Marjorie Riordan, and wants to divorce Fitzgerald and marry her. Fitzgerald breaks up his romance with Riordan by lying about Napier. She also is willing to allow Lorre to go to the gallows (when his luck seems going down the tubes), chortling in unholy glee with Greenstreet. And when Greenstreet tries to convince her to sell the race ticket they now own (Greenstreet desperately needs the money), she laughingly kicks him out of her apartment. When she does get her just desert in the conclusion, one can't sympathize with her.

Greenstreet's Jerome K. Arbutny, a solicitor who is too greedy for his own good, is as larcenous and dangerous as Casper Gutman or Titus Semple. It is amazing that an actor who was a brilliant comic performer on Broadway left such a long train of excellent performances as villains, but that is how it frequently happens. Like Chrystal, Arbutny brings about his own problems - he is convinced that he can make money on dubious stock deals, although he is aware of the laws about violating estate trusts (which a solicitor handles). Two of the best scenes in the film show him trying to solve his money troubles by marrying the dotty Lady Rhea Bellodon (Rosalind Ivan, in a marvelous cameo performance), and then (when this engagement collapses) his attempt to commit suicide carefully in his office. The former sequence is carefully built up, for the audience is kept from knowing one secret - that Lady Rhea is a believer in spiritualism, and always asks the "spirit" of her husband to advise her. When Arbutny offers his hand in marriage, Lady Rhea explains she has to ask her husband - the audience has not heard she is a widow yet, but we wonder how Arbutny could ask for her hand if her husband is still around. Then Arbutny hears Lady Rhea's request, but does not look startled. Indeed he takes it very seriously. Then we realize that the advise will be through Lady Rhea's favorite medium. [To cap it off, the medium or Lord Belladon suggests that Lady Rhea check the books of Arbutny's firm first - something that does shake up Arbutny!] As for the suicide attempt, Arbutny first gives his two clerks the day off (in an earlier scene he was yelling at them for being fools), then he writes a letter of apology to Lady Rhea, and starts moving his office furniture . He spreads out a newspaper on the carpet to prevent his bleeding on it when the bullet enters his head. As he leans forward in his stuffed chair to fall forward he starts. The favorite for the Grand National is Corncracker, the horse on the ticket that he owns one third of. All thoughts of suicide pass out of his mind. Perhaps, as things turn out, it would have been better if he had committed suicide.

Lorre's character, Johnny, is a ne'er-do-well, of good family but he's living under a pseudonym, and he works in a gang. He and a man named Bertam Fallon (and a third man (Peter Whitney) - a good guy who does not like Fallon) were involved in a robbery, and a policeman was killed. He is alone in court, only supported by Icey (Joan Loring) his girl friend [Fallon had his eye on her too, which is why Whitney suspects Fallon's plans for the robbery - that he may be setting Lorre up.] The prosecutor (Arthur Shields, in one of his good performances again) rips apart Fallon's defense (he set up a fake alibi). Fallon makes a deal to save himself at Lorre's expense, and Lorre is sentenced to death, while Fallon will get a prison sentence. Earlier we saw Lorre signal Loring and Whitney not to come forward, when the police had arrested him. Our sympathies remain with Lorre. So when Whitney turns avenger, and throws a knife into Fallon (despite Fallon's police escort), we cheer on the doomed avenger. Lorre is cleared by the dying man, and released...in time to learn that Corncracker is the favorite in the race. He heads for Chrystal's apartment and the denoument of this tragic comedy.

Who are the three strangers? Usually Fitzgerald, Lorre, and Greenstreet are considered the strangers, whose weird fates are at the center of the film's twists and turns. But if one studies the film everyones fortunes go up and down. Alan Napier is looking forward to getting rid of this incubus wife of his with Riordan. He confronts and tells off Chrystal, and gets injured as a result. Then Riordan is convinced to break up with Napier (they were planning to leave on their honeymoon on a Belladon liner, tying their part of this fictional world with Arbutny's). At the end, Napier heads for a final confrontation (possibly a deadly one) with Fitzgerald, only to find someone has beaten him to it (his slight look of satisfaction when he finds this out is a minor treasure). Rosalind Ivans nuttiness seems pathetic to the audience, until the audience sees how it enables her to be protected for her own benefit. The two clerks of Greenstreet are treated like dirt and called fools, but they get a day off and he is the real fool. Fallon, the head of the gang, hires a barrister and pays for an alibi of sorts, only to watch his perjured witness torn apart by Arthur Shields. He is forced to make a cowardly deal (at Lorre's expense) to save his own life. Only he is universally despised now (even his guard dislikes him), and within seconds his life is taken by an avenging former gang member. Peter Witney was at large (thanks to Lorre's sacrifice), but avenges Lorre by killing Fallon. As a result (in a moving moment) Lorre and Loring see Witney in police custody, realizing he's doomed now for killing Fallon. If anything, the film may concentrate on Fitzgerald, Greenstreet, and Lorre, but fate is universal, and all of us get affected one way or another (by nature and each other). The most blessed ones among us just don't know our future, nor (if they are wise) seek to know it or totally control it.

This is a "turn off your brain and enjoy" film. In other words, if you think through how silly the plot is, you'll most likely grow tired of the film and fail to see it to the end. However, if you can suppress that urge, then you might just find the whole thing quite enjoyable.

The film begins with Geraldine Fitzgerald finding two strangers (Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre) and convincing them to come to her apartment (it's not THAT kind of film--relax). There, she tells them a strange tale that some Chinese goddess can grant wishes if three strangers all simultaneously wish for the exact same thing at the stroke of midnight (yeah, right). They all decide to wish for a winning sweepstakes ticket. In the meantime, they'll write up an agreement to share the proceeds equally. Then, after that's concluded, they all say a silent prayer to the goddess at midnight.

Upon leaving, the film then shows the lives of all three characters--all of which turn out to be very screwed up indeed. Fitzgerald turns out to be a vindictive Borderline Personality who delights in making her estranged husband miserable. You assume that sooner or later he would kill her because her actions are so pointless and mean. Peter Lorre is hiding out with another man, as they are implicated for murder. However, Lorre DIDN'T commit the crime--he's just an alcoholic who was with the wrong people at the wrong time. Finally, Greenstreet is a supposedly reputable solicitor (sort of like a lawyer who does not do criminal law, for those other Americans out there). However, he's really begun playing in the stock markets with his client's trust fund and throughout the film this problem gets worse and worse.

Actually, all three of the stories are quite compelling and I really wish the film had found some other way to string them all together other than the silly goddess plot device. I also liked how all three characters came back together at the end of the tale. But the whole wishing on a Buddhist statue at midnight angle just made my head hurt. With a bit of a re-write this could have been an exceptional film. As it is, it's goofy and strange but quite intriguing if you can slog through the silly stuff.

The 1946 Warner Brothers film "Three Strangers" is an offbeat yarn written by John Huston. The narrative illustrates his favorite theme that he beat to death for nearly 50 years in cinemas: the pursuit of riches will end in disaster. The story begins with Crystal Shackleford combing the foggy streets of London on the eve of Chinese New Year for two people to create the triumvirate indicated by the title. She returns to her flat with Jerome K Arbutny and John West and explains her plan: to make a wish in front of the bronze statue of the Chinese Goddess of good fortune, Kwan Yin, at the stroke of midnight. Supposedly if their intentions are pure the goddess will open her eyes and grant a wish to three strangers at that moment. Unfortunately a convenient gust of wind blows through the room and extinguishes the lone candle illuminating the room, making it impossible to see if the statue's eyes open. The men leave and quickly forget about their experience but soon forces align to alter their destinies . . .

The bulk of the film follows the characters after they go their separate ways and reveals their dilemmas before reuniting them for the conclusion. West is easily the most likable of the trio; he's a pleasant alcoholic that unwittingly got mixed up in a robbery gone wrong. Peter Lorre essays this role and effortlessly becomes the heart of the film. In portraying a man with minimal ambition and an easy-going nature Lorre proves his versatility in a welcome break from devious roles. He leaves the histrionics to Geraldine Fitzgerald and Sydney Greenstreet in their interpretations of Crystal and Arbutny, respectively. These folks are pretty despicable characters.

Crystal is estranged from her husband David and hopes to win him back. Unfortunately for her he is in love with another woman and unfortunately for him Crystal has no intention of letting him go. As the deranged wife Miss Fitzgerald turns in a marvelously creepy performance. Most of the time she comes across as sweet but occasionally lapses into brief frenzies of lunacy when challenged. Miss Fitzgerald underplays beautifully most of the time but when she cuts loose you absolutely believe her husband's warning to his lover that Mrs Shackleford is "dangerous." A truly chilling performance.

Arbutny is an ambitious solicitor who commits the mistake of stock market speculation with someone else's money. Needless to say his plan backfires and he is left desperately scrambling to avoid humiliation, ruin, and prison. Sydney Greenstreet does a wonderful job in this role. At first he is his typically cool film self but as his life turns sideways he begins to unravel before engaging in a complete emotional meltdown. Greenstreet is spectacular down the stretch and his scenes at the finale with Lorre and Miss Fitzgerald crackle with tension.

While the three leads dominate the film there are a few other noteworthy performances. Joan Lorring and Peter Whitney score as Lorre's companions; Miss Lorring for her touching devotion to Lorre and Whitney for his mania regarding "squealers". Alan Napier, two decades before becoming Batman's loyal manservant Alfred, lends class as David Shackleford. He is the very picture of an English gentleman attempting to do the right thing before being driven to extreme measures by his crazy wife.

The movie itself has a heavy noir influence with plenty of foggy night scenes, claustrophobic rooms, and prison cells. Jean Negulesco conveys a fine atmosphere of disaster and handles the ironic denouement with aplomb. The first 20 minutes are particularly intriguing and give the audience a rooting interest in finding out what happens to these "Three Strangers." All in all this film is worth a look.

I read the back story on this film and how long they wanted to make it....Along with the top "A-list" stars they wanted for it and for the life of me...I can't see them in this. Who they chose was dead perfect.

Two men follow a beautiful woman to her apartment but for her...it was by design. She shows the men a Chinese goddess of fortune and at a certain time of the the year, if 3 strangers all wish on it then it will come true. Peter Lorre plays an aloof crook who doesn't care if he gets caught or not. He's just chillin' the whole time through this. He decides that he has a lottery ticket for a horse race in his pocket and that they should wish on that to win. If they do it's 30,000 pounds to the winner. Split 3 ways that's 10,000 each. The real story is the stories of each of the 3 strangers lives outside that wish they made upon the Chinese goddess of fortune. Peter Lorre is a crook who's hiding out with one of his accomplices waiting for another crook to get out of jail. He's on trial for murder and they sit and wait for him to get free. Sydney Greenstreet is a sheister estate lawyer who funnels his clients funds into stocks and what not and he chooses a wrong stock and loses the money in the process. He needs this lottery ticket for a horse race to win. Geraldine Fitzgerald plays a shifty no-good wife of a prominent official who's in the marriage for all the wrong reasons. He's left her a long time previous but she wants to make up with her husband for all her wrongs but she only wants to so no other woman will have him. She knows he can't get a divorce without her consent so he's stuck and she pulls the strings. Problem is that she needs money and this ticket could help her out.

This is a really winding story of 3 losers who if they would just do one thing right in their life then Karma would probably help them out. As it stands though, these are 3 people who deserve their fates because they created them.

A really creative idea for a story and really well done. A great ending you see coming but it's still good any how. All 3 leads were cast perfectly for what this film has to offer. Give this one a shot and wait for the ending to see what Karma is all about.

Had it been written in the 50s, Three Strangers might have been perfect as an episode on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The story features just the kind of dour characters involved in foul play coupled with an offbeat "twist" ending of the fateful variety which the "Master of Suspense" was drawn to.

Surprisingly the script was written by film luminary John Huston. It's set in pre-War Britain in 1938 and is highlighted by an implausible opening in which an unhinged woman Crystal Shackleford (Geraldine Fitzgerald) invites two strangers off the street into her apartment, an alcoholic intellectual Johnny West (Peter Lorre) and crooked solicitor Jerome Arbutny (Sidney Greenstreet). The two are not exactly youngsters looking for a score but nonetheless accept Mrs. Shackleford's invitation.

The wacky and vengeful Mrs. Shackleford has a small Chinese idol, Kwan Yi, sitting on her mantelpiece and believes this Chinese Goddess of fortune and destiny will bring everyone in attendance good luck. So she proposes everyone go in on a sweepstakes ticket for the Grand National horse race she's already purchased. The way it works is that you select a horse in the race and if your ticket is drawn, then you have the opportunity of winning a large amount of money if your horse wins. If you have one of the tickets that's selected, then you can either sell the ticket before the race for a price for more than you paid for it, or take a gamble and win a fortune if your horse comes in.

Mrs. Shackleford, West and Arbutny all agree to go partners and sign the ticket making it official. The story then veers off covering the separate fates of each principal. The problem here is that at least two of the characters here (Mrs. Shackleford and Arbutny) are thoroughly unlikable and West only proves to be slightly sympathetic.

Mrs. Shackleford's story is that she's obsessed with her ex-husband who is now going out with another woman whom he met in Canada. Mrs. Shackleford won't grant him a divorce and she ends up meeting the girlfriend, lying to her that she's reconciled with her husband and is now pregnant. The girlfriend dumps the husband and returns to Canada much to the husband's chagrin.

Arbutny is just as despicable as Mrs. Shackleford as he's been embezzling funds from an eccentric woman who lives in his building and now becomes desperate after blowing most of her funds playing the stock market. West initially appears to be in a worse position than the other two. He's arrested for murder despite only being an innocent witness to the crime. Suffice it to say West is cleared due to a deathbed confession of the actual murderer, after he's stabbed to death by an accomplice on a train while he's being transported to prison.

Arbutny is on the verge of shooting himself when he learns that miraculously Mrs. Shackleford's sweepstakes ticket has been selected, with the favorite coming up in the Grand National race later that day. He runs over and demands that Mrs. Shackleford give up the ticket so he can sell it and obtain funds to pay off his debts. West arrives at Mrs. Shackleford's only to watch in horror as Arbutny bludgeons her with a vase resulting in her death. Sure enough Mrs. Shackleford's horse wins the Grand National but West tells Arbutny that he will have to destroy the ticket since it would implicate them both in Mrs. Shackleford's murder.

Arbutny goes mad, ranting on the street, confessing to the murder while West burns the ticket at a pub but joined by his girlfriend who had been pulling for him all along. Mr. Shackleford intending to murder her, finds her dead in her apartment and immediately leaves the scene.

The irony of course is that the two unlikable characters get their just desserts; had they trusted Crystal's Chinese goddess, they would have been home scot-free.

Good screenplays need to have characters that have some sort of charisma, whether they're good or evil. Unfortunately Fitzgerald and Greenstreet are saddled with parts that ensure you will not care for their characters-this is especially true of Fitzgerald's role in which she appears to be a stereotype of a maniacal femme fatale. Lorre's part isn't much better as he's a downbeat alcohol until luck intervenes toward the denouement.

Had John Huston crafted more sympathetic, multi-dimensional characters, Three Strangers might have ended up as a much more inviting potboiler.