Strangers All
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Charles Vidor
May Robson
Preston Foster
Florine Mckinney
William Bakewell
James Bush
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Murray Carter, a shopkeeper in a working class neighborhood of New York, supports his mother Anna and siblings Dick, Lewis and Lily, who is away at college. Murray has had to postpone his marriage to Frances Farrell, his bookkeeper, because Anna has indulged Dick's dream to be an actor as well as Lewis' fanatical devotion to socialism. Immediate hope rests in Lily's engagement to corporate lawyer Frank Walker, but no one has heard from Lily in four days. Meanwhile, Dick goes about the house spewing melodramatic interpretations of Shakespeare and later fouls up an audition by trying to steal a scene. Convinced that he is a brilliant actor, Dick begs his mother to finance his move to Hollywood, and Anna gives him Lily's $1,000 trousseau money, unaware that Murray is desperately trying to meet a bank note to prevent a foreclosure on his store. When Dick goes to Murray for a new wardrobe in which to audition, Murray explains his situation to Anna, and although she orders Dick to give the money to Murray, he refuses. Lily then arrives home with her new husband, Patrick Gruen, who has recently become a lawyer. That night, Lewis gives an impassioned speech at a socialist meeting and then advocates the use of force when the vote goes against him. During an ensuing riot, Lewis is arrested. Dick, consumed with selfish pride, hopes to skip town before Lewis' arrest disgraces the family name. Anna finally admits to Dick that, because she believed he was a genius, she consciously spoiled him, but now insists that he return the money. Anna then asks Frank to defend Lewis in court, but he refuses because Lewis had called him a greedy capitalist. Murray, meanwhile, convinces Pat to defend Lewis, and at the trial, the family gives pre-rehearsed testimony until Anna takes the stand and delivers a boisterous, impromptu defense of Lewis' dedication to a cause. When Anna is arrested for contempt, Lewis pleads for her release, and the district attorney drops the charges because Lewis proves himself more impressionable than traitorous. Six months later, the Carters go to the movies to get a glimpse of Dick, who has financed his own move to Hollywood. Anna and her devoted friend, Mr. Green, hold hands in the audience.
Director
Charles Vidor
Cast
May Robson
Preston Foster
Florine Mckinney
William Bakewell
James Bush
Samuel Hinds
Clifford Jones
Suzanne Kaaren
Leon Ames
Reginald Barlow
Paul Stanton
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a December 1934 Hollywood Reporter news item, Marie Bercovici's play was produced at the Hollytown Theater in Los Angeles. Hollywood Reporter production charts include Leon Waycoff, Frank O'Connor, Dulce York and William Gould in the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
