"The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry" Review

 

by Daniel White

Spoiler Alert! If you have not seen this film and don't want to be made aware of a major plot twist, please stop reading at once!

Damn that pesky Motion Picture Production Code! In the fine, atmospheric The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945), an "I dreamed it all up", fake ending has been slapped onto the film. Which is too bad, because it unfortunately mars the movie so fatally that it can't recover.

A psychological drama with noir-ish elements (again, not a true film noir) The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry contains two gripping performances from George Sanders in the title role and Geraldine Fitzgerald as his possessive, manipulative sister, Letty. These two pros are so good that they nearly make us forget the fatal imaginary second half of the flick.

Harry Quincy is a bachelor who lives with his two querulous sisters in a small New England town. A quiet, contemplative man, his unremarkable life changes when a smart, chic dress designer (Ella Raines) breezes into town (Harry is a fabric designer in the factory that employs them both). A whirlwind courtship ensues but when Harry proposes marriage, kid sister Letty rises from her imaginary sick bed to destroy Harry's chance of escape and happiness.

The similarities between Toys in the Attic, which I recently viewed and this film are striking, but while "Toys" can openly talk about incest (it was released in 1963), "Harry" can only imply it.

George Sanders as Harry is excellent, giving a convincing portrayal of a milquetoast stumbler-turned-lovestruck paramour. It's a testament to the talent of Sanders that the usually urbane, smooth and witty actor can deliver up such a strong performance playing against type.

Then there is Geraldine Fitzgerald. The Irish born actress first came to prominence in this country in1939. Strong supporting roles in both Wuthering Heights and Dark Victory seemed to assure Fitzgerald a long, fruitful career in Hollywood. Alas, it was not to be. Signed to Warner Brothers, the feisty cailin clashed frequently with Jack Warner over the quality of the parts she was being offered (she lost the plum role of Brigid O'Shaughnessy because of her "bad" behavior). To add insult to injury, she was at the studio at the same time as Queen Bee Bette Davis was devouring all the truly great roles to be had for women. Fitzgerald managed to carve for herself a middling career in Hollywood but not the one she should have established (check out Three Strangers, made a year after this movie. She plays another unstable borderline psycho and is excellent).

What a pity the Production Code had to meddle with The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry. What could have been a classic drama of unhealthy, sibling smother love has been deflated, denuded, and torpedoed. What's left? Two exceptional performances, capably guided by the great Robert Siodmak.

Unfortunately, Sanders, Fitzgerald, and Siodmak aren't enough to save what troubles The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry - a lethal blow administered by a squeamish Production Code.

Produced by frequent Hitchcock collaborator Joan Harrison and co-starring the gifted Moyna Macgill and Sara Allgood. What! Three Irish actresses in one movie! That's a whole lot of Bloomin', Blessed, Blarney! The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry is available on YouTube.