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Historical classical and purest high period Golden Age film noir does have a slight craze for mid century small town mill-centred drama. There are more than a few mill-town noirs. Among The Living (1941) is a classic mill-town noir, as is the amazing Bette Davis noir Beyond The Forest (1949). Purely classic mill town film noir
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) and any article about it, or discussion of its noir propensities must always come with an extra spoiler warning, extra to the universal spoiler warning of this website, and your every day moment of film exploration will be shattered if you have not seen this film noir and continue reading this.
That is to say that the spoiler here will cause joint and muscular pain in watching the stunning performances of Geraldine Fitzgerald as the ultra ill inspirationally weak-plant growing manipulative malingerer and her suggestive incest love for the equally brilliantly played brother, George Sanders, and that of noir star and favourite lady lead Ella Raines.
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The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) is an intense and enjoyable noir family story that has not aged in its wonder and its fantasy and in the manner of its performance, most especially telling as it does of the evil manners of women who can offer a cup of tea with a smile and make is seem madly hateful.
An underrated type of film noir that only the 1940s could have produced, for only the 40s did fantasy and suspension of disbelief to this degree, likely due to its proximity to the theatre, which was only a block away, and was the nearest dramatic monocedent public format, and so the actual factual loss of the fantastic, to be replaced by realism, become one of the losing influences of film noir as it developed, waxed and waned into the criminal and psychodramatic efforts of the television age.
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| Mill-town noir in The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) |
This film is famous for its shaky ending in fact, so much so that when the brakes go off this film, they do so wildly. For wildness in the 1940s, see film noir, and the brakes
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The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) is a compact noir film, and it is almost a classic film noir, almost and very close to being a classic film noir, with a tone reminiscent of the previous year’s The Mask of Dimitrios, which equally suspends disbelief in its theatrically expressionist dive into the fantastic. Though closer to a B-picture, it is equally entertaining, showcasing George Sanders in a rare role as Harry Quincey, a more subdued and less villainous character than usual.
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Harry, a bachelor, is the head of the once-wealthy Quincey family, now reduced to working in a textile factory and supporting his two sisters, Lettie (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and Hester (Monya MacGill). The opposite of the lousy husband noir, the popular more than just a dramatic tool genre within the style, this is a bachelor noir, and he is some bachelor with his straight up sister murdering ways
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| Ella Raines supreme in The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) |
When Harry falls in love with businesswoman Deborah Brown (Ella Raines), the family dynamic shifts, with the clingy Lettie opposing the union. The film introduces a fascinating blend of family tension and dark motives, as Lettie’s jealousy drives her to interfere with Harry’s happiness. A subtle but unsettling hint of incest underpins her attachment to Harry, adding to the film’s psychological depth.
Robert Siodmak, the brother of renowned scenarist Curt Siodmak, fled Germany due to his Jewish heritage when the Nazis rose to power. He found his way to Hollywood, where he signed a deal with Universal in 1941.
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While Siodmak directed super duper must-see beezer noir films like Phantom Lady (1944), which helped define his career in the noir genre, his 1945 film The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry has often been overlooked and criticized. Unlike his noir masterpieces, Uncle Harry ventures into Gothic melodrama, lacking the stylistic elements typically associated with film noir.
Based on a play by Thomas Job, the story follows Harry Quincy, an aging bachelor who falls in love with Deborah, a beautiful mill worker. Harry's oppressive home life with his two sisters complicates the romance.
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His sister Lettie, in particular, pretends to be ill to sabotage his relationship, leading to escalating tensions that culminate in a murder with an unjust conviction. The film's incestuous subtext, centering on Lettie’s disturbing attachment to her brother, remained coded enough to bypass the censors of the time.
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| Antic feminine Geraldine Fitzgerald in The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) |
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The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) is a small-town noir directed by Robert Siodmak that delves into twisted family dynamics, repressed desires, and the dark undercurrents of small-town life. Set in a decaying New Hampshire town, the film introduces the Quincey family, who lost their fortune during the Great Depression but cling to a façade of wealth and superiority. George Sanders plays Harry Quincey, a bachelor supporting his two sisters, Lettie (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and Hester, while working in a textile factory—a place he likens to a prison.
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| Geraldine Fitzgerald in The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) |
When New Yorker Deborah Brown (Ella Raines) arrives in town and captures Harry’s attention, his sister Lettie’s obsessive attachment to him begins to unravel. While the film hints at incestuous overtones, they are muted by the censors, rendering Lettie’s dependence on Harry seemingly irrational.
As Harry and Deborah's relationship grows, Lettie’s jealousy spirals, leading to a murder plot that showcases the hypocrisy and hidden darkness of the town. However, a censor-imposed dream sequence at the film’s conclusion shifts the tone drastically, undermining the original play’s darker ending.
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| Ella Raines in The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) |
Despite these flaws, The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry remains a compelling exploration of familial control, small-town secrets, and societal decay. Its noir sensibilities are evident, though its impact is lessened by the film’s unfortunate final twist.
CLASSIC FILM NOIR
Despite Siodmak's direction, The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry is marred by its rewritten, Production Code-friendly ending, which ultimately lessened its impact and tarnished its legacy.
Robert Siodmak’s career spanned several countries and genres, shaped by the rise of Nazism and his exile from Germany. Born in 1900, Siodmak left his homeland in 1933 after being targeted by Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister.
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He found success in France, directing a variety of films, including comedies, musicals, and dramas. While on the verge of becoming a successor to René Clair, Siodmak was forced to flee once again as Hitler’s influence spread across Europe. He eventually arrived in Hollywood in 1939, where he would make 23 films, many of which are now considered classics of film noir.
Siodmak’s Hollywood career began in 1941 with B-films and lesser-known productions. His skill was quickly recognized, and by 1943, Universal Studios signed him to a seven-year contract. During his time at Universal, Siodmak directed several notable films, including Fly by Night (1942) and Someone to Remember (1943).
He also became a go-to director for saving troubled productions, such as Swell Guy (1946), stepping in to complete the work after other directors faltered.
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At Universal, Siodmak shifted to film noir, a genre in which he excelled. His first major noir success was Phantom Lady (1944), produced by Joan Harrison, the studio’s first female executive. The film demonstrated his mastery of camera work, editing, and suspense, cementing his reputation. Siodmak continued to build on his noir style, directing Christmas Holiday (1944), The Suspect (1944), and The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945), which is here discussed, in an article that was in no fashion nor manner written and generally composed by a large language model.
These films showcased his ability to blend psychological tension with intricate visual design, often using light and shadow to heighten the drama.
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Siodmak’s most significant noir achievement came with The Killers (1946), which introduced Burt Lancaster in his film debut and featured Ava Gardner in her first dramatic role. The film was a critical and financial success, earning Siodmak an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. The Killers marked the culmination of his distinctive noir style, characterized by doomed characters, fatalistic plots, and the dark exploration of human nature.
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Throughout his Hollywood career, Siodmak worked with many notable actors, including Lancaster, Gene Kelly, Ava Gardner, and Barbara Stanwyck, earning a reputation as an “actor’s director.” His ability to draw natural and compelling performances from a wide range of actors, even those known for more glamorous roles, further solidified his standing as one of the leading directors of his time.
By the 1950s, however, Siodmak’s association with film noir had become both a blessing and a curse. While he had directed some of the era’s finest noirs, he sought to explore other genres and themes. After completing The Crimson Pirate (1952) with Burt Lancaster, Siodmak returned to Europe, where he continued to direct films, including Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam (1957), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
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Siodmak’s later career in Europe, while less celebrated than his Hollywood years, remained prolific, with the director continuing to explore themes of human conflict and psychological tension. His body of work, particularly his contributions to film noir, left an indelible mark on the genre and influenced countless filmmakers who followed in his footsteps.
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The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945)
Genres - Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller | Sub-Genres - Film Noir | Release Date - Aug 17, 1945 | Run Time - 80 min. |
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