I looked at THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY last night on Amazon. George Sanders is superb in it, but not sure how I felt about Ella Raines (whom I normally like in other pictures). Some of her line readings were flat, and the scene where George puts their wedding off, where she is supposed to break down in tears and run off seemed like something from a high school play. The two gals playing the sisters are great, and in a way, the film should have been built around them more (Geraldine Fitzgerald and Moyna Macgill). And there is genuine suspense, when the poison is introduced, and we know it will lead to deadly consequences. But the production code severely compromises the ending of this kind of story-- and in spots, the scenario is a bit implausible. Maybe with a different director (think what Hitchcock would have done) and a slightly longer running time, to flesh out some of the details, it would have been a masterpiece.

George Sanders always played it cool, whether it be the obvious lover of Maxim DeWinter's late wife in "Rebecca", the nobleman adviser of the title character in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" or even the acerbic columnist of "All About Eve". Even his ultra villains (pirates, nefarious military leaders) had a twinkle in the eye of their villainy. So when Sanders played a "good guy", audiences were very wary. From the very start of this movie, it is quite stunning to see him playing such a calm, mild-mannered character, a beloved member of his community who has never married and is seemingly devoted to his two spinster sisters, the seemingly much older Moyna Macgill (who complains that nobody pays any attention to her) and the plant-obsessed beauty Geraldine Fitzgerald who on the surface appears to be quite normal but is really more grasping than how MacGill seems to be. When their cozy little world is interrupted by a visitor from New York (Ella Raines) who falls in love with Sanders, the sisters act pleased, but are they really, and how will Sanders respond when he finds out the efforts made to keep him and Raines from marrying? A medium sized town in Massachussatts is the setting for this drama of the destruction of family and the inner-workings of one's mind when one is pushed to the limits and to the point of no return. The twists and turns in the plot become quite aggravating with the way the story unfolds, but in watching Sanders suddenly very slowly snap after Raines leaves him for another man (realizing that Fitzgerald is always going to be a thorn in their side), you can understand why the writers choose to play it out the way they do. The performances are all excellent with small town U.S.A. atmosphere perfectly designed. Harry Von Zell adds bombastic humor as the drug store clerk who drunkenly drops a bombshell on Sanders.Then, there's Sara Allgood, the veteran Irish actress, giving her all to the lovable but crotchety cook who constantly argues with Macgill over everything and anything, from gooseberry pie to too much sugar in the coffee. Their arguments aren't just light-hearted banter for humor sake: they really seem like they are serious about what they are fighting for. The argument erupts even further when Macgill reveals the truth about what sister Fitzgerald has been up to, and it is the performance through Sanders' eyes which reveals the inner turmoil he's been undergoing, living with three women and basically under a rock as he discovers the life he's given up to cater to their needs. Not many movies really give a hint into the future of psychology with realistic portrayals of passive/aggressive neurotics like Fitzgerald, and the thundering volcano that can erupt at any time when somebody seemingly cool, calm and collected realizes what a sap they've been.

The movie does a good job looking at both sides of small town life. Poor Harry, he's essentially a prisoner of his upbringing and the closeness of his small mill town community. Middle- aged, he's still a child in many ways. Lacking independent judgement, he depends on what's expected of him by others, especially his clinging younger sister Lettie (Fitzgerald). And, of course, there are the gossip mongers always ready to enforce the small town norms. In many ways, he's already an old man, but not resentful of his dull existence. After all, there's the fellow-good-feeling he shares with the guys in their informal singing group, plus the big family house and his good standing within the community. His may be a narrow existence, but it's not without compensations.But then Deborah (Rains) (note the contrast in the girls' names—the provincial 'Lettie' and 'Hester' versus the uptown 'Deborah') enters his life. She's from New York, bringing with her the sophistication and independent thinking of a career-minded city girl. Surprisingly, she takes a liking to Harry, probably because he's so innocently appealing compared with the city wolves she's used to. And Harry's drawn to her independent ways and outside perspective. So, it's a budding romance despite the differences.But this is where the movie really gets strange, especially for the 1940's. Lovely younger sister Lettie seems to have more than a sisterly attachment to brother Harry. Instead, it's one loaded with the forbidden. Thus, she views Deborah as not just a disruptive influence on Harry's settled life, but as a rival to his affections. Naturally, the script has to play this hint of incestuous attachment in a very careful way, given the prevailing Production Code of the time. Still, the implication is clear, thanks mainly to Fitzgerald's excellent nuanced performance. In turn, it's hard at times to read Harry's feelings toward Lettie. Nonetheless he's always ready to respond to her faked illnesses that she uses to manipulate him.So now Harry is faced with a disruptive conflict—will it be Lettie or Deborah. Each is pulling in a different direction. In fact, the scenes between the two rivals are deliciously played by Rains and Fitzgerald, their smouldering dislike carefully concealed under a polite exterior. Then, there's one particularly decisive symbolic scene between Harry and Deborah on the hilltop when both finally tire of Lettie's obstructionism. There Deborah invites Harry to leave the narrow confines of the town below and go with her to New York to be married. Harry surveys the town, the only home he has ever known, and agrees to go. This is one of the few outdoor scenes of the film. But then it had to be outdoors in order to catch the hill-top symbolism as Harry finally manages to break out of his narrow confinement with an independent judgement. It's also meaningful that these scenes are inter-cut with church service scenes where the community has happily congregated, but from which, Harry is no longer a part. The question now is what will Lettie do since it appears Deborah has won. Also, now we know it's not the community that's holding Harry back, rather it's Lettie's manipulative attachment.The movie has several unnerving twists that suggest a hand of fate hanging over Harry's head. And had the story been allowed to end where it appears to-- with a severe Lettie standing in the doorway—Harry's fate would have been sealed in a memorably ironic fashion, while Lettie would have gone down as one of filmdom's most perverse creations.For some reason, the movie's more obscure than I think it should be. Perhaps it's the rather daring theme or perhaps it's that dreadful Code imposed ending (I'm glad producer Harrison quit Universal because of the travestied ending to an otherwise fine film). Anyway, if I were casting Harry's part the cynical, self-assured Sanders would never occur to me. Nonetheless, he's excellent in a highly subdued role that I'm sure really challenged him as an actor. It's Sanders as I've never seen him before. Then too, I suspect it's no accident that the lovely- looking Rains and Fitzgerald resemble one another, adding another possible dimension to the incest angle. All in all, the movie's an excellent psychological drama, well-acted, and exceptional for its time period, despite the unfortunate last few minutes.

I have seen few films - noir in my life, even i can count them: Otto Preminger's "Laura" (One of the greatest), Charles Vidor's "Gilda" and finally this one, which was directed by Robert Siodmak. I have discovered a new thrilling and beautiful genre, that get into a mysterious and sensual set developed in glorious black and white, and this film prove that."The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry" told us the story of a shy guy named Harry Quincey. He lives in a big house with his two sisters, one old but with a very good heart, Hester, and the other a possessive, young and beautiful named Lettie. Harry meet then a beautiful and witty woman called Deborah, for the first he have fall in loved, and Deborah think just the same. But the evil Lettie don't want it away of her, she must find a way to make them broke, and she finally find how, but Harry don't going to be so relax, he is tired of the life that his own sister is giving to him. All going to drink a hot coco, and Harry finds a poison in a desk, but the result of his plans is not exactly happen as he wanted. Althoug ""The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry" count undoubtedly with the "film - noir" air like i say before,, is just the air, the kind of quick aspect, actually i found this film as a thrilling melodrama, thing that really is. All the performances are great, specially of the two sisters: Geraldine Fitzrgerald and MoynaMacGill as its stunning photography. But maybe one of the most interesting points in this movie is how censorship can dominate a good story and making it a few pretentious, if i have been well informed. All the movie as i say before counts with the incomparable melodrama line, in this case the good sister have been the victim of Harry's poison and and he for not go to jail and being killed as pain, blame his sister, just because he was sweet with the victim and she's not. She, revealed some secret from youth, secrets of feelings and, although Harry want to save her and decided to tell the true, Lettie decide punish him with a moral problem for a eternity. This was, undoubtedly, a perfect ending and sure of it, making a wonderful perfect movie, but here is when censorship comes. We see at the ending that was just Harry's imagination, he trow up the poison, then comes Deborah who gives him another chance and Hester, the good sister is not death. This could be a kind of a good plot twist but now i found pretentious and really unnecessary. Censorship makes finished with a happy ending and even, the movie said at the end and advice that says a kind of message like this "Dont tell your friends the end before they see the movie". One can tell that this was a marvelous twist, but this one just broke the melodrama line that the movie was handled so well to and absurd "ever after" finale.This is the only bad thing that i really can say about a movie like this one, because throughout of it i feel it very intense and witty, so violent to its spectator and very hard and cold for those characters who suffer for love and obsession. After all, is a really pleasant suffering must see.*Sorry for the mistakes ... well, if there any.