Guy Madison

Kim Novak

Brian Keith

Alvy Moore

Kerwin Mathews

William Conrad

Jack Dimond

Jean Willes

Kathryn Grant

Adelle August

Thom Carney

Bill Catching

George Cisar

Eddie Constantine

Chuck Courtney

Frank Gerstle

Tom Greenway

Jo Ann Greer

Geraldine Hall

Pete Kellett

John Larch

Jana Mason

Don Oreck

Robert Sampson

Robert F. Simon

Marjorie Stapp

Stirling Silliphant

William Bowers

John Barnwell

Phil Karlson

Helen Ainsworth

Milton Feldman

Morris Stoloff

Harry Smith

George Duning

Lester White

Jack Finney

Robert Peterson

Jerome Thoms

Jean Louis

Crime

Drama

Thriller

5 Against the House

Dayle

Columbia Pictures

United States of America

He has a system you know!  

Four college buddies are out in a Reno casino when they mistakenly almost get arrested for a failed robbery. Upon proving their innocence, they hear a cop saying that robbing this particular casino is nigh on impossible. This gets young Ronnie thinking that it actually can be done, and sure enough he comes up with a fool proof plan that should be played out as a joke robbery. However, after letting his pals in on the plan, one of them, Brick, an ex army loose cannon, wants to do it for real.

There are many good things about this Phil Karlson directed picture, things that made me particularly glad I paid no attention to the meagre rating on the IMDb and watched it with no expectation. The cast is very strong, Guy Madison, Brian Keith, Alvy Moore, a young pre swash buckling Kerwin Mathews and a sultry and gorgeous Kim Novak in only her second credited role. Location work at Lake Tahoe is easy on the eye and the story from John Barnwell (adapting from Jack Finney's novel) is a good one, with a kicker of an idea in how to rob a casino.

I think that newcomers to the film should prepare for a more offbeat picture than what the plot synopsis hints at. It certainly has got tense moments, courtesy in the main from Keith's borderline psycho, but it's practically a talky picture with flecks of humour right up to the finale, where it all comes together without histrionics or fanfare. Phil Karlson, with the awesome Scandal Sheet on his CV, appeared on the face of it to be a good choice to direct, but although he has done crime/adventure/romance films very well before, blending those genres into one film was asking a bit too much. It's not bad directing, it's just an odd fusion that never really comes off, and it possibly stops the film from breaking out to a bigger and more appreciative audience. Karlson remains, though, a director well worth reappraisals because he has some excellent credits on his CV that are well worth checking out.

Still, it's an oddity of sorts, and tagging it as a Noir picture is a bit of a stretch, but this is one that's definitely recommended for the pluses that do indeed far outweigh the minuses. 7/10


English

5 Against the House trailer