We Were Strangers (Columbia 1949, John Garfield, Jennifer Jones)

John Huston’s suspenseful thriller We Were Strangers follows John Garfield, a Cuban-born American citizen, who is returning to his native country to join his people’s revolution that resulted in the 1933 overthrow of Cuban president Machado.

He and three fellow conspirators (including Jennifer Jones) band together to build a tunnel under a Havana cemetery where they will detonate a bomb as members of the government attend a state funeral. But the family of the assassinated man decides against burying the victim in that particular cemetery and the plot is discovered by police. Despised by both left- and right-wingers, but interesting for Huston’s treatment of politics mixed with adventure.

Based on the novel Rough Sketch by Sylvester.

Director: John Huston Producer: Sam Spiegel Director of Photography: Russell Metty Editor: Al Clark Composer: George Antheil Screenwriters: John Huston, Robert Sylvester, Peter Viertel Art Director: Cary Odell

production details
USA | Columbia | 106 minutes | 1949

Director: John Huston
Script: John Huston, Peter Viertel, Robert Sylvester,

cast
John Garfield as Anthony L. ‘Tony’ Fenner
Jennifer Jones as China Valdés
Morris Ankrum as M. Seymour
David Bond as Ramón Sánchez
Gilbert Roland as Guillermo Montilla
Ramon Novarro as Chief
Pedro Armendáriz as Armando Ariete
Wally Cassell as Miguel
José Pérez as Toto