House of Numbers (1957 film)

House of Numbers is a 1957 classic American film noir, based on author Jack Finney's 1957 novel of the same name, starring Jack Palance and Barbara Lang.

Contents

• House of numbers
• Plot
• Cast
• Reception
• References

In the film, Palance plays two similar-looking brothers: Bill and his younger brother Arnie Judlow. Bill is a good citizen, trying to help his ex-professional boxer brother, Arnie, convicted of murder, escape from San Quentin State Prison to return to Arnie's wife, Ruth, played by Lang.

The movie was filmed on location in CinemaScope at San Quentin and set in San Quentin and Mill Valley, California, then the home city of author Finney.

Plot

Arnie Judlow (Jack Palance) is an imprisoned gangster. During a prison visit, Bill Judlow, his law-abiding brother, switches places, allowing himself to be incarcerated as the real criminal walks free. Ruth Judlow (Barbara Lang), wife of one of the Judlow boys, wavers in her loyalties.

Cast

Jack Palance as Arnie Judlow / Bill Judlow

Harold J. Stone as Henry Nova - Prison Guard

Edward Platt as The Warden

Barbara Lang as Mrs. Ruth Judlow

Frank Watkins as Brother

Joe Conley as Convict in line

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $500,000 in the US and Canada and $600,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $378,000.