| A House Is Not a Home | |
|---|---|
Film Poster |
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| Directed by | Russell Rouse |
| Produced by | Clarence Greene |
| Written by | Steve Jankowski |
| Starring | Shelley Winters Robert Taylor Cesar Romero Ralph Taeger Kaye Ballard Broderick Crawford |
| Music by | Joseph Weiss |
| Cinematography | Harold E. Stine |
| Editing by | Chester W. Schaeffer |
| Distributed by | Embassy Pictures Corporation |
| Release date(s) | August 12, 1964 (San Francisco, California) September 1, 1964 (New York) |
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A House Is Not a Home is a 1964 drama film loosely based on the 1953 autobiography by madam Polly Adler. The film stars Shelley Winters, Robert Taylor, Cesar Romero, and Kaye Ballard.
Raquel Welch made her film debut in a small role as a prostitute.
Contents |
Polly Adler is a poor Polish immigrant who works in a sweatshop. She loses her job after she is sexually assaulted by a coworker, for which her boss blames her.
Her next apartment is in a building owned by Frank Costigan, a gangster. Frank approves of Polly's attractive girlfriends and pays her to have the ladies go out socially with his friends.
One thing leads to another and soon Polly is the madam of a bordello. She has genuine feelings for a musician, Casey Booth, but does not reveal her true occupation to him.
Costigan becomes the top enforcer for mob boss Lucky Luciano and backs Polly's business, which ends up on Park Avenue offering high-class call girls. Casey proposes marriage, so Polly finally confesses what she does for a living. He is willing to overlook it, but Polly feels it is for the best if they part.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Shelley Winters | Polly Adler |
| Robert Taylor | Frank Costigan |
| Cesar Romero | Lucky Luciano |
| Ralph Taeger | Casey Booth |
| Kaye Ballard | Sidonia |
| Broderick Crawford | Harrigan |
| Mickey Shaughnessy | Police Sergeant Riordan |
| Jesse White | Rafferty |
| Lisa Seagram | Madge |
| Meri Welles | Lorraine |
| Connie Gilchrist | Hattie Miller |
| Constance Dane | Laura |
| Allyson Ames | Gwen |
| Lewis Charles | Angelo |
| Steve Peck | Vince |
| Sandra Grant | Call Girl |
| Raquel Welch | Call Girl |
| Edy Williams | Call Girl |
| Charles Fredericks | Bert |
Edith Head was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White.