Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Excellent but underrated film

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Political drama of the initial Cuban upheaval pre-1933. Shown from the vantage point of the revolutionaries and their plot to overthrow the oppressive government in one fell swoop this is an unusual film for it's time period in that it doesn't shrink away from stating that the freedom workers might have to take innocent lives to achieve their goals. Huston's direction is assured and Garfield and Roland acquit themselves well but the picture is marred by two things. First is the overly obvious rear projection shots that occur throughout the film and the larger problem that Jones is miscast in a part that would have fit Katy Jurado like a glove. She seems neither gritty enough, she is consistently glamorous even when digging beneath a cemetery!!, nor even remotely Cuban to be believable. Not a bad film just flawed.

Made between Key Largo and The Asphalt Jungle John Huston's We Were Strangers is a pre mature anti Batista tract a decade ahead of Castro's rebel overthrow. Similar to both, especially Asphalt, it fails to build in suspense and intensity as its bookends with it's comparatively uninspired mise en scene and poor balance of cause and romance ala For Whom the Bells Toll. Tony Fenner enlists some dissidents in a bomb plot to eliminate a large part of the corrupt ruling government of Cuba epitomized by ruthless Police Investigator Armando Ariete (Pedro Armendiaz) whose keeping an eye on Fenner and accomplice China Valdes (Jennifer Jones). In addition to eluding the authorities they must contend with the internal conflict regarding the moral implications of collateral damage .Clearly the heir apparent to Bogart (never Bogie but with more energy) Garfield does a decent job here as the terse ex-patriot. Jones is surprisingly good displaying a stoic and dignified courage in making the tough call. Armendiaz is chillingly snake like his exit gruesome historical reference.Director Huston however never gets things moving from the outset with scenes lacking the vitality and and passion one would expect from a film about a peoples revolution. Huston's scenes evolve slowly and with no energy, much of it drenched in a formless darkness. Other moments look rushed and unconvincing leading to a far fetched finale that is just as tired and sloppy as the rest of the film. This said We Were Strangers is a well ahead of its time call to arms against the military mob alliance of Cuba after the war; albeit a lifeless one but bearing early witness with dignity.

Tony Montana and Tony Fenner. The former was the main character in Scarface, the latter in We Were Strangers. The parallels between both characters and both movies is uncanny. Both movies involve characters named Tony interacting on some level with corrupt police. Both include beautiful yet troubled women. Both involve Hispanic characters yet both Tonys are portrayed by non-Hispanic actors. Both movies glorify violence. In both movies each Tony is brooding, moody and when provoked capable of extreme violence. Both Tonys are anti-authoritarian and do not run away. The physical resemblance between John Garfield and Al Pacino is also uncanny. Also, both movies contain unmistakable political overtones involving the political situation in Cuba. Gilbert Roland's performance is outstanding. Jennifer Jones's performance is powerful. Equally noteworthy is Pedro Armendariz's outstanding performance as the corrupt and unstable Chief of Police. As the saying goes, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

Though directed by John Huston, written by Huston and Peter Viertel, and starring Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro Armandariz and Gilbert Roland, 1949's "We Were Strangers" is a largely unknown film. It is, however, an important one in the history of Hollywood as it was bankrolled by Sam Spiegel for Huston's new production company. Impressed with Huston, Spiegel went on to bankroll "The African Queen." Commercially unsuccessful at the time of its release, the story concerns the White Terror of the Fascist government in Cuba from 1925-1933. When her brother, a member of the resistance, is killed, China (Jones) joins the fight to overthrow the government. A plan is concocted by Tony Fenner, an American born in Cuba who is posing as a talent agent. The idea is to assassinate a high-ranking official and then set off a bomb at the funeral, killing the top people in the government.The best scene in the film is between Jones and Pedro Armendariz, who plays a secret policeman, Ariete. He is deeply suspicious of Fenner and is sure that China is his lover. While the revolutionaries hide outside in the rain, he eats and bullies, threatens, and flirts with China, who is terrified but tries to keep calm. A taut, excellent scene. All of the acting is excellent - Jones, wearing darker makeup and sporting an accent, is very good as well as beautiful. Garfield does a good job as Fenner, and Gilbert Roland is a standout. The last 15 minutes of the film are very exciting, with the last scene being poetic but failing to be upbeat, which was perhaps the intention. It's a downer.A very good movie that for some reason didn't get everyone in it in trouble and accused of being a Communist - surprisingly, Garfield's appearance in the movie had nothing to do with his eventual blacklisting. I guess "We Were Strangers" was too obscure.