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Catalog/Crime/Strange Bargain
Strange Bargain poster
B
Strong
MASTER SCORE 64.1 / 100
1949·Crime / Drama / Film-Noir·1h 8m

STRANGE BARGAIN

“"$10,000 If You Make My Suicide Look Like MURDER!"”

Bookkeeper Sam Wilson learns from his boss, Malcolm Jarvis, that he is losing his job because the company is closing down. Jarvis then makes a strange proposition, saying he intends to commit suicide but wants Sam to make it look like a murder, in order for his wife and son to inherit Jarvis's life insurance. Sam declines, but when he goes to see Jarvis and finds his dead body, he reluctantly goes along with the scheme.

Above the Line
Will Price·DirectorLillie Hayward·ScreenplayJ.H. Wallis·StoryHarry J. Wild·Director of PhotographyFriedrich Hollaender·Original Music ComposerFrederic Knudtson·Editor
Cast
Martha Scott·Georgia WilsonJeffrey Lynn·Sam WilsonHarry Morgan·Richard WebbKatherine Emery·Edna JarvisRichard Gaines·Malcolm JarvisHenry O'Neill·Timothy HearneWalter Sande·Sergeant CordMichael Chapin·Roddy WilsonArlene Gray·Hilda WilsonRaymond Roe·Sydney Jarvis
Full Crew
(23 credits)
Directing· 3
Will Price·DirectorSam Ruman·Assistant DirectorMercy Weireter·Script Supervisor
Writing· 2
J.H. Wallis·StoryLillie Hayward·Screenplay
Camera· 4
Harry J. Wild·Director of PhotographyJim Kirley·GripGaston Longet·Still PhotographerCharles Straumer·Camera Operator
Editing· 1
Frederic Knudtson·Editor
Sound & Music· 4
Friedrich Hollaender·Original Music ComposerC. Bakaleinikoff·Music DirectorFrancis M. Sarver·SoundTerry Kellum·Sound
Art & Design· 5
Albert S. D'Agostino·Art DirectionCarroll Clark·Art DirectionDarrell Silvera·Set DecorationJames Altwies·Set DecorationJosef Norin·Makeup Artist
Production· 2
Sid Rogell·ProducerHarold Lewis·Production Manager
Other Departments· 2
Fae M. Smith·HairstylistJames Almond·Gaffer
By the Numbers
64.1
OF 100
Master Score
6.7
OF 10
IMDb
—
CRITICS
Rotten Tomatoes
—
Worldwide Gross
0
Oscar Wins
Where to Watch

THE AVAILABILITY MAP

The canonical record of where this film lives across the streaming map.

Provider Index In Progress

Streaming, rental, and purchase availability for this title is being ingested from the TMDB watch-providers feed and will appear here once the next catalog refresh runs. Until then, the canonical source links below remain the fastest route.

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Poster DNA

THE VISUAL DECONSTRUCTION

A bespoke vision agent's reading of the design language behind Strange Bargain's key art.

Dominant Palette
3 colors
#003366
#FF6633
#FFFFFF
Mood
Suspenseful, Dramatic
Composition
Split
Era
1940s
Visual Style
Illustrated

“The poster features a dynamic composition with a man in the upper right, partially obscured, looking down at a document labeled 'INSURANCE' and a handgun. Below”

crimemysterydrama
Key Elements
DocumentGun
Atmosphere
Dark
Color Mood
Mixed
Setting
Abstract
Design Score
7/10
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