The House of Bamboo takes place in Toyko and was shot on location. Because of that, scenes are very busy with background of daily life in Toyko, and the sets are Japanese style homes made of bamboo and always well lit from the sun protruding through the thin walls. These elements, in addition to Fuller's shooting style, left me with little feel that this was indeed a film noir. The House of Bamboo is part of 20th Century Fox's Film Noir series. Directed by Sam Fuller, The House of Bamboo stars Robert Stack, Robert Ryan and Shirley Yamaguchi.

The film was shot in cinemascope, a technique that does not lend itself to close up shots, which are a mainstay in most film noirs. One scene though is reminiscent of film noir. It's a shot of a wounded victim in an emergency room being attended to by several physicians. The camera looms overhead peering down on the scene from above and gives an eerie feel of hanging onto the fence of the future - will he live or not?

Stack stars as Eddie Spanier, a somewhat ruthless crook who arrives on scene to find out about his murdered comrade. He goes to his friend's kimono girl, Mariko (Yamaguchi), and roughs her up for information. The distraught woman has no idea who he is or what he wants. It's soon apparent that the audience is unsure who or what he is as well. Eddie delves into this friend's murder until becomes a member of another crooked gang working Tokyo, led by Sandy Dawson (Ryan).

The plot stems around robbers of U.S. ammunition trains, but it becomes convoluted with so many other factors that diffuse the story. While the background of Tokyo is meant to be a further element of the mystery, it plays against the development of the plot. The sets feel like sets, the extras seem like extras and the real talent of the stars seem wasted.

Film Historians James Ursini & Alain Silver explain in their commentary that director Sam Fuller originally wanted Gary Cooper to play the role of Eddie, but he feared Cooper would be too recognized in the streets of Toyko and thus disrupt filming, so he chose Robert Stack, who was relatively unknown at the time.

In the beginning of the film, Fuller sets Stack up as more of a villain, and Stack does a great job in doing that - too good. By the time Stack's character is revealed as the hero of the film, we've developed no compassion for him and he becomes merely another character in the film that we really care little about.

Robert Ryan, already a mainstay in film noirs, played his role perfectly. Even better is

Shirley Yamaguchi as Mariko. She gathers up the perfect angst as the grieving widow of a U. S. military man, solid fear when worrying about her own life, yet turns tender when falling for and softening up the hardened Eddie.

The House of Bamboo isn't exactly exciting, but film noir fans may want to take a look at the DVD anyway.

Special Features

• Commentary by Film Historians James Ursini & Alain Silver - Ursini explains that Sam Fuller became a recognized director of noir films, but both Ursinis and Silver were somewhat taken back by the film's opening that uses a narrator to set up the film and even tells where is what shot. [p]

• FOX Movietone News: Behind the Scenes Footage - shows the stars in Tokyo signing autographs [p]

• FOX Noir: Clips from other 20th Century Fox noir films including Call Northside 777, Laura, Panic in The Streets and The Man With No Name [p]

• Theatrical and Spanish Trailers

• 102 Minutes - color

Director: Sam Fuller

Writers: Harry Kleiner, Samuel Fuller

Cast: Robert Stack, Robert Ryan, Shirley Yamaguchi

Run Time: 102 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 2. 5 out 5

Studio: 20^th Century Fox

Format: Fullscreen

Photo Credits: 20^th Century Fox