5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 31, 2020

Phil Karlson's "5 Against the House" (1955) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage promotional materials for the film; archival video interview with Kim Novak; audio commentary by magazine editor/critic David Jenkins; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The one element of the story that isn’t entirely convincing is the manner in which the team is put together. These guys are friends but they are not professionals and then their decision to rob the casino in Reno is actually a compromise. They are not on the same page while the robbery is discussed and they are definitely not on the same page while it is underway, so why exactly are they going forward with it? The personal feelings and melodrama that are part of the robbery do not add any credibility to their actions, they simply make the obvious even more obvious -- a legit motivation is missing. Their history in the military could have been one, but the film does not elaborate on it. Only one of them looks and behaves like a ticking bomb that justifiably could have risked everything because he wanted out of his personal hell.

The decision to rob the casino is made after they witness an amateur trying and failing to walk away with a couple of grand. After they return to their dormitory, Ronnie (Kerwin Mathews) quietly begins working on a strategy and eventually reveals it to Roy (Alvie Moore), who incorrectly assumes that the entire job would be a prank. Brick (Brian Keith) agrees to do it because he simply does not like the direction his life is heading in. Al (Guy Madison) is the last one to join, and he does it only after he discovers that the other three have lied to him that they are heading back to Reno to have a ball again. Al is accompanied by his girlfriend, Kay (Kim Novak), who is trying to be good again after hurting him during a conversation about their future as a couple.

By the time the four enter the casino there is already plenty of static between them, and then it gets even worse. Nevertheless, Ronnie’s box works as intended and they manage to walk away with a large bag of cash, but Brick blows a gasket and their perfect getaway plan quickly falls apart.

Phil Karlson’s best films are the ones that look loose and move fast. 5 Against the House could have been slightly looser but has a pretty good pacing. Indeed, the only area where it feels like the film uncharacteristically slows down and the director’s classic touch is missing is the one where the four friends return to their college dormitory and then for a short period of time behave like seniors do. (Remember, these are much older students who are in their 30s, so the playful attitudes definitely seem a bit off). While it servers a purpose, this type of material does not work particularly well with what comes later on in Reno.

If examined through the prism of film noir the action as well as the atmosphere that flourishes with it are rather difficult to praise. But it is not because they lack the classic noir qualities, rather it is because they are substantially downplayed and made to overlap with conventional drama qualities. While obviously unrelated to film noir, John Cassavetes’ early films exhibit an almost identical type of stylistic overlapping, though their identities are defined exclusively by their raw energy. Too Late Blues, for instance, could be a perfect companion piece to Karlson’s film.

Madison and Keith have the best chemistry and unsurprisingly the two appear in the most memorable scenes. Novak looks lovely but is unable to impress because her character is never proactive. However, this was Novak’s first major role and just a few months later she appeared in The Man with the Golden Arm and Picnic.

5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, 5 Against the House arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. I don't see anything wrong with this master, but the density levels of the visuals are not as good as they should be. Also, there are a few areas where delineation becomes quite average (see screencapture #14). This makes it easy to tell that a newer 2K/4K could produce different types of meaningful improvements. The rest looks convincing. The grading job in particular is very nice, though there are some areas where the same limitations I mentioned above hurt darker nuances. Image stability is very good. The entire film also looks very healthy. All in all, the current master does show its age, but it still has strong organic qualities. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clear and stable. However, there are a couple of sequences -- all with indoor dialogue -- where balance is uneven. This is the type of unevenness that is not part of the original sound design, so a new remaster/remix will surely eliminate it. There are no audio dropouts, pops, hiss, distortions, or other similar age-related imperfections to report.

5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - remastered trailer for 5 Against the House. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for 5 Against the House.

• The Three Stooges in Sweet and Hot - produced and directed by Jules White in 1958. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (17 min).

• Interview with Kim Novak - presented here is an archival interview with Kim Novak which was conducted by David Robinson. The bulk of the information that is shared addresses Mrs. Novak's career, from her decision to change her name to her struggle to adjust to Hollywood system, and some of the great people she worked with. English subtitles are provided where necessary. (67 min).

• Commentary - magazine editor/critic David Jenkins explains why he enjoys 5 Against the House and discusses some of the film's unique qualities.

• Book - a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Iris Veysey, Paul Duane, Jill Blake, Wheeler Winston Dixon, Nathalie Morris, and Sergio Angelini;archival interview extracts with Budd Boetticher, Joseph H Lewis, Phil Karlson, and Robert Aldrich; extracts from the autobiographies of Don Siegel and Vincent Sherman; and film credits.

5 Against the House Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

5 Against the House is most definitely not in the same league with 99 River Street. It is a smaller and much more 'civilized' film that actually downplays the noir qualities that are part of its identity. It is a decent film and I enjoyed it, but I have to warn you not to approach it expecting that it will entertain you like classic film noirs would, including smaller ones. The disc we have reviewed can be found in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' upcoming Columbia Noir #1 box set. RECOMMENDED.