A House Is Not a Home (film)
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 call girl. The song written for the film by Burt Bacharach and Hal David has become a standard.
| A House Is Not a Home | |
|---|---|
 Film Poster | |
| 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 |
| Edited by | Chester W. Schaeffer |
| Distributed by | Embassy Pictures Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Polly Adler is a poor Polish immigrant who works in a sweatshop. She loses her job after she is sexually assaulted by her boss, for which her housemates blames her. She then is forced to move out.
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 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.
Cast
| 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 Sgt. 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 |
| Roger C. Carmel | Dixie Keeler |
| J. Pat O'Malley | Muldoon |
| Sandra Grant | Call Girl |
| Raquel Welch | Call Girl |
| Francine Pyne | Red-Call Girl |
| Edy Williams | Call Girl |
| Charles Fredericks | Bert |
| Danica d'Hondt | Vicki |
Award nominations
Edith Head was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White.