Although its US title of THE UNHOLY FOUR makes it sound like a Lon Chaney sequel, THE STRANGER CAME HOME is actually a low rent film noir from the Hammer stable, shot in 1954 with William Sylvester as the lead. He plays an amnesic who returns to catch up with his three best friends three years after the accident that robbed his memory and nearly killed him. Soon, one of the men turns up dead and it transpires that someone is trying to cover up the dark events of the past...
As with many of Hammer's early 1950s films, this really isn't much to write home about. The direction is plodding at best and Terence Fisher just doesn't seem to have much affinity for the material, despite being Hammer's most prolific director. His approach is strictly workmanlike. The beginning is intriguing enough, but then the whole thing is just slow and bland and dialogue-heavy until the brief but exciting climax. I can't blame the cast either, because the actors, including genre veterans Patrick Holt and Paul Carpenter, do their best. It's not one I can recommend.
As with many of Hammer's early 1950s films, this really isn't much to write home about. The direction is plodding at best and Terence Fisher just doesn't seem to have much affinity for the material, despite being Hammer's most prolific director. His approach is strictly workmanlike. The beginning is intriguing enough, but then the whole thing is just slow and bland and dialogue-heavy until the brief but exciting climax. I can't blame the cast either, because the actors, including genre veterans Patrick Holt and Paul Carpenter, do their best. It's not one I can recommend.