IMDb RATING
5.8/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
Four vets attending college on the GI Bill and a cabaret singer try to rob a Reno Casino and pull off the perfect crime.Four vets attending college on the GI Bill and a cabaret singer try to rob a Reno Casino and pull off the perfect crime.Four vets attending college on the GI Bill and a cabaret singer try to rob a Reno Casino and pull off the perfect crime.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Jack Diamond
- Francis Spiegelbauer
- (as Jack Dimond)
Adelle August
- Bit
- (uncredited)
George Boyce
- Waiter
- (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
- Maitre D
- (uncredited)
Thom Carney
- Young Guard
- (uncredited)
Bill Catching
- Cop
- (uncredited)
George Cisar
- Casino Guard
- (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney
- Boy
- (uncredited)
Charles Fogel
- Nightclub Patron
- (uncredited)
Frank Gerstle
- Robbery Suspect
- (uncredited)
Kathryn Grant
- Jean
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHarolds Club casino was opened in 1935 by brothers Harold and Raymond Smith as a seven-story casino without a hotel. In 1970 it was sold to Howard Hughes, and was sold again in December 1994. It closed three months later. Harrah's bought the property in 1999 and demolished it. The building had a 70-by-35 foot mural of old west pioneer settlers, which was saved and taken to the Reno Livestock Events Center.
- GoofsEn route to Reno while riding in house trailer, thieves put on gloves and begin wiping down interior so their fingerprints can't be traced, but in following scenes, before they've reached destination, are no longer wearing gloves and are touching everything.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Kim Novak: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2013)
- SoundtracksThe Life of the Party
(uncredited)
Written by Hal Hackady and Billy Mure
Sung by Kim Novak (dubbed by Jo Ann Greer)
Featured review
A Robbery In Reno
5 Against The House is a stylish noir caper film that involves four Korean War Veterans and the girl friend of one of them in a heist against a Reno casino. It was directed by Phil Karlson and while it's a bit slow in developing when the action starts, it builds up to a good climax.
The four veterans are Guy Madison, Alvy Moore, Kerwin Matthews, and Brian Keith. They're in college on the GI Bill of Rights and being a bit older than the other students there and with a shared wartime bonding, they kind of keep to themselves.
After a night in Reno where they overhear an arresting cop with a suspect who tried to rob Harold's club there saying how impossible it was. That gives Kerwin Matthews who's the genius of the group an idea to plan the perfect crime.
The others mean it as a prank to give the money back, but Keith is not a well man having spent some time in the psycho ward at the Veteran's Administration. He means to keep the money and he brings a long a pistol to enforce his argument.
It's hard for Madison to say no to Keith, he saved his life in Korea. But Madison who is also romantically involved with Kim Novak resents her being roped in on the scheme.
Best in the film is Brian Keith who does a very good job in suggesting a fundamentally decent man who's been unhinged by his wartime experiences. You have to understand that in order to understand why the film ended as it did.
Novak looks fetching and lovely as always and gets a couple of inconsequential songs to sing, no doubt dubbed as they were in Pal Joey.
5 Against The House did no harm to any of the careers among the cast here. Especially that of Kim Novak who was being prepped to take Rita Hayworth's spot as Columbia Picture's new sex goddess.
The four veterans are Guy Madison, Alvy Moore, Kerwin Matthews, and Brian Keith. They're in college on the GI Bill of Rights and being a bit older than the other students there and with a shared wartime bonding, they kind of keep to themselves.
After a night in Reno where they overhear an arresting cop with a suspect who tried to rob Harold's club there saying how impossible it was. That gives Kerwin Matthews who's the genius of the group an idea to plan the perfect crime.
The others mean it as a prank to give the money back, but Keith is not a well man having spent some time in the psycho ward at the Veteran's Administration. He means to keep the money and he brings a long a pistol to enforce his argument.
It's hard for Madison to say no to Keith, he saved his life in Korea. But Madison who is also romantically involved with Kim Novak resents her being roped in on the scheme.
Best in the film is Brian Keith who does a very good job in suggesting a fundamentally decent man who's been unhinged by his wartime experiences. You have to understand that in order to understand why the film ended as it did.
Novak looks fetching and lovely as always and gets a couple of inconsequential songs to sing, no doubt dubbed as they were in Pal Joey.
5 Against The House did no harm to any of the careers among the cast here. Especially that of Kim Novak who was being prepped to take Rita Hayworth's spot as Columbia Picture's new sex goddess.
helpful•224
- bkoganbing
- Aug 11, 2008
- How long is 5 Against the House?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Five Against the House
- Filming locations
- Harold's Club Casino - 250 N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, USA(Casino chosen to rob)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 24 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content