Movie Review: 5 Against the House (1955)

Synopsis: Four college friends, Brick, Al, Ronnie and Roy, stop at a Reno, Nevada casino for a little fun. While Ronnie and Roy wait in line to cash a check, someone attempts to rob the cashier, and the pair are nearly wrongfully arrested as accomplices. Following the incident, Ronnie works out a fool-proof way to successfully commit the casino robbery and convinces Brick and Roy to help him with Al, who is going to Reno to marry his girlfriend, Kay, serving as an unwitting accomplice. When Al learns of the plan, he tries to put a stop to it. However, Brick, a Korean War veteran who has been hospitalized with PTSD, pulls a gun and threatens to shoot his friends if they don't carry out the plan.

Who's in it? The movie stars Guy Madison, Brian Keith, Kim Novak, Alvy Moore and Kerwin Mathews.

Review: I added 5 Against the House to my movie library a few days ago because the description made the film sound a bit like an earlier version of Ocean's Eleven and I was intrigued. As it turns out, the movie was nothing like the movie I thought it would be. However, it still turned out to be really good.

I think the thing that really made this movie worth watching was the uncertainty surrounding Brick (Keith), who was unstable to the point it was unclear what he would do if his friends didn't go along with him. There was very little doubt he'd be willing to kill any of them and, as they followed through with the casino heist, there was also the possibility of him snapping and gunning down innocent people.

The same could be said about Kay (Novak), who was a bit of an outsider and wasn't part of Ronnie's original plan. While the fact she was in love with Al (Madison) meant she was likely not going to betray the men, it didn't mean she wouldn't feel the need to alert the authorities if she believed they were in danger.

The other thing I found interesting was Ronnie's (Mathews) casino heist plan. Based on what the movie showed during their first visit, it looked like the casino was locked down tight with no way to do anything without security seeing them. Then, as bits as pieces were revealed, such as a truck with a trailer and a tape recorder, the plan became both interesting and a little confusing. Finally, when it all came together at the end, it turned out to be something of pure genius that there was no doubt would have worked perfectly if it weren't for Brick's instability.

One complaint I did have about the movie is I didn't think any of the friends seemed all that likeable. The casino plan was the result of Ronnie being wealthy and bored. Roy (Moore), who I think was supposed to be the jokester of the group, had a bit of a cruel side that was displayed when hazing a freshman (Jack Diamond) while Al, even as the level-headed one of the four seemed perfectly fine with Roy's torture.

I also felt as though the ending could have been a bit cleaner. While there's closure involving Brick, it's less clear what is going to happen to the other three, who I would think would potentially face some charges, even if they were threatened by Brick. It wasn't anything that ruined the movie but did seem to leave some loose ends.

Final Opinion: This is a solid classic drama with an interesting plot and some great performances. It's worth taking the time to watch if you get the opportunity.

My Grade: B+

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Here are some reviews of other movies from 1955:

Movie Review: The Glass Slipper (1955)

Movie Review: A Life at Stake (1955)

Movie Review: Alias John Preston (1955)