A soaring and spectacular view of San Francisco seen from the house on Telegraph Hill opens the film that shifts to a shot of the house itself and then to a for sale sign.  Accompanied to these three images is the voice-over of Victoria Kowelska (Valentina Cortese). She forewarns the audience about the house’s ominous past.  The story has its origin in Poland and it all began 11 years, more precisely 1939, shortly before World War II.  With the war Victoria lost her home, family, and freedom, as she was sent to the Nazi concentration camp in Belsen.  Yet, she found a reason to live in her friend Karin. Karin provides a sense of hope through her rich aunt in San Francisco who is taking care of Karin’s infant son Chris.  However, Karin dies, and Victoria sees her only chance for a better life by adopting Karin’s identity.

The bad news does not cease to confront Victoria, as she also learns about Karin’s aunt’s death.  Yet, Karin’s son is still alive and it offers her some hope. Once arrived to the American continent, Victoria marries Karin’s distant cousin Alan Spender (Richard Basehart) who also has become the guardian of Karin’s son Chris (Gordon Gebert).  At first things are wonderful, as the American Dream flushes over her like a tsunami.  Blissfully, Victoria enjoys her new lifestyle, but the dream does not last.  The true plot soon emerges, as she has traded the evil of Belsen to that of peaceful time San Francisco murderer.

The House of Telegraph Hill, as mentioned, does provide the genuine film noir atmosphere, and the issues rests within the story that accentuates the notion of hope and the dream of a prosperous future.  It is also a mood within the film that does not seem to disappear despite Victoria’s past and present troubles.  One of my issues with the film is the opening in the concentration camp, which felt fictitious and stage-like.  It should also have been more detailed, as it is a crucial part of the film.  However, the film does not present a bad cinematic experience.  Instead, the audience receives a decent thriller that seems to have developed the genre film noir to something anew.  Robert Wise’s vision, which has also brought us terrific films such as The Day Earth Stood Still (1951), The Haunting (1963), and the The Andromeda Strain (1971), transforms the genre of film noir where a gripping tale emerges through a woman’s dangerous risk.

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