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Strange Bargain

Name: Strange Bargain
Director: Will Price
Released: 1949
Duration: 68 min

Representation Score

1.3/10

Minimal

1949

Director

Will Price

Runtime

68 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Strange Bargain is a mid-century mystery that follows the social and narrative norms of its time. The plot is centered around male-driven professional and moral issues, leaving limited space for diverse viewpoints. The film emphasizes traditional hierarchies, especially regarding gender and family. Women are portrayed through their relationships to men, and the main conflict revolves around a typical straight-centered domestic framework. Overall, the production lacks representation that reflects multiple aspects of identity. It serves as a period-specific thriller that upholds established social structures without offering critical or cultural variety.

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Category Breakdown

Does Strange Bargain have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a traditional nuclear family setup. There are no representations of non-straight or non-cisgender identities, nor does it challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Strange Bargain portray gender?

Limited

Male characters like Sam Wilson and Malcolm Jarvis play key roles in driving the plot. Women are shown mostly as beneficiaries within the family context rather than as independent individuals.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Strange Bargain?

Limited

The story is set in a localized professional environment. It likely reflects the predominantly white, Anglo-Saxon casting standards common in 1949 British cinema.

How does Strange Bargain represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story examines morality through conventional means. It uses the family unit as a reason for deception without questioning broader societal structures.

Does Strange Bargain include disability representation?

Minimal

The synopsis does not mention any characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

The film offers a clear, focused look at a moral dilemma involving deception and life insurance.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks strong female roles, showing women as dependent beneficiaries rather than active participants.
There is a noticeable lack of racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ diversity among the characters.
The story adheres to traditional social hierarchies without providing any systemic or cultural critique.

Official Synopsis

Bookkeeper Sam Wilson learns from his boss, Malcolm Jarvis, that he is losing his job because the company is closing down. Jarvis then makes a strange proposition, saying he intends to commit suicide but wants Sam to make it look like a murder, in order for his wife and son to inherit Jarvis's life insurance. Sam declines, but when he goes to see Jarvis and finds his dead body, he reluctantly goes along with the scheme.

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