We Were Strangers (1949)

Set in the oppressive shadow of 1932 Cuba, where the iron fist of President Machado's regime has held sway for seven arduous years, "We Were Strangers" tells the compelling tale of China Valdés, an apolitical young woman working in an American bank in Havana. Her tranquil existence is shattered when her activist brother, Manolo, is brutally murdered by the tyrannical government's secret police, an act she witnesses firsthand. The trigger is pulled by a police officer named Armando Ariete, etching a path of vengeance in China’s heart. Choosing rebellion over silence, China joins the revolutionary forces coursing through the country's veins. There she meets Tony Fenner, an American entertainment promoter and fellow revolutionary. When China reveals her intent to assassinate Ariete, Tony persuades her to partake in a daring plan that could wipe out the government's major leaders in a single stroke, a plan that involves more than just a single bullet. Joining forces with China and Tony is a quartet of dedicated revolutionaries - Guillermo, Ramón, Miguel, and Toto - strangers with no ties to each other, brought together by a shared cause. Tony's audacious strategy involves choosing a high-ranking official as a sacrificial lamb, assassinating him, and then detonating a bomb at his state funeral, a gathering that should include the despotic President himself. They are aware that this plan will inevitably lead to innocent casualties, yet they accept this grim reality in the name of the greater good. The group faces a multitude of challenges, from the arduous task of tunnelling from China's cellar to the cemetery across the street, to transporting the bomb undetected. But the physical trials pale in comparison to the emotional turmoil that lies ahead. This is exacerbated by Ariete’s growing interest in China, a connection that could either be a simple infatuation or a dangerous recognition of the woman who witnessed him kill Manolo. As they dig their way towards freedom, their resolve, alliances, and survival are put to the ultimate test, painting a gripping portrait of rebellion, sacrifice, and the human spirit.

We Were Strangers is an adventure movie featuring Jennifer Jones.

We Were Strangers is currently streaming on TCM.