The Stranger is often considered Orson Welles' most "traditional" Hollywood-style directorial effort. Welles plays a college professor named Charles Rankin, who lives in a pastoral Connecticut town with his lovely wife Mary (Loretta Young). One afternoon, an extremely nervous German gentleman named Meineke (Konstantin Shayne) arrives in town. Professor Rankin seems disturbed--but not unduly so--by Meineke's presence. He invites the stranger for a walk in the woods, and as they journey farther
and farther away from the center of town, we learn that kindly professor Rankin is actually notorious Nazi war criminal Franz Kindler. Conscience-stricken by his own genocidal wartime activities, Meineke has come to town to beg his ex-superior Kindler to give himself up. The professor responds by brutally murdering his old associate. If Kindler believes himself safe--and he has every reason to do so, since no one in town, especially Mary, has any inkling of his previous life--he will change his mind in a hurry when mild-mannered war crimes commissioner Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) pays a visit, posing as an antiques dealer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Orson Welles's 1946 film reproduces his personal themes of self-scrutiny and self-destruction only in outline, though it is an inventive, highly enjoyable thriller.
Orson Welles's feverish, politically uneasy noir remains an outstanding achievement; would that the same could be said about Film Chest's barely sufficient transfer of the film.
Cinematographer Russell Metty ("Touch of Evil") uses the whole film noir bag of tricks, liberal use of shadows for mood, deep focus and extreme closeups to enhance drama and suspense.
One of Welles' most conventional films: His fans don't like it because it's too plot-driven and linear but that was his goal, wishing to prove that he could make a mainstream film after the brilliant but failures, Citizen Kane and Magnificent Ambersons.
Welles is so technically proficient that even his second-tier works are a clinic in form, camera blocking, and mise-en-scene. Like Bergman, he isn't afraid to use dramatic closeups to communication the emotional tics of his characters, and he always strays clear of the conventional route when it comes to his direction.
The Stranger is one of Welles' more political films (which undoubtedly will turn some people off) and some of the plot points are a little far-fetched, but I marvel at how assuredly paced this film is -- culminating to yet another classic Welles-esque ending. It quickens at the right time, and plays out like a scrupulous crescendo. Of course, having one of the greatest noir actors of all time as your lead doesn't hurt either.
February 18, 2011
Jonathan Hutchings
Super Reviewer
The Stranger or I Married a Nazi (just kidding). A small town is unaware that one of their citizens was a Nazi in WWII, and he lives a normal life until someone comes looking for him. A good movie, with good actors and an interesting story.
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