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MGM presents The Stranger. Written by Anthony Veiller. Adaptaion by Victor Trivas and Decla Dunning. Original Story by Victor Trivas. 95 minutes. Not Rated. Original released in 1946.
Directed By:
Orson Welles
Cast:
Edward G. Robinson. ..Mr. Wilson
Loretta Young. Mary Longstreet
Orson Welles. Professor Charles Rankin/Franz Kindler
The Film:
The problem when Citizen Kane is your first film is that no matter what you do afterwards nothing will ever measure up. Welles made several other superb films, some getting more recognition than others. One of his forgotten gems is this one, The Stranger.
Edward G. Robinson plays Mr. Wilson, a detective of sorts in charge of hunting down escaped Nazi’s. He releases a man from prison in hopes that it will lead him to Franz Kindler, a man responsible for many wartime atrocities. This chase leads him to Professor Charles Rankin (Welles) a man who’s recently moved into town and has just married local beauty, Mary Longstreet (Young). Now it’s up to Wilson to prove that Rankin isn’t who he says he is and more importantly convince Mary of her husbands crimes before it’s too late. All this leads to a dramatic conclusion Hitchcock would be proud of.
There’s a disturbing scene where Mr. Wilson and Mary’s father are trying to convince her that her husband is, in fact, a Nazi. Wilson shows here footage of mass graves and gas chambers. This troubling footage was the first real Nazi footage seen after World War II.
Made only five years after Citizen Kane this is a young charismatic Welles who plays a fantastic villain. His character is very handsome and charming and you almost don’t want to believe he’s responsible for the horrible things he’s being accused of. Robinson is magnificent as Wilson, both men a strong characters and play wonderfully against each other. With these men on either side a lesser actress would get lost in the sidelines, but Loretta Young holds herself up well as she slowly starts to unravel.
Coming so soon after World War II it’s easy to imagine how people might have felt watching a film like this at the time. While the horror of Nazi’s is not as prevalent today that does not make the film any less thrilling. Filled with Welles’ classic, dynamic cinematography that he’s known for, this is a well-crafted thriller that proves what a great filmmaker Welles was.
Even when threatening a life, he’s still charming.
The DVD:
The Video:
The film is presented in full frame 1.33:1.If Welles ever did anything right it was cinematography and this film is no exception. The transfer is pretty good but there are scratches from time to time. Not so much that it takes away from the viewing enjoyment. If anything, it gives it a little character.
The Audio:
The film is presented in Dolby Digital Mono. This sound is good. The dialog is crisp and audible and the score fits the film perfectly.
Extras:
Sadly there are no special features.
The Inside Pulse
It’s no Citizen Kane, but this is a top-notch thriller from Orson Welles. If you like classic cinema this not one to miss.
