The Stranger (1946)

Edward G. Robinson is perfectly cast as the relentless detective, determined to capture evil Nazi War criminal Orson Welles. Loretta Young is somewhat annoying as the newlywed who seems almost hypnotized by and devoted to Welles, who reveals to her his mean spirit in almost every shared scene. Although very much "formula" and predictable, the film does have it's shining moments. Clever editing gives several key scenes very effective visual and audible transitions. The character of the ever checkers-playing town gossip/shop keeper/phramacist etc. is a delight. True to Hayes Code norms, husband and wife sleep in separate beds, and you can rest assured that "God don't like ugly", a foregone conclusion depicted quite appropriately toward the end. This film may be dated in many ways, but credit is due to Welles', for handling the gritty topic of Nazi War Crimes so soon after WWII ended and the world learned the truth about Hitler's Holocaust. This is no Double Indemnity or Citizen Kane, or even Third Man, and it certainly isn't Loretta Young's finest hour, but for fans of Classic Hollywood, "The Stranger" is still well worth a bag of pop corn and a Coke. Enjoy!

This film is another great one by Orson Welles. Throughout his career he made many great films including the none other but Citizen Kane. This film follows a contemporary story of the time taking period after World War II. The film is beautifully edited and the key point of the clock is well woven throughout the story line. This is another great film noir and lives well up to Welles name.

'The Stranger,' came out only two years after the official end of World War 2. As such, tensions would have still been riding high to someone watching this in theaters at its' release. This film might actually be a great way to introduce some aspects of the holocaust to someone of a newer generation--it gives some specific highlights of what was done in Europe at the time, after all. And there would be no need to be well versed in the events of the rise of Hitler, or so forth to understand the weight of what Orson Welle's character represents. Although, having some background will certainly make you feel no sympathy for the way things eventually pan out at the end of the film. It felt a little as though there were some cues taken from 1931's Frankenstein; which felt perfectly used in this small world of a Connecticut Town where usually you would expect nothing out of the ordinary to invade people's daily lives. Also, the Actress playing Franz's wife gave an awesome performance. By the end, she has really become one of the strongest characters in the film. The detective, played by Edward Robinson is someone i have seen as both a villain and a a hero in movies. As such, his casting in the film felt like a great wild card that kept me on edge on his first appearance. Beautiful, well done movie. Highly Recommend.

When the film starts the music gives off a suspense horror movie feel. Scenes were very dark extra dark while the only light was seen on each character. I figure that the audience saw a lot of shadows. Storyline wasn't confusing it was pretty interesting to follow. The quality of this film was crisp very clear showing how cameras were changing and improving.