Orson Welles - The Stranger (1946)

Starring:Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young
Studio: Westlake Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Great Suspense Thriller..!!
Film is good, commentary terribly disappointing
Period piece
Great Cast Wasted on One-Dimensional Characters in a Dull Plot.
Brilliant post WW2 psychological thriller

The Stranger (MGM Film Noir)
Starring: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000PMFRVU
Release Date: 2007-07-10

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The legendary story that hovers over Orson Welles's The Stranger is that he wanted Agnes Moorehead to star as the dogged Nazi hunter who trails a war criminal to a sleepy New England town. The part went to E.G. Robinson, who is marvelous, but it points out how many compromises Welles made on the film in an attempt to show Hollywood he could make a film on time, on budget, and on their own terms. He accomplished all three, turning out a stylish if unambitious film noir thriller, his only Hollywood film to turn a profit on its original release. Welles stars as unreformed fascist Franz Kindler, hiding as a schoolteacher in a New England prep school for boys and newly married to the headmaster's lovely if naive daughter (Loretta Young). Welles the director is in fine form for the opening sequences, casting a moody tension as agents shadow a twitchy low-level Nazi official skulking through South American ports and building up to dramatic crescendo as Kindler murders this little man, the lovely woods becoming a maelstrom of swirling leaves that expose the body he furiously tries to bury. The rest of film is a well-designed but conventional cat-and-mouse game featuring an eye-rolling performance by Welles and a thrilling conclusion played out in the dark clock tower that looms over the little village. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Great Suspense Thriller..!!.......2007-04-29

Title of this movie is "The Stranger" and stars Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and Orson Welles. Robinson plays a Nazi hunter from the war crimes commission who has tracked Welles to a small New England town where he is teaching at the towns college. A game of cat and mouse ensues with the towns people slowly coming to realize that a Nazi has been hiding in their town. A very good movie with the three main actors giving great performances. Well worth seeing..!!

Film is good, commentary terribly disappointing.......2006-12-27

I, as many others do, consider this one of the classics in Orson Welles repertoire of films. Not only is his acting superb, he's young and handsome in it to boot! Loretta Young may get on some people's nerves with her innocent and slow hysterical breakdown, but she's still a great actress in this film and it shows. And of course, Edward G. is fantastic.
Unfortunately, to be blunt, the Jeffrey Lyons commentary blows. He starts out kind of talking about the film and says a handful of facts about the actors, but then he seems to get bored with it and just starts
making wise-cracking jokes throughout the rest of the film that are completely annoying. Why did he bother?

Period piece.......2006-01-19

This movie could only have been made immediately after World War Two. It was already "dated" a couple of years after the war ended. It had to come along as soon as the war ended, at a time when the American people finally knew about the Holocaust but had not yet transfered their animosity from Germany to Russia. Thus the date of the movie - 1946, possibly the only year it could have come out.

This makes it a very specialized movie, one that would only make sense during an extremely short window of time. The villain, Orson Welles, is a Nazi who has every intention of renewing the struggle begun by Hitler. The word "Nazi" inspires horror in Orson's new wife, Loretta Young. Orson is incognito, a secret Nazi with a terrific American accent, a former leader of the Holocaust, masquerading as an innocent schoolteacher.

The movie held my interest. It seemed quaint in its focus on the danger of the Nazi party in post-war America. It seemed like a dusty antique.

Other reviewers on this site point to the connection between director Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock. I can't put my finger on exactly why or how, but this film does feel like a Hitchcock film to some degree. And yes, I did notice the ever present cigar in the mouth of Edward G. Robinson, Nazi hunter.

How did Robinson know that Welles was a secret Nazi? He learned it over dinner, I think. He was asking Welles for his opinion of the German question, just what to do about them, and Welles replied that all Germans should be exterminated because they are simply too dangerous and incorrigible. But then Welles gave himself away, by denying that Karl Marx was a German, referring to him only as a non-German, a Jew. The wily Robinson decided there was something suspicious in that, something Nazi-ish.

The funny part to me is that Karl Marx was being lauded as a freedom lover, a sort of American in his love of freedom. It's hysterical. A few years later, Marxism would be vilified in America.

As I said, this film could only have been done in 1946, a very short window of opportunity, before the McCarthy era, before the arms race with Russia, before America's love affair with Stalin ended.

Isn't it a pity that America and Russia, who both fought so hard and sacrificed so much to win the single most important war in the history of mankind, couldn't come out of it as friends. But keep in mind that Russia originally wanted to be on Germany's side of it, until they were attacked by their ally.

After all, shortly before the war broke out, Russia was sending troops across Poland to split the country with their German allies.

Other than the history lesson, all I can say is that it was a pretty interesting period piece, not a masterpiece, but worth a look.

Loretta Young plays an idiot. It seems like an odd role for her.

Great Cast Wasted on One-Dimensional Characters in a Dull Plot........2005-10-12

"The Stranger" was Orson Welles' effort to show RKO studios that he could deliver a movie on time and within budget. It worked so far as that goes. It was his first commercial success as a director. Mr. Wilson (Edward G. Robinson), an agent of the Allied War Crimes Commission, has decided to let Konrad Meineke (Konstantin Shayne) go free in hopes that the man will lead authorities to his former boss: Franz Kindler, a fictional mastermind of the Nazi genocide. Meineke tracks Kindler to the quiet town of Harper, Connecticut, with Wilson close on his tail. But before he can see who Meineke meets, Wilson is knocked unconscious. Working from a list of men who arrived in town within the past year, Wilson narrows the suspects down to Mr. Charles Rankin (Orson Welles), a professor at the local boys prep school who has recently married Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), daughter of a famously liberal Supreme Court Justice.

The trouble with "The Stranger" is that we have a bunch of one-dimensional characters in a story that is just plain dull. The great Edward G. Robinson does nothing more than recite lines as Wilson the Nazi hunter. Charles Rankin/ Franz Kindler does an amusing -but implausible- job of deriding Germany while betraying his Nazi ideals all the same. Kindler is so obviously unstable and out of his mind that he's really a cop-out: The Nutty Nazi. An excuse not to write a real character with credible motives. Mary is a nice woman who inexplicably goes along with her husband's bullying and ill treatment of her dog. But Loretta Young is responsible for the only credible emotion in this film: Her hysterical denial when she is told that her husband is a Nazi war criminal. "The Stranger" might work as an unsophisticated thriller, but it is devoid of character writing and interesting plot points. This terrific trio of thespians -Robinson, Welles, and Young- is wasted.

The DVD (Delta Entertainment 2001): This print of "The Stranger" is unrestored but without major flaws. The "delta" logo appears in the lower righthand corner of the screen 3 times during the film, however. The logo appears for less than a minute and then disappears at these points in the film: 51 minutes, 1:11, and at 1:31. There is a "Bonus Trailer" for Welles' 1958 film "Touch of Evil" (2 minutes) and a "Tony Curtis Intro" (3 ½ minutes) in which Curtis says a little about "The Stranger" and about Orson Welles' career. The second feature on the DVD, "Orson Welles on Film" (30 minutes), is a documentary about Welles' films, meaning those he directed. It says a little about Welles' youth and radio days before tracing his career from his 6-picture contract with RKO, though his Hollywood and European periods, until the recognition he received from Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s. The emphasis is on the films he directed, with only brief discussion of each film.

Brilliant post WW2 psychological thriller.......2005-06-20

"The Stranger" is a gripping and tense 1946 thriller directed by the creative mind of Orson Welles who also starred in it. Welles creates a deep feeling of paranoia in his characters throughout this story surrounding the hunting a fugitive Nazi war criminal.

Edward G. Robinson is outstanding as Mr. Wilson, an investigator for the Allied war crimes commission. Robinson has purposely released a Konrad Meinike, a former Nazi concentration camp commandant, in the hopes that he will seek out his superior, the notorious Franz Kindler. Kindler was a prime architect of the Holocaust and had escaped apprehension.

Robinson trailed Meinike, played by thickly accented Konstantin Shayne to Harper, Connecticut, where he makes contact with a professor Charles Rankin. Rankin, played by Welles, we soon find out is really Kindler, He is posing as a professor in a boys prep school above suspicion. Coincidently, he is to be married that very day to Mary Longstreet, daughter of Supreme Court justice Judge Adam Longstreet, and played by Loretta Young. Fearing exposure Welles kills Meinike hiding his body in a shallow grave in the surrounding woods.

Robinson sets himself up in town posing as an antique dealer and eventually befriending the Longstreet family. Robinson reveals his suspicions about Welles to Noah Longstreet, Mary's brother played by a youthful Richard Long. It seems that both Kindler and Rankin both have an obsession for fixing and working on clocks. Rankin has been trying to restore an antique bell tower clock in the town.

Robinson, aided by the Longstreet family reveal to Young their beliefs about Welles' true identity. Young, deeply in love with Welles and in a terrific performance, struggles with incredulity and indecisiveness as to what to do. Welles plots to kill her in a clock tower scene reminiscent of Hitchcock's superb "Vertigo". Welles, the epitome of evil meets an appropriate fate as he is undone by the instruments of his passion, Young and the belltower clock.

Welles and Hitchcock are so obviously influenced by each other as evidenced by their directorial styles, both able to create unease and tension in their plots. They both use camera angles and techniques which are repeated throughout the movie to create dramatic effects. A perfect example involves the pipe smoked by Robinson in the film. In the beginning of the movie he accidently breaks it in a passionate speech to his colleagues. At different points of the film, we see only the pipe, it's stem taped together, to indicate the presence of the relentless Robinson.

The Orson Welles Collection (The Stranger/ King Lear/ David and Goliath/ The Trial)

Average customer rating:

GOOD FOR THE KING LEAR ALONE, OKAY FOR THE TRIAL
An Interesting Assortment of Wellesiana
If it sounds too good to be true...

The Orson Welles Collection (The Stranger/ King Lear/ David and Goliath/ The Trial)
Starring: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: Passport
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000C6NP0E
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Description

ORSON WELLES COLLECTION

In the history of cinema, Orson Welles was a larger-than-life figure - both literally and figuratively. His classic 1941 feature Citizen Kane is widely regarded as the greatest American film of all time, while his 1958 film Touch of Evil is often referred to as the greatest B-movie of all time.

But in and around those classics, Welles starred in or directed a number of films that showed off his astonishing range and versatility that included works based on such diverse sources as Franz Kafka, William Shakespeare, and the Bible. This five-DVD collection contains some of Welles' unjustly overlooked gems.

Included in this fascinating collection are THE STRANGER (1946), KING LEAR (1953), DAVID AND GOLIATH (1960), and THE TRIAL (1962). Plus, there's an ultra-rare live TV appearance by Welles on a 1956 Herb Shriner Show in which he recites poetry. In addition, two documentaries - Hollywood Remembers Orson Welles and Hollywood Couples: Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth - round out this terrific set. No fan of classic cinema should be without this important collection from The Master.

Disc One

THE STRANGER

After upsetting the studio executives with the arcane excesses of Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, Welles set out to show RKO that he could make a movie that was on time, on budget, and that appealed to general audiences of the '40s.

This taut thriller, released in 1946, was the result. Welles, playing an escaped Nazi war criminal hiding out in a small Connecticut town, is ably assisted by a stellar supporting cast that includes Loretta Young as his naïve wife, Edward G. Robinson as his dogged pursuer, and Philip Merivale as the kindly judge.

95 minutes.

Disc Two

KING LEAR

Performed live in front of television cameras in 1953, Welles played the title role in this Shakespeare classic about a beleaguered king who is plagued by problems both political and personal. The impressive supporting cast includes Lloyd Bochner (The Twilight Zone), Beatrice Straight (Network), and Bramwell Fletcher (The Mummy). The music was provided by legendary Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Virgil Thomson.

Variety referred to this production as "the most definitive Shakespearean work in terms of any show-biz media." Welles' performance was equally - and justifiably - praised.

76 minutes. Disc Three

DAVID AND GOLIATH

This colorful Biblical epoch was produced in Italy in 1960 under the title DAVID E GOLIA. Despite his size, Welles did not play the giant Philistine, Goliath. Instead, he played King Saul, who is informed by his prophets who tell him the new king of Israel will be a young boy name David.

David is played by Yugoslavian actor Ivica Pajer, who, more than twenty years later, played Meryl Streep's father in Sophie's Choice. Goliath was played by a genuine giant of an actor known only as Kronos.

95 minutes.

Disc Four

The Trial

Franz Kafka's classic political thriller came to the screen in 1962 written by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles as Albert Hastler, the attorney. The main character, known only as Josef K, awakens to find he is suddenly and inexplicably on trial for an unspecified crime, and is played to quirky perfection by Anthony Perkins (Psycho). Akim Tamiroff, who gave such a memorable performance as "Uncle Joe" Grandi in Touch of Evil, also lends his support.

Kafka, with his absurdist views and nightmarish visions, is not an easy author to translate for the silver screen, but Welles was clearly up to the task.

94 minutes.

Disc Five

The Herb Shriner Show

This ultra-rare episode of the famed humorist's talk show features Welles in lively conversation as well as reciting some Carl Sandburg poetry on live TV in 1956.

Hollywood Remembers Orson Welles

A fascinating look at the public and private life of this often misunderstood genius of the cinema, who gave us such classics as Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, but had difficulty living up to his earlier successes as time progressed. Rare film clips, newsreels, and photos tell his story.

Hollywood Couples: Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth

Some saw them as the Genius and the Glamour Gal. Others preferred Beauty and the Beast. Either way, they were one of the least likely and most compelling couples ever to light up the Hollywood skies. This fascinating documentary, filled with film clips and rare footage, examines the private lives of this curious couple - he of the towering talent, she of the gorgeous gams.

Customer Reviews:

GOOD FOR THE KING LEAR ALONE, OKAY FOR THE TRIAL.......2006-08-27

This collection deserves to join your collection is only for being the best recorded King Lear. Welles is magnificent as Lear losing his powers and reason. It is the best work of Welles, directed by the great Peter Brooks, who incredibly presents an impossible ninety minute Lear.

THe second best King LEar ever is of course the James EArle Jones Joe Papp Shakespeare in the PArk presentation, which is a must-see. YOu may also find other favorite actors strutting about such as a very young and dashing Raul Julia, the subdued Paul Sorvino (except when his eyes get poked out- then we hear his operatic voice), and Rene D'auborjonois or whatever that you may remember from TV's BEnsen, Star TRek New GEneration (without his ears) and now Boston LEgal. But I go on about a very praiseworthy production on another DVD.

Here we see Welles in the fullness of his powers doing the best darn King LEar ever recorded, including Olivier's late kinder gentler production, or any other BBC production. It is worthy of multiple viewings.

Welles's serious ADAPTATION of Kafka's The TRial is probnably the best we shall ever see on film of that great novel, despite the alteration of the ending. The only other decent adaptation is by R. Crumb in his "introducing Kafka". But here Welles especially captures the young girls lurking about the artist's closet studio very well. Other elements of the play are well represented and worth studying along with the original novel kept ever at hand. Welles's aiming to push buttons of fear of nuclear war and other contemporary worries altered the novel, but it is worth seeing here.

As for the Stranger, as said here it is something Welles did for commercial success aimed at the concerns of the day. I feel this one is dated now, but it is nice to see the distinguished Mr. RObinson playing a good guy.

As for the rest, you are on your own. But having The Trial and King LEar are worth the price of admission, and will find replay on your system.

An Interesting Assortment of Wellesiana.......2006-05-02

Obviously this isn't Citizen Kane or Ambersons or even Touch of Evil, but it's an interesting cross-section of Welles' work, some of which I'd never seen. Particularly scarce (I believe) is his guest appearance on the Herb Shriner TV Show in the Fifties. I hadn't seen that one. Also, I think they recalled the first batch and got rid of that red logo!

If it sounds too good to be true..........2006-02-22

Avoid this collection at all costs.

This is yet another among the plethora of public domain releases haphazardly thrown together without any regard for the quality of presentation. The source materials for these films, as you might imagine, are remarkably awful. But Passport International couldn't stop at being just any other over-night public domain distribution scam. What makes this collection cross over from "horrible" to "hilarious travesty" is that a red logo is at the bottom of every frame. I kid you not. The bottom of every hazy, warped, mutilated, vinegar-soaked frame.

The Orson Welles, Double Feature #1: The Stranger/King Lear

Average customer rating:

Welles's King Lear (1953) is no longer a stranger

The Orson Welles, Double Feature #1: The Stranger/King Lear
Starring: Orson Welles Double Feature
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
ProductGroup: DVD
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King Lear
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ASIN: B000CBEWOM
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Customer Reviews:

Welles's King Lear (1953) is no longer a stranger.......2007-05-19

This is an interesting pairing of two public domain films featuring Orson Welles (1915-85):
(1) The stranger (1946) TT1:34:20, divided into 15 chapters
(2) King Lear (1953): TT1:29:20, divided into 14 chapters
However, there are no chapter menus. The DVD launches directly into the film selected. The claimed "digitally restored" is a misnomer. Yet for the low price, the quality is acceptable in its lack of sharpness, low contrast, and film blemishes.

There are better versions of The stranger (1946) available on DVD: (1) the 10/99 DVD by the Roan Group, which offers a pairing with Cause for alarm (1951) (see my review of this DVD on Amazon); (2) the forthcoming (10 July 2007) release by MGM ($20 list).

King Lear (1953), with Welles starring as Lear, is the rarity here. This was shown 18 Oct. 1953 (season 2, episode 3) on the cultural TV program Omnibus (11/52-4/61). The entire 90-minute show is presented (in 16 chapters) on the DVD, including ads and opening and closing commentary by the renowned Alistair Cooke (1908-2004). The actual Shakespearean play (minus end credits) runs about 1 hour, 15 minutes--from about 0:6:30 to 1:21:30.

The only other version of Welles's King Lear (1953) currently available on regions 0 or 1 DVDs is in The Orson Welles collection (2006), a 5-DVD set issued by Passport and also containing The stranger plus David and Goliath (1961), The trial (1962), and a disk of various extras. All five DVDs are also of iffy quality and, furthermore, are marred by having an annoying red logo in the lower right of each DVD. The King Lear version in Passport's edition is just the play (TT1:16), because the opening and closing parts of the Omnibus show were deleted.

Average customer rating:

The Stranger
Starring: Orson Welles; Edward G. Robinson; Loretta Young
Director: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: Miracle Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

A Slight Case of Murder
Red House
The Illusionist (Widescreen Edition)
Madame Curie
They Drive by Night (Snap case)

ASIN: B0002K67QE
Release Date: 2002-02-02

Product Description

From back cover, "Orson Welles plays a mysterious stranger who comes to a middle-of-the road town and attempts to integrate himself into the everyday lives of the townspeople. Later, Edward G. Robinson arrives, looking for an escaped Nazi criminal, and of course, strange things begin to happen..."

Average customer rating:

This wasn't Orson Welles' movie. so we don't have the
Conventional Welles, But Good All the Same
who likes caribou? I do. I do. no you don't!
Modestly enjoyable thriller bears few of Welles' stylistic hallmarks
Interesting mystery/suspense film

Stranger (B&W)
Starring: Billy House , Byron Keith , Philip Merivale , Isabel O'Madigan , and Edward G. Robinson
Director: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006SFJ8
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Customer Reviews:

This wasn't Orson Welles' movie. so we don't have the.......2006-02-08

expense or baggage of an original Welles production. He was hired to direct & act. The movie was made to make money & therefore to be done under budget. Welles succeeded & did an excellent, stylish, directing job. In a bit of over-acting he also played the part of creepy Dr. Charles Rankin, formerly Franz Kindler, Nazi war criminal to perfection. This now an old fashioned movie but 1946 was the perfect time for it's subject: Nazis hiding in our midst, such as a small town in Connecticut.
This film noir drama may have been made on the cheap but it's stars are first rate. Besides Welles, Edward G. Robinson plays title role, & comes to town under the guise of an antique dealer. He is actually a federal Nazi hunter on the trail of Franz Kindler. Loretta Young is perfecting her role as the idiot wife of Kindler/Dr. Rankin. You might remember her as David Nevin's stupid spouse in The Bishp's Wife several years later. Kindler is embedded as a professor at a private prep school. He seems to be popular with the boys.
About half way through the movie, Mr. Wilson has a pretty good idea who Dr. Rankin really is. The climax is to be expected but is still well done, on a subject that still of interest today, facism in America.

Conventional Welles, But Good All the Same.......2005-07-30

Several years ago, the recut and re-released classic TOUCH OF EVIL revived interest in the work of director Orson Welles, and rightfully so. But what's to be said of THE STRANGER, often sniffed at by Welles scholars as being "too conventional"?

Actually, quite a bit.

THE STRANGER was made at a time when Welles hadn't directed a film in nearly four years. At that time, rumors were circulating as to his unreliability (and lack of marketability). To a certain extent, his reputation for being an out-of-control highbrow was deserved. He was also, however, an undeniable talent.

THE STRANGER demonstrates this. While the story of the escaped Nazi Franz Kindler (played by Welles) is told in straightforward fashion, there are flourishes of camera and characterization worthy of the maker of CITIZEN KANE. I have to admit that Welles himself in the lead is a bit hammy at times; however, Edward G. Robinson (as a Nazi-hunter) and Loretta Young (as Kindler's unsuspecting wife) have never been better. The plot, too, is quite suspenseful, aided by lively dialogue written by Anthony Viellor, John Huston, and Welles himself.

And Welles the director keeps the picture moving. Particularly fine are the scenes wherein the frightened Young discovers her husband's true identity; the ensuing cat-and-mouse game gets a grip on the audience that doesn't relax until the bravura finale.

Along the way are Wellesian touches that complement--rather than intrude on--the story. Billy House and Constantin Shane (in smaller parts) make significant impact; the scene near the beginning where Kindler murders a good friend is effectively done with crane shots; and a film- within-the-film introduces the Holocaust to American moviegoers. Good, too, is the performance of Richard Long as Young's little brother.

In later life, Welles brushed off THE STRANGER, calling it the most impersonal of his movies, done only to show that he could direct as well as the next fellow (which, according to some wags, meant coming in under budget and on schedule). This is unfair to THE STRANGER, which is a taught, intelligent, well-made thriller, and--at Amazon prices--a great addition to any film buff's DVD collection.

who likes caribou? I do. I do. no you don't!.......2005-07-08

Few people have heard of, let alone seen this movie so there is much talk over it's relevance to the Welles' canon, so let me try to clear a few things up. After the social (and only social) disaster that was Citizen Kane, Welles rapidly became a much loathed person in Hollywood. Funny how attaching the head of all of the media industry can do that. And after RKO destroyed his epic, The Magnificent Ambersons-possibly the saddest story in all of Hollywood- and also after pulling the plug on his ill-fated and once again Lost masterpiece, It's All True (a documentary on the Brazilian culture and their everyday struggles), they pegged Welles as a man who runs up movie budgets astronomically with little attention to a studios' demands. Now while that may have been true to some of his work (Lady from Shanghai for instance), it certainly wasn't true for It's all True. And so once again Welles was seen as an outsider that few production companies wanted anything to do with. So he desperately needed a hit to get back in and on the good side of Hollywood. And thus you have, The Stranger.
A suspense tale about postwar Nazi's hiding in America's suburbia. Now this is often said to be below Welles, so let me explain. One, Welles admittedly said this was for entertainment ( an easy popcorn flick) rather than art, and two, he once again like so many of his other films, had it drastically re-edited without his approval. Little is known about Welles' version other than that he had a twenty-minute documentary about the end of the Nazi regime to begin the film. Most likely a segue into the story so people had a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the story.
The beginning of the film (the re-edited beginning that is) is brilliant and top notch Welles with it's mix of paranoia, suspense and an overall haunting atmosphere featuring some if his typically "Wellesian compositions" (always a treat). However, the brilliance, dies down after that point into a rather straightforward suspense drama. The interesting angles and metaphoric lighting are nowhere to be scene; although, it does occasionally use some of Welles trademark close-ups. The plot is standard, I don't consider it to be "hammy" as some reviewers have said but it doesn't hold a candle to Hitchcock in terms of suspense. But then again, Welles intentionally dumbed-down the movie in hopes that audiences would like that.
It does feature some great acting though. Edward G. Robinson does a masterful job playing the detective meant to capture Professor Charles Rankin ( Welles). Rankin's wife, Loretta Young, also does a magnificent job in her role as well. Many have said Welles overacted this one, but I don't see it. He's being hunted down for Nazi war crimes and the detective keeps closing in on him, little by little. I don't know about you, but that would make me a bit shaky and overly paranoid. Towards the end, we get little treats here and there of those lovely "Wellesian-compositions." And then of coarse you have the famous clock tower ending. Now in my opinion, it wasn't quite as good or suspenseful as I had hoped it to be but it is interesting and will consistently have your attention.
Probably the most noteworthy affair that takes place in the film is that you are shown actual footage of the Nazi concentration camps. Now this is first time in Hollywood that footage of the atrocity is placed in a movie. That alone, gives The Stranger some historical legitimacy.
Sadly, despite Welles' best intentions this movie failed at the box office and he was again cast into obscurity for years as a director (although still doing bit parts in movies here and there). As far as it's relevance to the canon, I would say it's recommended for die-hard Welles' fans but not necessary for cinephiles. It doesn't really offer up anything new or needed, but can be a fun (if still sub par) watch for Welles' fans (just rent it once really). But for those of you who liked this side of Welles but just didn't care for the artistically low-quality, check out his masterpiece, Touch of Evil. It's astonishing in every way and definitely demanded viewing for fans of Welles or just the Cinema. A timeless work of art.

Modestly enjoyable thriller bears few of Welles' stylistic hallmarks.......2005-06-25

In 1946, Orson Welles' career was in a tailspin. His battle to get "Citizen Kane" released branded him a troublemaker in Hollywood. RKO heavily cut Welles' follow-up to Kane, "The Magnificent Ambersons," while Welles himself was in South America, directing the ill-fated documentary "It's All True" (which wouldn't see the light of day until after Welles' death). To jump-start his directorial career, Welles agreed to direct "The Stranger," a modestly enjoyable thriller that bears few of Welles' stylistic hallmarks.

Edward G. Robinson pursues the title character (Welles), who may or may not be an escaped Nazi, through a sleepy Connecticut town. Complicating matters is that Welles has charmed the town's residents, including Loretta Young, whom he marries. "The Stranger" illustrates Welles' concerns that World War II did not spell the end of fascism, and is significant for being the first Hollywood film to include actual footage from Nazi concentration camps. But by Welles' own admission, "The Stranger" was more of an attempt at profitable Hollywood product than an artistic statement. The trademark Welles style does surface in the South American prologue and the drugstore scenes, and the film achieves genuine suspense during the paper chase scene and the grand finale atop the town's clock tower.

"The Stranger" did not re-establish Welles as a force in Hollywood; he directed two more American films ("The Lady From Shanghai" and "Macbeth") before departing for Europe, where his genius was better appreciated. But "The Stranger" remains a well-paced thriller, more enjoyable when considered apart from Welles' more distinctive work.

Interesting mystery/suspense film.......2004-12-22

I was impressed with this film. The actors Orson Welles, Edward G. Robsinson, and Loretta Young live up to their names and don't disappoint. Edward G. Robinson in particular plays his detective smoothly.

Robinson stars as war crime investigator Wilson, sent to hunt down a concentration camp officer (Welles) who is hiding in America. The storyline basically works like an episode of "Columbo" - we already know who the criminal is, but the real drama comes from the criminal and detective looking and trying to outfox each other. Wilson is in particular an interesting character who definately knows his stuff. He isn't a Sherlock Holmes kind of detective who can see a footprint on the ground, tell how tall the man is, what he was wearing, what he was smoking, and what kind of pizza he likes - but he isn't stupid either.

The film overall isn't a classic and its story may be simple, but it nonetheless is a good watch. Even for a one-time viewing, I would recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Orson Welles - The Stranger (1946)
Starring: Orson Welles , Edward G. Robinson , and Loretta Young
Manufacturer: Westlake Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Big Sleep

ASIN: B0009351K2
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Average customer rating:

Great Suspense Thriller..!!
Film is good, commentary terribly disappointing
Period piece
Great Cast Wasted on One-Dimensional Characters in a Dull Plot.
Brilliant post WW2 psychological thriller

The Stranger / Orson Welles on Film
Starring: David Bond , John Brown , Fred Godoy , Joseph Granby , and Billy House
Manufacturer: Delta
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Ace in the Hole - Criterion Collection

ASIN: 6305914842
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Features Edward G. Robinson as a Nazi hunter seeking the infamous Franz Kindler, one of the architects of the genocide of the Jews. Wilson traces Kindler to Connecticut, where he comes to suspect that Professor Charles Rankin is actually Kindler hiding behind a new identity.

Includes a documentary - "Orson Welles: On Film", an introduction by Tony Curtis and the original theatrical trailer for Welles' "A Touch Of Evil".

B&W/Color
Running Time: 124 min.

Customer Reviews:

Great Suspense Thriller..!!.......2007-04-29

Film is good, commentary terribly disappointing.......2006-12-27

Period piece.......2006-01-19

Great Cast Wasted on One-Dimensional Characters in a Dull Plot........2005-10-12

Brilliant post WW2 psychological thriller.......2005-06-20

Average customer rating:

Second-rate Can Be Fine!
This is the copy you want

The Stranger
Starring: Orson Welles , and Edward G. Robinson
Manufacturer: Focus Film
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision)
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ASIN: B000C6NP9K
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Description

The 1946 thriller, "The Stranger," features Welles as both director and actor. As Frank Kindler, Welles is a Nazi war criminal who has fled to America, where he disguises himself as a small town schoolteacher. Loretta Young stars as Mary, the young woman who falls in love with the devious, yet charming Kindler, while Edward G. Robinson shines as a tenacious Nazi hunter.

Customer Reviews:

Second-rate Can Be Fine!.......2007-01-04

N.B.: Anyone reading this review should be aware that the reviewer is a fan or the work of Orson Welles and corect for tht fact!

Critics agree that this film is second-rate Welles. In my opinion, it is still a very good film indeed. Welles was striving, at this time, to stop the incipient sliding of his Hollywood credibility. He was determined to do what too many influential people were saying he couldn't do: make a mainstream, popular film which still met his standards for originality and quality, and moreover, to bring it home on schedule and within budgetary limitations. I think "The Stranger" accomplished his objectives. There was some studio tampering with the story, but it remains a very solid thriller with above-average character complexity, realized by dedicated performances across the board. Welles's gifts for lighting and camera work are strongly evident, while not as flashy as in some of his other films. His editing, particularly as related to pacing, is definitely up to standard. Viewers are cautioned only to avoid computer-colorized prints. "The Stranger" works far better in black-and-white.

This is the copy you want.......2006-09-08

I'm surprised there's no information on this one. This is the only decent DVD of The Stranger available. Well worth the 10 bucks. Includes a trailer and featurette.

Orson Welles: The Stranger/Orson Welles: On Film/The Trial/Mr. Arkadin

Average customer rating:

Hit or Miss for Orson Welles fans

Orson Welles: The Stranger/Orson Welles: On Film/The Trial/Mr. Arkadin
Starring: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: LaserLight DVD
ProductGroup: DVD
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Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision)
The Lady from Shanghai
The Third Man (50th Anniversary Edition) - Criterion Collection
Falstaff Chimes At Midnight [Import]
F for Fake - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00004YKS1
Release Date: 2003-02-06

Description

Includes:
The Stranger • On Film
The Trial
Mr. Arkadin

B&W/Color
336 min.

Customer Reviews:

Hit or Miss for Orson Welles fans.......2007-04-09

This boxed set contains 3 movies: The Stranger (1946), Mr. Arkadan (1955) and The Trial (1962).

Like so many no-name companies releasing Orson Welles materials, this release is hit or miss.

The Stranger stars Orson Welles as a Nazi who takes refuge in the United States as a college professor and integrates into American life. His past catches up with him and he is driven to murder. The movie has some classic cinematography, some classic Orson Welles humanism and some haunting visuals.

Movie: 4 stars
Video reproduction: 3 Stars
Audio Reproduction: 4 Stars

Overall, a good reproduction. Not excellent, but watchable and enjoyable. 4 stars, overall.

The Trial stars Anthony Perkins and co-stars Orson Welles. Filmed in Europe, the settings and visuals define a stifling air of alienation and oppression. The police state, as a theoretical construct, has never been brought to the screen better. Anthony Perkins wakes up to find police inspectors going through his room. He finds himself "arrested" in a legal system ground to a stop ruled by beaureaucrats who make up the law as they feel like. My favorite movie by Orson Welles easily. (OK, F for Fake is close).

Movie: 5 Stars
Video Reproduction:4 Stars
Audio Reproduction:4 Stars
This is the best DVD presentation of The Trial I've ever seen, overall 4.5 stars.

Mr. Arkadin...if I hadn't seen this movie before, I would never be able to give a synopsis of it, since this reproduction of the movie is absolutely ghastly...unwatchable. The audio is so poor as to make most of the movie incoherent...like watching a movie underwater.

Movie: 3 Stars (Theatrical version, 3 stars, Orson Welles restoration 4.5 stars)
Video Reproduction: 1 Star
Audio Reproduction: 1 Star

Overall, a poor copy of the highly compromised theatrical version. Awful. 1 Star.

Overall box set...3 stars

Average customer rating:

The Stranger

Manufacturer: Genius Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006JCFN0
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Product Description

Welles stars as unreformed fascist Franz Kindler, hiding as a schoolteacher in a New England prep school for boys and newly married to the headmaster's lovely if naive daughter (Loretta Young). Welles the director is in fine form for the opening sequences, casting a moody tension as agents shadow a twitchy low-level Nazi official skulking through South American ports and building up to dramatic crescendo as Kindler murders this little man, the lovely woods becoming a maelstrom of swirling leaves that expose the body he furiously tries to bury. The rest of film is a well-designed but conventional cat-and-mouse game featuring an eye-rolling performance by Welles and a thrilling conclusion played out in the dark clock tower that looms over the little village.

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