Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)

Director:

Boris Ingster

Writer:

Frank Partos (story)

Release Date:

16 August 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Plot:

Rising reporter Michael Ward is a key witness in the murder trial of young Joe Briggs, who is convicted...

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Trial | Dream | Murder | Death Sentence

Cast

Peter Lorre	...	The Stranger
John McGuire	...	Michael 'Mike' Ward
Margaret Tallichet	...	Jane
Charles Waldron	...	District Attorney
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Joe Briggs
Charles Halton	...	Albert Meng
Ethel Griffies	...	Mrs. Kane, Michael's Landlady
Cliff Clark	...	Martin
Oscar O'Shea	...	The Judge
Alec Craig	...	Briggs' Defense Attorney
Otto Hoffman	...	Charles Evans, the Police Surgeon

Runtime:

64 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PA (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #6407)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Peter Lorre owed RKO two days on his contract and was given this role with few scenes and few lines, but received top billing.

Quotes:

Michael Ward: Did you ever want to kill a man?
Martin: My son, there's murder in every intelligent man's heart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Rules of Film Noir (2009) (TV)

It may or may not be the first Film Noir but it's a very interesting and strange thriller whatever you call it.

I was curious to see 'Stranger on the Third Floor' when it was recently shown on TV after I read it described as "the first Film Noir". Whether it actually is that or not I'll leave up to more knowledgeable film fans to argue over, but whatever you call this movie it is a very interesting and strange thriller that deserves a lot more attention. Part courtroom drama, part murder mystery, with a memorable dream sequence, you can't but help wonder if David Lynch is extremely familiar with this film (something I also thought while watching 'Kiss Me Deadly', 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Branded To Kill'). John McGuire plays a reporter who is the key witness in a murder trial. After finding a neighbor dead and noticing a mysterious figure lurking nearby (Peter Lorre) he comes to believe that the man convicted (Elisha Cook, Jr) is innocent, and sets out to clear his name. I really love thrillers that are stylized or nightmarish and become borderline surrealism, and this is one of those kind of movies. It isn't without a few flaws, but I still found it to be fascinating and really enjoyed Cook and Lorre's performances, though sadly I don't think they actually have any scenes together.