The Stranger (1946)

An investigator from the War Crimes Commission travels to Connecticut to find an infamous Nazi.

Director:

Orson Welles

Writers:

Anthony Veiller (screenplay), Victor Trivas (adaptation)

Stars:

Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward G. Robinson	...	Mr. Wilson
Loretta Young	...	Mary Longstreet
Orson Welles	...	Professor Charles Rankin
Philip Merivale	...	Judge Adam Longstreet
Richard Long	...	Noah Longstreet
Konstantin Shayne	...	Konrad Meinike
Byron Keith	...	Dr. Jeffrey Lawrence
Billy House	...	Mr. Potter
Martha Wentworth	...	Sara

Storyline

Wilson of the War Crimes Commission is seeking Franz Kindler, mastermind of the Holocaust, who has effectively erased his identity. Wilson releases Kindler's former comrade Meinike and follows him to Harper, Connecticut, where he is killed before he can identify Kindler. Now Wilson's only clue is Kindler's fascination with antique clocks; but, though Kindler seems secure in his new identity, he feels his past closing in.

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Plot Keywords:

small town | connecticut | nazi war criminal | nazi hunter | false identity | 

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Taglines:

It's a Triple -Thrill Combination That Can't Miss! (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Lindsey Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - December 12, 1946 )

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Orson Welles originally wanted Agnes Moorehead to play the FBI part. believing that it would be much more interesting to have a spinster lady at the heels of this Nazi but studio head,Goetz didn't like the idea said no and instead gave him Edward G. Robinson. Welles worked on the rewrites with original writer Anthony Veiller and an uncredited John Huston, who was in the army at the time, Welles wrote and shot scenes at the begining of the film which he described as ' a whole series of very wild dreamlike events'. These worried Goetz and producer Sam Spiegel , who at the time was using the pseudonym SP Eagel, so out they came.

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Goofs

Towards the end of the film, it's snowing. Welles is in the clock tower with Loretta Young and Edward G Robinson. Robinson tells Welles that the town's people are surrounding the church. The camera shows the crowd crossing one corner and there's no snow on the pavement but, a bit further up the street where there's thick snow, three men cross the road leaving no footprints.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mr. Wilson: Leave the cell door open. That's all there is to it. Let him escape.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer-colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019)

User Reviews

Deliciously campy performance from Welles makes this a must see.

"Hitchcockian" effort from Orson Welles in which a police detective, played by Edward G. Robinson, is on the hunt for a Nazi war criminal in small town USA, played by Orson Welles.

Stylish and suspenseful, Welles does a fine job behind the camera, he plays his character in an over the top "look at me I'm the bad guy!" manner, ham fisted in some scenes especially towards the end, his character's final scene is both brutal and hilarious.

A lesser work in his canon but a very good film nonetheless, highly recommended.

8/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish French

Release Date:

August 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Date with Destiny

Filming Locations:

United Artists Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,034,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

International Pictures (I), The Haig Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1