Put down by some and applauded by others, regardless of opinion, The Stranger (1946) remains one of Orson Welles most memorable films, and his only film with true box office success upon it's initial release. The tense atmosphere created by the idea of an atrocious Nazi war criminal hiding in the midst of a small, cookie-cutter American town is all together unsettling, nail-biting and fascinating. The cinematography is excellent, and the performances of Orson Welles and Edward G. Robinson are superb.
Edward G. Robinson is a detective for the War Crimes Commission...
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| The Stranger. 1946: Edward G. Robinson |
Out to catch Franz Kindler, the most notorious of the escaped Nazi leaders, a plan is devised to accidentally let Kindler's second in command escape prison. The hope being that the escaped man will lead them to Kindler. The plan works, and they follow him to the small town of Harper, Connecticut where Kindler (Orson Welles) is living under the assumed name of Charles Rankin and teaching at a local school. Kindler immediately suspects that a trap has been set and kills the man...
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| The Stranger. 1946: Orson Welles |
Now Robinson, freshly arrived and without a witness must search and discreetly interview the town to discover Kindler's new identity...
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| The Stranger. 1946: Edward G. Robinson and Orson Welles |
Gaining the trust of those closest to the chief suspect, he works further to gain the trust of the criminal's new wife, who naturally refuses to believe her beloved husband is capable of such horrors. The walls are closing in, and Kindler knows time is short, as the investigation continues...
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| The Stranger. 1946: Orson Welles |
and the clock continues to tick...
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| The Stranger. 1946: Orson Welles |
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| The Stranger. 1946: Edward G. Robinson and Orson Welles |
