Introduction"Stranger" (1946) is a thrilling film noir directed by the well-known Orson Welles, who also stars as a previous Nazi war criminal. The movie's plot focuses on the efforts of a detective from the United Nations War Crimes Commission to bring a well-known Nazi war criminal hiding in America to justice. The movie is notable for its plain black-and-white cinematography, tight instructions, and proficient performances.
PlotThe film opens with War Crimes Commission private investigator Mr. Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) releasing Meinike (Konstantin Shayne), a former Nazi, in the hopes that he will lead them to his former employer, Franz Kindler. Kindler is an essential designer of the Holocaust, who has handled to eliminate all the existing proof of his Nazi associations and is living under the pseudonym of Professor Charles Rankin in Harper, Connecticut.
Teacher Rankin is engaged to Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), the daughter of a Supreme Court judge. Mary is totally uninformed of Rankin's dark past. When Meinike arrives in Harper, he's killed by Rankin before he can unveil his real identity.
Discovery and RevelationNot sure about Meinike's disappearance, Wilson starts to believe Rankin. He gathers evidence against him, while Rankin frantically attempts to preserve his disguise. All at once, Mary becomes caught in a whirlwind of confusion and fear as she comes to grips with the shocking discoveries regarding her partner's identity and his past.
On the other hand, Rankin's anxiousness escalates, leading him to consider killing his other half to guarantee she stays silent about his wartime activities. The plot structures tension around whether Wilson can expose Rankin before this takes place, and if Mary will accept the fact about her other half.
ConclusionThe film reaches its thrilling climax in a game of cat and mouse, culminating in a confrontation inside the town's clock tower, where Rankin fulfills his supreme downfall. Wilson effectively exposes Rankin, saving Mary and bringing Rankin to justice by proving he is the infamous Nazi criminal Franz Kindler.
Cinematic Style and Themes"The Stranger" is recognized for its vibrant, expressionist cinematography and unique film noir visual, identified by its high contrast lighting and ingenious electronic camera angles. The movie also intelligently utilizes the meaning of clocks and time to highlight the running theme of the previous catching up to those who try to leave it.
More significantly, the film was the very first Hollywood production to integrate real video footage from Nazi concentration camps post-World War II, making a significant effect. On a thematic level, the film explores questions of identity, the nature of evil, the pervasive damage of fascism, and the expenses of complicity.
LegacyIn spite of its bleak topic, "The Stranger" is hailed as one of Orson Welles' most commercially successful movies, and it continues to wield significant influence in the worlds of cinema and movie noir. The tension-filled story and thriller, coupled with well-executed performances, make it a remarkable seeing experience. Its compelling representation of wartime atrocities makes a strong declaration on the sustaining human capacity for justice.
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