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The Stranger
Hollyfeld, here, and I have a great passion for Orson Welles. I consider him to be one of the few truly great artists to ever work in American film. So why did his career derail so quickly? This is a question fairly easily answered, and I will not attempt to do so here (if only because everyone attempts to do so). To those interested in what went wrong I wholeheartedly recommend the recent made for HBO picture RKO 281, which at least covers how his problems started. After that, well, numerous factors were to blame, not the least of which being Welles himself, but regardless of the fact that he never again received the same level of control over a film as he did with Citizen Kane (but, in all fairness, almost no one EVER does), he still left us with a great number of exceptional works. The (arguably) most forgotten of these "other" films is the subject of today's Look Closer...
The Stranger features Orson Welles as Nazi war criminal Franz Kindler, now living in Connecticut under the pseudonym of Charles Rankin. At the beginning of the film, Konrad Meinike (Konstantin Shayne), one of Franz's underlings during the war, escapes from prison and tracks him down. The problem is that Konrad was allowed to escape by Wilson (the great Edward G. Robinson) in order that the criminal might lead him to Franz. When they reach Connecticut, Konrad attempts to kill Wilson and then seeks out Franz, who kills his former henchman. Franz/Charles had been adapting well to his new surroundings, and even marries Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), the daughter of a Supreme Court judge, immediately following the murder. Wilson quickly discovers the true identity of Franz Kindler, and what follows is an excellent tale of cat-and-mouse between the detective and the Nazi.
Despite the traditional thriller narrative of The Stranger, it remains one of the more psychological suspense films of the time. Although the threat of real physical danger to most of the cast remains consistent throughout much of the film, the real tension arises from the strained relationship between Franz and Mary after their marriage. Franz admits to his wife that he is a murderer (although he keeps the real motive for the crime a secret), and, in an attempt gain Mary's assistance in capturing her husband, Wilson reveals to her the truth about his identity. The end result is that Mary begins to border on mental collapse, a state that does not couple well with Franz's increasing insecurity and paranoia. The audience never knows what will occur between the two of them at any given second when they are together. Will Franz kill her? Will she snap and kill him? Do they really love each other at all? How much longer can they last?
Orson Welles was offered the title role this film, but said he would only participate in the production if he could direct as well. Obviously they agreed, and although The Stranger did not break records at the box office, it was the most mainstream film in his directorial oeuvre up until that point and did reasonably well (although the only certified "hit" in his career was Jane Eyre, which, incidentally, he did not direct). Of all his films, it is probably the least complex, but it nonetheless remains as skillful a thriller as many of Hitchcock's darker films (Suspicion and Rope come to mind). Victor Trivas' story received an Oscar nomination (they had an award for Best Story along with the Screenplay categories at the time), but both Welles and John Huston worked on it anonymously.
The key to this film's success, however, is in its performances. Welles, Young and Robinson are all at the top of their game here, and are backed up by some equally remarkable supporting performances as well. Particularly engaging is the exchange between Konrad and Franz at the beginning of the film, in which Franz explains to Konrad his plans to prepare for the next war. Konrad, surprised, asks whether or not there will be another war, and Franz, even more surprised at Konrad's question, replies, "Of course." He never doubts his allegiance to the Third Reich and remains strong in his convictions throughout. Young gives one of the finer performances of her career, and is so convincing that at various points in The Stranger you find yourself genuinely questioning the actress' sanity - a feat accomplished by few, attempted by many. In contrast to Welles and Young, whose performances are highly emotional in nature, Robinson plays his character of Wilson with a surprisingly relaxed nature. In the face of constant duress Wilson remains exceedingly calm, which plays well off of Welles' and Young's desperation.
The Stranger is not without its flaws, however. Most significantly, the depiction of Franz Kindler as the sole man behind the Nazi practice of ethnic cleansing is highly questionable, although Franz' denial of his role in the war at the end calls Wilson's facts into question. Was Franz really a patsy, a victim of faulty ideals, or was he truly as evil as we are led to believe? In addition, Wilson's plan to use Mary's emotional state to lure Franz into committing a crime is morally questionable at best. Although the plan suits The Stranger's overall mood and tone, it seems out of place with Robinson's character. There are other, smaller plot-holes as well, but to discuss them further would lead into even greater spoiler territory (in fact, I may have said too much already, Hollyfeld adds suspiciously...). The very beginning and VERY end are also very swift, leaving little time for the viewer to acclimate to them fully.
Although The Stranger is a very entertaining piece of filmmaking, Orson Welles was extremely unhappy with it and never fully recognized it as his own, much like Stanley Kubrick failed to recognize Spartacus as one of his films. This is certainly a shame, because The Stranger is one of his most easily accessible films, and one of my personal favorites of its kind. It is available on video and DVD.
As always, Hollyfeld can be reached at hollyfeld_@hotmail.com
You there! You think you could do this job better than I can? Well, you might be right! Look Closer… is always looking for guest columnists, and you might as well be one of them. Just write a review of reasonable length for a movie that you think is under-rated, over-rated, no one knows, etc., and if it makes the grade we will print it in an edition of this column! Those whose reviews are published will also receive a free piece of (slightly cheesy and really inexpensive) promotional merchandise from a movie, to be sent when their review is published, courtesy of me. Just send any and all reviews to the above address. Thank you for reading and participating in the site!
Lazlo Hollyfeld is the pseudonym of an aspiring writer/actor/director located in Southern California. With one screenplay under his (collaborative) belt and more to come, he is sure to work his way up in the world with the help of his talented and close-knit group of friends, co-workers, and penguins. Yes, you heard me, penguins. A film student since before he can remember, he has devoted much of his life to the study of the silver screen and its related art forms.
