Customer Reviews

The Stranger (Enhanced) 1946

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

When looking for a good DVD edition of "The Stranger," it's difficult to tell from among all the copies floating around which one is a quality transfer from an actual print of the film. The problem arises because "The Stranger" has fallen into the public domain. That means any basement-dwelling hustler can legally download it for free from some site like Internet Archive, slap it onto a blank DVD, print a label for it, and sell the slapdash product as "remastered" or some such. And a lot of these customer reviews aren't much help, reviewing the movie itself instead of telling you what you really want to know, which is the quality of the image on the disc. So there's no way to tell what you're getting until after you've ordered it. Well, I'm more than happy to tell you exactly what you need to know.

Bottom line: if you're looking for a good copy of this movie, The Stranger (MGM Film Noir) is the best available edition. It's manufactured by MGM, and bears the studio logo when the DVD starts up. The image itself is a quality transfer from a good master from a consistently clear print, fully intact. That's important, because some of these extremely messy public domain copies are missing the "Independent Releasing Corporation" banner before the credits begin, a sure sign that worse things are to follow. Though this edition has not undergone a frame-by-frame digital restoration, it's sharp, with rich blacks and good contrast, with enough detail to reveal the flaws in the source material, the ordinary marks of age such as scratches in some spots, which I noticed only because I was viewing it so critically. Otherwise, these flaws are negligible. The important point is that, while it's not perfect, it's a studio transfer from a good master of a preserved print, free of jumps or jiggling from bad splices, and no cracks or pops on the soundtrack. And even more satisfying, when upconverted on my HDTV, soft natural grain was visible, which demonstrates just how accurate the transfer is. I was very, very pleased by this edition. VERY pleased.

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered the trashy Triad edition because of the claim that it was "remastered." It was expensive enough, so I believed it. It was an out-and-out fraudulent claim, and I immediately returned it and bought this one instead. It doesn't matter that it's not remastered, because whatever master they're using meets the studio standard, and manufactured with regard for customer satisfaction. Perhaps one day we'll get a fully digitally restored edition, but for now, The Stranger (MGM Film Noir) is the best edition on the market.
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Orson Welles' The Stranger is one of my all-time favorite films. But it's been in the public domain for years, so you could get waylaid on your way to the market if you're looking to buy a good copy. As an actual Amazon customer who bought this Triad edition of this DVD, I have some very specific information I can share with you, and it'll be my pleasure.

What you need to know is this: this Triad edition came straight out of the public domain. I bought this back in December, at which time Triad was promoting it as The Stranger (Remastered). This was a false claim, and they eventually changed the affix to "enhanced," which was equally as false, but less specific. The Triad on-demand DVD-R transfer lacked the studio banner at the start of the film, so it jumped right into the opening credits with stuttering, plangent sound. The image at first would not remain centered, swinging from side to side, as if it were transferred to video by a hand-held device while at sea. The picture was very murky, a heavily damaged print with extremely low resolution, with faded blacks. I think the source was a video tape, the copy identical to the one you can download yourself for free at Internet Archive. I was outraged. Thanks to Amazon's return policy, I immediately got a refund and ordered MGM's The Stranger (MGM Film Noir) instead.

After I got the refund settled, I returned to the Triad page and wrote a scathing review. By the quickly tallied "yes" votes, it was very successful in warning customers away from it and steering them toward a legitimate studio release. Eventually Triad quit manufacturing the DVD, but it looks like they've returned with a whole new package. This new design, with a noirish still from the film, looks classier than it did here, The Stranger (Enhanced). But the quality of the DVD will be the same, since Triad is not a studio and does not have access to a print. It'll be that same public domain copy from Internet Archive (google it; you'll find all sorts of interesting stuff there for the taking), the only copy they have access to.

As for MGM's edition of The Stranger (MGM Film Noir), they restored the studio banner at the beginning of the film, and the image is sharp and crisp, obviously transferred from an actual print, and recently enough that it looked good upconverted from my Sony BDP to my 47" HDTV. The blacks were rich and the sound was clean. The print and transfer were so good, fine grain was visible in spots, with no glitches or dropped frames. Some minor scratches were infrequently visible, which I noticed only because I was looking so closely. As a noir classic, this film truly deserves a frame-by-frame restoration. Until then, The Stranger (MGM Film Noir) is the best edition available. Even at this point, it's a very good transfer. And infinitely superior to this Triad edition.
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First of all, concerning the DVD edition of THE STRANGER -- the version I own and am reviewing is the Hollywood Classics release. This is the one that comes with the 30-minute documentary on Orson Welles and the (rather frightening) introduction by Tony Curtis. The picture and sound looked quite adequate to me though there is an annoying "Delta" logo that appears occasionally in the bottom right-hand corner. I had never seen the film before and purchased this DVD in a 3-pack of Orson Welles films. For the low price, the value is excellent and the video quality is quite good, though I'm sure it isn't as clear as the more expensive version. The customer will have to decide if they want to pay three times the price to get a cleaner version or get a serviceable copy for the lower cost.

Now moving on to the film. This movie is much more straightforward than the other Orson Welles films that I've seen. We have a standard good guy and a standard bad guy, and each character is set up in his role almost immediately. Edward G. Robinson plays the Nazi-hunter who has been tracking Orson Welles' character since the end of the Second World War. Welles' plays a Nazi who has gone into hiding and is now living in small town America as a schoolteacher. The acting from the two leads is spellbinding -- as good as any of their best work, with Welles in particular stealing the show. Welles triumphs in the difficult task of playing a man who has successfully integrated himself in a community, yet allowing the audience to see him as the villain that he is. The viewer never questions why the outlaw has been able to fool his friends and neighbors for months but can also pick up on the same clues that Robinson's character does.

The story is not overly complicated and this allows us to pay a lot of attention to the different characters in the movie. The townspeople, without exception, are all given their own motivations without slipping into repetition and the silly catchphrases that movies set in small towns tend to give to their characters. There are also some excellent shots that could only have come from Welles' keen directorial eye. The German's obsession with clocks is an interesting metaphor for the Nazi mindset, but this is kept to a minimum and never becomes overbearing.

I highly recommend this interesting film for anyone who enjoys good acting and intriguing storylines. The documentary included on the DVD is very superficial and most of the 30 minutes are taken up by trailers of films, some of which barely feature Orson Welles himself. It's not something that the Welles fan is going to get too much out of and it does not contain enough information for the casual viewer. The introduction by Tony Curtis is frighteningly odd.

For those who are going to buy this copy, beware. The transfer is a disappointment and there is a logo which pops up on the screen throughout the film. The logo is "Delta"--whatever that is. It's not the name of the company, so I can't quite figure out what it is. Perhaps if you have a "S" cable connected to your DVD the film might be a lot clearer. At any rate, the "Delta" logo is a real travesty and since this is the only DVD version that is being printed, die-hard Orson Welles fans are forced to buy it for their collection. If you have time, you might want to look for a different version of "The Stranger" in a Fries Electronics or wherever they sell DVDs. Of course, the film is brilliant--especially when you think about what other films were being done at the time--but it would be nice if the company who transferred the film gave it the respect it deserves.

My rating is not for the movie (which I like very much *****), but for the lack of HD quality. Although I was very much looking forward to watching this movie in the upgraded Blu-ray format, I was extremely disappointed in the picture quality. This Blu-ray version is extremely soft and overly bright, and lacks HD image depth throughout. Bottom line - because there is no noticeable upgrade in picture quality, if you already own MGM's 2007 release on DVD there is no need to purchase this Blu-ray version. Let's hope Citizen Kane & Magnificent Ambersons Blu-ray releases will be better!

This particular DVD version of "The Stranger" would have been much better without several of the so-called "extras." First, that annoying Delta logo that pops up in the lower right hand corner every so often. That should be the first to go. Second, the bizarre introduction and endnotes from Tony Curtis. What is that about? Lastly, the puny "Orson Welles On Film" documentary left a lot to be desired. It was mostly still photographs of Welles in various poses and long movie clips with some bland narration. For a much better documentary of Welles' career, I recommend "The Battle Over Citizen Kane."

You may wonder why I mentioned all this before talking about the movie itself...well, all the bells and whistles were distracting. However, I did enjoy the movie itself. Edward G. Robinson does a fine job as the Nazi hunter who has tracked down a fugitive (Welles) to a small Conneticut town. Orson Welles gives a quietly sinister performance as Rankin/Kindler; even his little "Mm-hms" are chilling, and when he scowls and glares, it's pretty intimidating. Loretta Young gets a little shrill as Rankin's dim bulb wife, but gives an adequate performance.

In summary: the film is well worth watching, especially for fans of Orson Welles. If you're going to buy it for keeps, however, you may want to look for another version that is better quality.

**Please note: This review is for the MGM/Film Noir Series release of "The Stranger" NOT any of the public domain releases**

"The Stranger" proves that Orson Welles could deliver a film on time and within budget. "The Stranger" almost seems like an answer to Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" in that it tackles many of the same themes from a different perspective. While Hitchcock's film "The Stranger" creates a complex villian in Franz Kindler/Charles Rankin. The MGM version is the one to get since it goes back to the RKO Vault (RKO which is a bit of irony considering that Welles made "Citizen Kane" for the studio and had his film "The Magnificent Ambersons" butchered by the studio while he was in South America partying and working on "It's All True"). Welles' original version can 115 minutes while the final version was recut by producers Sam Spiegel (the producer of "Lawrence of Arabia" working under the name S. E. Eagel) and Bill Goetz (who helped finace the project). If any of the footage cut still exists it is probably lost which is a pity as according to comments/notes that Welles made over the years the film had a much longer prologue.

MGM delivers one of the better looking versions on DVD that I've seen. There are public domain DVD that are floating around but most of them I've seen have been from inferior 16mm or faded prints that don't do the moody cinematography justice. We do get alternate language tracks in French and Spanish for the film but no commentary track which is disappointing given that this is a Welles film. I'm sure that Simon Callow (who wrote the two excellent Welles biographies ORSON WELLES: THE ROAD TO XANADU and ORSON WELLES: HELLO AMERICANS) could have provided an excellent commentary based on his observations on the film in his second volume of his Welles' biographies. We don't even get a vintage trailer for the film. A featurette on the film's production (it was one of Welles' most profitable films which is important in and of itself), changes that Spiegel made to the film and Welles' own comments which have been videotaped/recorded over the years would have been valuable. Regardless, this is a fine film which finally looks excellent (with some minor flaws due to age and damage)that should have been treated better by MGM.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Welles plays Charles Rankin a man with a mysterious past . He's a history professor teaching and living in a small town marrying the daughter of a Supreme Court Justice Mary (Loretta Young). Just before the wedding Rankin's past comes calling with a visit by a man named Meinike (Konstantin Shayne). A former Nazi, Meinike has been released by a government agent named Wilson(Edward G. Robinson) in a game of cat and mouse. Wilson hopes that Meinike will lead him to an Franz Kindler a Nazi at large. He does just that but before Wilson can act Rankin murders Meinike to close off his past. Suddenly Rankin's carefully cultivated identity (and Mary's world)becomes unraveled as Wilson doggedly closes in on him.

**END OF SPOILER ALERT**



Welles had a troubled history for all of his films which often meant that the films were compromised. Nevertheless, "The Stranger" plays as a strong suspense thriller although the often shrill and over-the-top music score doesn't quite work for the film. This is another example where Bernard Herrmann would have added signficantly to the film if he had been hired to do the score. Film noir fans will enjoy this flawed Welles classic which has a number of dazzling set pieces particularly the stunning and unique conclusion at the clock tower.


While this edition which is part of MGM's "Film Noir" series lacks any special features(the film could have used a commentary track from any one of Welles' fine biographers particularly Simon Callow), the film looks pretty good overall. It hasn't been restored and has some minor print damage but overall looks quite nice. 4 stars for the presentation 0 stars for the extras. Perhaps MGM will reconsider their decision to release this without extras when Warner releases "The Magnificient Ambersons" on DVD late this year (2007) or early next (2008--depends upon how quickly they can assemble the material now that they've found a good source print).

Although a bare bones release, this is definitely the version to get for film fans. It's a pity though that MGM decided to treat the film with so little care given that it is a Welles film with a strong cast. Other Welles films worth getting:


Citizen Kane
Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision)The Lady from Shanghai
Discovering Orson WellesThis is Orson Welles

A noir-ish thriller directed by and starring Orson Welles post-"Citizen Kane". Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young co-star. Shares a neat clock-oriented subtext with "The Third Man". The character Welles plays, a Nazi baddie named Franz Kindler, who has established a new life for himself under a new name in "Harper" (neé Hartford), Connecticut is only a step or two removed from the nefarious Harry Lime of Carol Reed's classic. That was the film in which Welles gave the great speech -- one of the film world's best -- about Switzerland and the cuckoo clock. "The Stranger" isn't quite as clever, but it's a fine film nonetheless. Somewhat reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's underrated "Shadow of a Doubt", in which Joseph Cotten played an urban killer hiding from the authorities in the deceptive safety and security of the suburbs. "The Stranger" isn't based on Albert Camus' novel; that was made into a film a few decades later by Italian director, Luchino Visconti.

"You can threaten me with the bottom pits of hell," Edgar G. Robinson as War Crimes Commissioner Mr. Wilson exhorts a roomful of tired old Europeans, "this obscenity must be destroyed."
The "obscenity" is former Nazi Franz Kindler (Orson Welles), a death camp mastermind who disappeared shortly after the war. Wilson wins his argument and Konrad Meinike, one of Kindler's Nazi subalterns, is allowed to escape, hoping that he'll lead Wilson to Kindler.
Like the best film noirs, this is a handsome movie of shadows and sunlight. Meinike does make a shadowy escape, and Wilson follows him to the bucolic town of Harper, Connecticut. The stakes are implied but clear - Kindler and his ilk are malignant cancers, and Harper is pure and uncorrupt. Evil can't be allowed to sink its rotted tendrils into Harper. Harper with its ivied walls and paper chases, with the boys whistling at pretty blondes and new brides hanging new curtains.
Meinike does find Kindler, now Dr. Charles Rankin, early on in the movie. Evil needs shadows and dark places to grow. "We must stay hidden `til the day we strike again." Kindler/Rankin is hunted, he knows it, and Meinike is an unwelcome intrusion. The last thing he needs is an old army buddy with the thick German accent hanging around.
Kindler makes and shallow plants the first corpse of the film, and so we're off.
THE STRANGER is a slick little suspense movie that really shouldn't be subjected to intense scrutiny. For instance, it's probably better we believe that Kindler was able to "disappear" into Smalltown, USA so smoothly. It's best we ignore the nagging question of how Rankin was able to woo and win the heart and hand of the beautiful daughter of a liberal Supreme Court Justice so quickly. And, later on in the movie, it's better not to snort at Wilson's rationalization for putting Mary Longstreet Rankin's (Loretta Young) life in danger. And it's definitely better not to wonder how a woman who is astute enough to question someone's advocacy of a "Carthaginian peace" can be so blind to her husband's dark secrets.
Young is wonderful as a young woman who has to journey from naïve young bride to a confused woman torn between love and terror. Robinson is just right as the driven Nazi hunter. Welles, in the lead role, is another story. He's too much the ham for a role like this. He's a little too over the top. Rankin/Kindler is a man who is living a great lie, and the penalty is great if he's found out. The role calls for someone who can internalize dread and terror, and Welles was never a great internalizer. Gregory Peck probably would have been perfect in the role - Peck was always better at repressing, rather than expressing, emotions.
Quibbles aside, I strongly recommend THE STRANGER. There's enough going on here to forgive its minor excesses and inconsistencies. Besides, it LOOKS so darn good. Welles' movies always have something visually interesting going on.
This IS a budget dvd, so the print and sound quality are less than pristine. I've seen worse, and frankly I didn't notice the scratches and splotches and such until I started looking for them.

Being a huge booster of Blu-Ray as the ideal (so far) medium for improving the sight and sound of older movies I was fairly disappointed with this and HD Cinema's concurrent release, "Kansas City Confidential". While Blu-Ray transfers typically make details sharper, shadows blacker and faces more detailed, these two films' details seem softer and less focused despite the BD transfers.

Ironically, this can be proven by watching the short side-by-side comparison each disc offers as an extra feature. The non-Blu-Ray half of the screen looks sharper with more relief. First time I've seen that.