Customer Reviews

The Stranger [VHS]

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Many may overlook this film by the legendary Ray because films such as The Apu Trilogy seem to define him to a lot of people. In this, his last offering, Ray deals with his favorite subject- human nature- and presents it in a marvelous way. The film deals with a family which is visited by a long lost uncle of the wife. The family members are doubtful of the identity of this very well-humored and knowledgeable gentleman though he doesn't seem to threaten their lives in any way. The general mistrust in humanity in these days becomes evident in this film. Brilliantly acted by Utpal Dutt(I think this was his last film as well) and the others, this film is thoroughly enjoyable.

A well-to-do- Indian family is paid a visit by the supposedly long-lost uncle of the wife. His passport reads "M. Mitra." But is he a relative? Her husband doubts whether Mitra is really her uncle. She doubts it also, but is frightful of being unhospitable to her own uncle. They agonize over what to do-- how to treat this man, when he may be a dear relative, away from the family for 35 years, and he may be a fraud.

It's been done many times in many movies; the stranger comes into a family and disrupts the quiet domestic life with his foreign ways, his "differentness," but in this potent drama, director Ray injects the question of identity. Is M. Mitra who he says he is? And even if he is, what are his motives? The plot of Agantuk is very simple, but the movie asks the viewer to reconsider how he sees strangers in his society. The setting and characters are of India, but the themes of the movie are universal.

Utpal Dutt is wonderful as M. Mitra, the stranger.

Robi Ghosh is also sensational-- knee-slappingly funny as a family friend who begs to visit so he can slyly question M. Mitra, to determine his authenticity.

Mamata Shankar plays the role of the mother/wife with understated grace, until late in the movie. Then she brings the movie a great deal of heart, in a scene where she openly grieves about the way her family has treated M. Mitra. The scene is touching without being mawkish.

If you love great cinema and gripping drama, rent or buy Agantuk (The Stranger). It goes for your heart and your brain.

ken32

Satyajit Ray's last bow. And no doubt one of his finest.The movie, like most of Satyajit Ray's classics, operates on many levels. On one level, it is an endearing story of a long lost uncle who comes back after many years and throws a typical middle class household into disarray. Is he for real or an imposter ? On the other level, it is a movie about our basic conceptions of civilization, and of our myopic tendency to compartmentalize the world into "family" and "strangers".

Unlike some of Ray's later works, this movie does not become preachy or unduly morose..rather there is a subtle strain of humor that runs through the entire movie .

Acting-wise, Utpal Dutt, in his last role also, gives us the performance of a lifetime. This movie is all Utpal Dutt and there is noone who could have done justice to the role other than him. The supporting cast is stellar comprising some of the best actors of Bengali cinema. And throughout the movie, the technical polish and consummate artistry that is the stamp of a Ray movie is embellished in each shot.

Great till the very end... the only regret is that we will never see movie making like this again.

This last work of Satyajit Ray shows a prolific genius never tires of producing masterpieces. Like a typical Ray film, the narration proceeds in more than one dimension and one needs to see the movie more than once to realise that (although in this aspect he had reached his best in his earliest works). Every viewing brings out something new in the character, story, and their progression, something so subtle that you feel you hade missed it when you saw it before. It's very difficult to say about the story, for there is very little to be told, yet so much to be realised and felt when one sees it. One dialogue in tha last scene, when the child's father (I forget his name) asks the uncle whether it's customary among the uncivilised tribe to hug a person goodbye, says it all. This movie is the statement of a person's realisation about the human civilisation, it's contradictions and fallacy, and yet coming to terms with it in the end. Simply, a very poignant and beautiful film, about humanity.

This remarkable film is in many ways a self portrait of Satyajit Ray because he was none other than an anthropologist and philosopher in the true sense of playful, childlike wonder.
This is the the story of how how a life of curiousity and wonder have to survive in this cruel and foolish world which judges everything in materialistic terms.
The philosopher is always and everywhere a stranger,though full of joy, simplicity and wonder at Being which is fervently demonstrated in the 'cosmic magician' sequence. Only those with the child in them alive will understand!

The most brilliantly written and directed film I have seen. Ray is witty, and perceptive and his vieled portrayal of the middle class Bengali mindset is phenomenally accurate. Touche!

From the earliest films, The Apu Trilogy (1959) to his latest The Stranger (Agantuk), from India, filmmaker Satyajit Ray has garnered numerous awards and is recognized as one of the greatest directors. With his work, he wore many hats, including that of a writer and a graphic artist.

Ray was born in 1921 and died in 1992 and made 40 films and documentaries. If you enjoy foreign film, see at least one of Satyajit Ray's films. Especially this one! Characters are good, dialogue is excellent.

Filmed in 1991, most of the setting takes place in the house, there is no soundtrack, it is 120 minutes and in color. Don't watch while sleepy, there is great challenging dialogue you won't want to miss.

Anali Bose, her husband, Sudhindra Bose, and their young son live well with servants in India. Anali receives a letter that an uncle, Manomohan Mitra, is coming to visit and she saw him when she was only 2 years old. Anali's husband believes him to be an imposter.

Anali follows tradition to treat a guest with respect, but her husband's suspicions lay heavy on her mind. Meanwhile, the uncle, Mitra, learns the doubt the family has. Mitra is a world traveler, fluent in many languages, a learned man, and has a keen philosophical sense of life.

The husband, Sudhindra, at two different times, invites "qualified" friends over to challenge and grill Mitra to find the truth.

"Come Clean or Clear Out"
Those are the exact English words said by one frustrated interrogators during one of the grillings that the uncle is subjected to. The grilling sessions are quite amusing and informative.

English language widely used.
What has struck me about this film were the many uses of the English language and phrases intermingled and spoken by all. It is puzzling.

Highly recommend Ray's
Jalsaghar - The Music Room (1958): An aging feudal landlord's prized jovial music room reveals the emptiness, cold and decay as the entire palace slowy deteriorates.
.....Rizzo

Anila (Mamata Shankar) and Sudhindra Bose (Deepankar De) welcome the unexpected arrival of Anila's long lost uncle, Manmohan Mitra (Utpal Dutt) with great hesitation. For the first time in nearly three decades, he shows up, out of the blue, and the first thought that runs across the couple's mind is that this man is attempting something [...] and dishonest with them. As the story progresses and Mr. Mitra reveals more and more stories from his past, quite openly, the more their suspicion dissapates.

Filmmaker Satyajit Ray was always a marvelous storyteller, and this film doesn't pale in comparison to his other films. It is entertaining and engaging.......

Extremely engaging work, excellent acting by utpal dutt

I was expecting some sort of twist in the end, because utpal dutt seems to lead us into not believing in who he really is

Avery educating film finally and a window into ray's mind in terms of all things intellectual.

A masterpiece created by the Master. This films leaves one with questions to ponder on the civilization that we live in, the world around us, reaction of people under different circumstances etc. If one is interested in movies which serves as food for farther thoughts, he/she should see this movie. Though I must say that the subtitles have not done justice to the actual dialogues and the context.