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The Stranger
Right from the opening scenes we are treated to Welles' signature camera angles, shadows, long shots, and unique stylistic techniques. An escaped Nazi criminal's colleague is released from prison, with the expectation by the authorities that he'll reunite with the highly sought after fugitive who is believed to be hiding in the U.S. The somber foreboding tone is set early. In fact this is one of Welles' darker films. There was hardly a smile in the entire picture.
Surprisingly Welles --as the Nazi fugitive who has established a completely new identity as a professor at a small Connecticut college-- gives himself a fairly humdrum first entry into the story, in contrast to many of his other movies. His character is introduced into the film without flourish.
But soon the colleague Konrad Meinike, played by the superb Russian cum American actor Konstantin Shayne, hooks up with Welles' Franz Kindler, who is shocked that he risked his exposure by meeting with him in person. In short order Kindler murders Meinike to avoid further recognition. These actions occupy the first 15 minutes of the picture, and Shayne is perfection in his role as the loyal but frightened Nazi.
Kindler is about to marry the daughter (Loretta Young) of a state supreme court justice, but the Nazi Hunter --in a wonderful performance by Edward G. Robinson-- figures out who Kindler is, and plots to take him down. Kindler is gradually exposed as a ruthless psychopath who is even willing to kill his new wife after he is exposed. Kindler's end provides a memorable and well filmed section of film in a clock tower that has been imitated many times by others.
It was surprising to me that Welles maintained his role as Kindler in an almost one dimensional fashion: serious, humorless, and distant. He could have imbued the character with many facets, but instead kept it very steadfast. His minor attempts at portraying Kindler as a pillar of the community, or a "right guy" were so scarce that one wonders if footage that portrayed a more well rounded character weren't edited out. In fact, upon research, editor Ernest Nims was given the order to freely cut scenes which did not advance the story. So many of Welles' explanatory and side scenes were slashed, some to the picture's detriment. Still, Welles' Kinlder was imposing, chilling, and memorable, and was probably deeply impressed upon the minds of post war American audiences.
That brings up an important point about viewing Welles' films in retrospect. Many of his pictures, and certainly his earlier ones-- were not only innovative, but very timely and fresh. For example in The Stranger, which was shot soon after the end of WWII, people were not convinced that the Nazi concentration camps were real; and the idea that an escaped important Nazi could be living undetected in the U.S. had not occurred to people. Welles' insertion of Nazi death camp newsreel footage was a first in American films, and brought home the reality to American movie-goers. So too, the Nazi fugitive theme was unique for the era.
Therefore some in contemporary audiences aren't able to experience the impact that films like The Stranger had at the time, so it's helpful to experience them with that in mind.
Despite Welles' agreed-to restrictions, and his contractual obligation to finish the film on time and within budget, The Stranger is a memorable production that was not only popular in its day, but made the studios handsome profits-- a combination which may have been unique in Welles' prolific career.
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