Highly diverse DVD and Blu-ray film company Olive Films continues a strong tradition of delighting fans of all types of classic films with August 29, 2017 releases that include an incredible Blu-ray release of the 1946 Orson Welles film "The Stranger" and a very good (Unreal TV reviewed) DVD release of the awesome 1977 Burt Lancaster scifi drama "The Island of Dr. Moreau." Olive further is delighting fans of unreal TV with Blu-ray releases of S1 and S2 of "Flipper."
"Stranger" is the subject du jour; "Moreau" is the topic for tomorrow.
Anyone familiar with Welles making good use of black-and-white to show sharp contrasts and utilize shadows and his equal mastery of dramatic soundtracks also realize that the enhanced picture and sound of Blu-ray make "Stranger" look spectacular.
This post-war film by Welles explores several themes that sadly are as relevant today as they are in the era of the movie. Welles plays particularly cruel Nazi Franz Kindler, who is posing as Professor Charles Rankin as part of a master plan to rebuild his party and to make another effort at having what he considers the master race take what he considers its proper place in the world. A memorable monologue that Welles delivers on that topic excellently uses his Shakespearean training.
Rankin is a respected member of the small community of Harper, Connecticut to the extent that he is about to wed the daughter (Loretta Young) of a leading citizen when the arrival of the titular newcomer threaten this scheme. Konrad Meinike looking up his old commander is unwelcome and puts Nazi hunter Mr. Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) on the trail of until-then not suspected Rankin.
Rankin dealing with Meinike on the cusp of marrying aforementioned fiancee Mary Longstreet is only a temporary fix. Wilson still is on the scent and Mary is becoming suspicious of her new husband. Further, Mary sibling Noah (Richard Long of the TV series "The Big Valley" and "Nanny and the Professor") never liking Noah does not help the cause of Rankin.
The textbook noir tension builds as the threat of exposure increases; additional drama come in the form of the impact of the events on Mary, who both wants to stand by her man and does not want to face the fact that she is married to a "stranger." As Olive notes on the BD back cover, a very powerful scene has Mary watching horrific actual footage from a concentration camp.
This escalation and the resulting peeling away of the facade of Rankin shows Welles at his best both in front of and behind the camera. He provides a good sense of what likely is the true mind of a Nazi.
Additionally, the same folks who know that Welles is a master of black-and-white know that his films ooze symbolism. Discovering these is much of the fun of watching this masterpiece. A clock tower is the center of that this time (no pun intended). We further get images of villagers with pitchforks and torches out to destroy the monster among them.
The Blu-ray extras include a booklet with an insightful essay on "Stranger." The scope extends beyond the themes of the film to its place in film history and the works of Welles.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Stranger" is strongly encouraged to email me; you alternatively can connect on Twitter via @tvddvguy.
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