Director : Orson Welles
Screen Play : Anthony Veiller
Cinematography : Russell Metty
Music : Bronislau Kaper
The setting is post-World War II and The Stranger opens with Nazi hunter Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) following Konrad Meinike (Konstantine Shayne), as he embarks on a cruise boat headed for the United States. Meinike’s final destination is the town of Harper, Connecticut. Meinike has arrived in Harper to meet his former colleague, Franz Kindler (Orson Welles). The audience discover that Kindler is a notorious Nazi war criminal living under the assumed identity of Charles Rankin. It turns out Rankin is a well respected professor who is days away from marrying Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), a woman from a local, prominent family.
The audience also discovers that Meinike was purposely set free by the authorities to identify Franz Kindler, since no photographs of Kindler exist. Unfortunately for Meinike, his reunion with Kindler does not go as planned.
For the remainder of the film, Wilson is on a mission to convince those around him that Rankin is the man he is looking for.
OSCAR Nominee for BEST Original Screenplay
The artistic and critical success of Citizen Kane left Orson Welles in a unique and ultimately unenviable situation. Every film he would make after Kane would be unfairly compared to it. By this standard, The Stranger does not hold up very well. However, The Stranger is still a grade above most of the crime dramas produced during this period.
Most crime dramas produced during this period of time are identified as film noir. At best, the criteria of what classifies a movie as film noir is very fluid. So while The Stranger has noir-ish elements, I feel it is missing some of the grittiness and latent sexuality often associated with film noir. On the other hand, Orson Welles’ next feature The Lady from Shanghai is a much more stylized and sincere attempt at capturing noir’s aesthetic.
The solid central performances are essential to making The Stranger a watchable film. In a role reminiscent of his turn as Barton Keyes in Double Indemnity, Edward G. Robinson is in fine form as Wilson. Loretta Young captures the essence a woman whose world is eventually shattered by the revelation of her husband’s true identity. Orson Welles is equally believable as a man who on one hand is an affable small town professor and on the other hand is a ruthless, cold-blooded criminal.
Among the supporting players, Mr. Potter, as portrayed by Billy House, is worth noting. He provides comic relief to a narrative that is generally somber in atmosphere and tone.
As a director, Welles ably deploys low-key lighting and non-traditional camera angles. These are cinematographic devices that became his trademark in Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons. In addition it is as established fact that he co-wrote the script with John Huston, although they did not receive screen credit.
In conclusion, while not one of Welles’ finest works, The Stranger will keep you engaged until the very end. Therefore I recommend it.
Note: I see many parallels between this film and Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. Each film begins with an ensuing chase. It is followed by an outsider or set of outsiders arriving in an idyllic town and concludes with the actions of the outsider forever disrupting the lives of the town’s inhabitants. Even the fact that there are no photographs of Charles Oakley or Franz Kindler is similar. The only difference is how the antagonists’ identity is revealed. In Shadow, the identity of Charles Oakley as the “Merry Widow Murderer” is only revealed to and the two cops tailing him. In The Stranger, the Kindler’s identity is revealed to the entire town in the final, climatic clock tower scene.
Technical Information .
Film negative format (mm/video inches) 35mm
Cinematographic process Spherical
Printed film format35 mm
Aspect ratio1.37:1
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Magnificent Ambersons - 1942
Directed by Orson Welles
ScreenPlay by Orson Welles based on the novel by Booth Tarkington
Cinematography by Stanley Cortez
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Starring : Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) is the legendary Orson Welles' second film - another audacious masterpiece. It was produced, directed, and scripted (but not acted in) by Welles, a follow-up film one year after his masterful classic Citizen Kane (1941). It was based on Booth Tarkington's 1918 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, and had been filmed earlier as a black and white silent film from Vitagraph under the title Pampered Youth (1925).
This film's screenplay was written by Welles in only nine days.
The Magnificent Ambersons is about the proud and celebrated Amberson family. The story shows how the family refuses to change with the times, and the subsequent deterioration of the Amberson name as a result.
The story is set in Indianapolis in the late 1800's/early 1900's, and shows how the beauty of a small town was slowly destroyed by the advent of the automobile. A number of dramas carry the movie along. Isabel Amberson is the town beauty and is courted by various beaus, one of whom is the brash and handsome Eugene Morgan. Eugene plans an elaborate serenade for Isabel in front of the Amberson mansion, but makes a fool of himself by falling on his bass viol in a drunken stupor. Eugene tries repeatedly to win Isabel, but she refuses. Even though she is in love with Eugene, the embarrassment from this one incident and the social customs of the time prohibit her from having anything to do with him. Isabel eventually marries Wilbur Minafer, who is less flashy than Eugene, but respectable. Isabel isn't in love with Wilbur, however, and their one child George is incredibly spoiled by Isabel and grows up to be extremely arrogant, righteous and self-absorbed. George has an air of entitlement because he is an Amberson, and has no use for anyone who wants to work for a living. This includes Isabel's true love, Eugene, who left town after losing Isabel. Eugene returns twenty years later with his daughter Lucy, having made his fortune by developing one of the first automobiles. After Wilbur's death, Eugene pursues Isabel again. Wilbur's sister Fanny is also in love with Eugene, though this is not returned by Eugene. Even though Isabel and Eugene are both still in love, their plans are thwarted by George. George hates Eugene not just because of his profession, but because he has to share his mother's attention for the first time. When George learns that the townspeople are talking about Eugene's love for Isabel, George becomes enraged by this supposed scandal and does whatever he can to prevent Isabel and Eugene from marrying. George and Isabel leave on a trip around the world and are gone for five years. Despite Isabel's poor health and longing for Eugene, George insists that they both stay abroad, returning only when Isabel is colse to death. George's attitudes and actions help to ruin his family, as well as his chances of having a relationship with Eugene's daughter Lucy. Eventually George receives his "comeuppance", learning humility after suffering the tragic consequences of his own devices. George reconciles with Lucy, and asks for Eugene's forgiveness. By then all of the members of the Amberson family have either died, moved away or become destitute.
Technical Information
camera : mitchell BNC
Film negative format (mm/video inches): 35 mm
Cinematographic process : Spherical
Printed film format : 35 mm
Aspect ratio : 1.37 : 1
According to Peter Bogdanovich, Orson Welles said many times that this film could've been "much better than Citizen Kane (1941)." Also, while Welles always refused to watch any of his films, he was in a hotel room in the 70s with many friends and ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ was on TV, and he was talked into watching the rest of it. It is said that he was teary throughout, and confessed that although the ending didn't work, he still liked the film.
ScreenPlay by Orson Welles based on the novel by Booth Tarkington
Cinematography by Stanley Cortez
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Starring : Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) is the legendary Orson Welles' second film - another audacious masterpiece. It was produced, directed, and scripted (but not acted in) by Welles, a follow-up film one year after his masterful classic Citizen Kane (1941). It was based on Booth Tarkington's 1918 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, and had been filmed earlier as a black and white silent film from Vitagraph under the title Pampered Youth (1925).
This film's screenplay was written by Welles in only nine days.
The Magnificent Ambersons is about the proud and celebrated Amberson family. The story shows how the family refuses to change with the times, and the subsequent deterioration of the Amberson name as a result.
The story is set in Indianapolis in the late 1800's/early 1900's, and shows how the beauty of a small town was slowly destroyed by the advent of the automobile. A number of dramas carry the movie along. Isabel Amberson is the town beauty and is courted by various beaus, one of whom is the brash and handsome Eugene Morgan. Eugene plans an elaborate serenade for Isabel in front of the Amberson mansion, but makes a fool of himself by falling on his bass viol in a drunken stupor. Eugene tries repeatedly to win Isabel, but she refuses. Even though she is in love with Eugene, the embarrassment from this one incident and the social customs of the time prohibit her from having anything to do with him. Isabel eventually marries Wilbur Minafer, who is less flashy than Eugene, but respectable. Isabel isn't in love with Wilbur, however, and their one child George is incredibly spoiled by Isabel and grows up to be extremely arrogant, righteous and self-absorbed. George has an air of entitlement because he is an Amberson, and has no use for anyone who wants to work for a living. This includes Isabel's true love, Eugene, who left town after losing Isabel. Eugene returns twenty years later with his daughter Lucy, having made his fortune by developing one of the first automobiles. After Wilbur's death, Eugene pursues Isabel again. Wilbur's sister Fanny is also in love with Eugene, though this is not returned by Eugene. Even though Isabel and Eugene are both still in love, their plans are thwarted by George. George hates Eugene not just because of his profession, but because he has to share his mother's attention for the first time. When George learns that the townspeople are talking about Eugene's love for Isabel, George becomes enraged by this supposed scandal and does whatever he can to prevent Isabel and Eugene from marrying. George and Isabel leave on a trip around the world and are gone for five years. Despite Isabel's poor health and longing for Eugene, George insists that they both stay abroad, returning only when Isabel is colse to death. George's attitudes and actions help to ruin his family, as well as his chances of having a relationship with Eugene's daughter Lucy. Eventually George receives his "comeuppance", learning humility after suffering the tragic consequences of his own devices. George reconciles with Lucy, and asks for Eugene's forgiveness. By then all of the members of the Amberson family have either died, moved away or become destitute.
Technical Information
camera : mitchell BNC
Film negative format (mm/video inches): 35 mm
Cinematographic process : Spherical
Printed film format : 35 mm
Aspect ratio : 1.37 : 1
According to Peter Bogdanovich, Orson Welles said many times that this film could've been "much better than Citizen Kane (1941)." Also, while Welles always refused to watch any of his films, he was in a hotel room in the 70s with many friends and ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ was on TV, and he was talked into watching the rest of it. It is said that he was teary throughout, and confessed that although the ending didn't work, he still liked the film.
Citizen Kane - 1941
Directed by Orson Welles
Screenplay by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz
Cinematography by Gregg Toland
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Starring : Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore, Ruth Warrick, Ray Collins, Erskine Sanford, William Alland, George Couloris
Citizen Kane is Orson Welles's greatest achievement -- and a landmark of cinema history. The story charts the rise and fall of a newpaper publisher whose wealth and power ultimately isolates him in his castle like refuge. The film's protagonist, Charles Foster, was based on a composite of Howard Hughes and William Randolph Hearst - so much so that Hearst tried to have the film suppressed. Every aspect of the production marked an advance in film language: the deep focus and deeply shadowed cinematography; the discontinuous narrative, relying heavily on flashbacks and newsreel footage; and the ensemble acting forged in the fires of Welles's Mercury Theatre. Every moment of the film, every shot, has been choreographed to perfection. The film is essential viewing, quite possibly the greatest film ever made and, along with The Birth of a Nation, certainly the most influential.
Technical Information
Camera : Mitchell BNC
Film negative format (mm/video inches) : 35 mm
Cinematographic process : Spherical
Printed film format : 35 mm
Aspect ratio : 1.37 : 1
In America in the Dark, David Thomson writes that Citizen Kane is "the key work of the first American director to identify comprehensive fraud as a topic central to his culture."
The movie is unquestionably great even if the Hearst similarities did not exist. Its use of unusual angles, dramatic lighting, unusual transitions and tracking shots, and deep-focus shots is sensational and the narrative is more "circular," to borrow a description from Roger Ebert’s fine review, than linear. Indeed, the movie begins at its story’s end, the death of Charles Foster Kane, whose last word is "Rosebud."
The movie received 9 Oscar nominations, but only one for the screenplay, which was shared by Welles and Mankiewicz. Its performers, including Welles, came from the Mercury Theater and had never before acted in a movie. Welles took a relative modest salary for the film, but obtained almost complete creative control over the movie, which was reportedly without precedent in Hollywood.
Screenplay by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz
Cinematography by Gregg Toland
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Starring : Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore, Ruth Warrick, Ray Collins, Erskine Sanford, William Alland, George Couloris
Citizen Kane is Orson Welles's greatest achievement -- and a landmark of cinema history. The story charts the rise and fall of a newpaper publisher whose wealth and power ultimately isolates him in his castle like refuge. The film's protagonist, Charles Foster, was based on a composite of Howard Hughes and William Randolph Hearst - so much so that Hearst tried to have the film suppressed. Every aspect of the production marked an advance in film language: the deep focus and deeply shadowed cinematography; the discontinuous narrative, relying heavily on flashbacks and newsreel footage; and the ensemble acting forged in the fires of Welles's Mercury Theatre. Every moment of the film, every shot, has been choreographed to perfection. The film is essential viewing, quite possibly the greatest film ever made and, along with The Birth of a Nation, certainly the most influential.
Technical Information
Camera : Mitchell BNC
Film negative format (mm/video inches) : 35 mm
Cinematographic process : Spherical
Printed film format : 35 mm
Aspect ratio : 1.37 : 1
In America in the Dark, David Thomson writes that Citizen Kane is "the key work of the first American director to identify comprehensive fraud as a topic central to his culture."
The movie is unquestionably great even if the Hearst similarities did not exist. Its use of unusual angles, dramatic lighting, unusual transitions and tracking shots, and deep-focus shots is sensational and the narrative is more "circular," to borrow a description from Roger Ebert’s fine review, than linear. Indeed, the movie begins at its story’s end, the death of Charles Foster Kane, whose last word is "Rosebud."
The movie received 9 Oscar nominations, but only one for the screenplay, which was shared by Welles and Mankiewicz. Its performers, including Welles, came from the Mercury Theater and had never before acted in a movie. Welles took a relative modest salary for the film, but obtained almost complete creative control over the movie, which was reportedly without precedent in Hollywood.
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