The Stranger Orson Welles

( aka 'Date with Destiny')

USA 1946

The legendary story that hovers over Orson Welles's The Stranger is that he wanted Agnes Moorehead to star as the dogged Nazi hunter who trails a war criminal to a sleepy New England town. The part went to E.G. Robinson, who is marvelous, but it points out how many compromises Welles made on the film in an attempt to show Hollywood he could make a film on time, on budget, and on their own terms. He accomplished all three, turning out a stylish if unambitious film noir thriller, his only Hollywood film to turn a profit on its original release. Welles stars as unreformed fascist Franz Kindler, hiding as a schoolteacher in a New England prep school for boys and newly married to the headmaster's lovely if naive daughter (Loretta Young). Welles the director is in fine form for the opening sequences, casting a moody tension as agents shadow a twitchy low-level Nazi official skulking through South American ports and building up to dramatic crescendo as Kindler murders this little man, the lovely woods becoming a maelstrom of swirling leaves that expose the body he furiously tries to bury. The rest of film is a well-designed but conventional cat-and-mouse game featuring an eye-rolling performance by Welles and a thrilling conclusion played out in the dark clock tower that looms over the little village.

Excerpt from Sean Axmaker's review at Amazon located HERE

***

"Not considered by Welles to be one of his finer efforts, and made only as a studio concession, 'The Stranger' still has elements of film-noir greatness, both behind the camera and in front as a more svelte thespian than in his later years. Edward G. Robinson as the doggedly pursuing detective using his strong instincts to ferret out a hiding ex-Nazi war criminal in a sleepy US small-town. Loretta Young looks good even if the soft-focus on her close-ups seems a trifle too heavy. I enjoyed it immensely and the final clock-tower sequence is yet another element that sets it, and Welles, apart from his peers."

Gary W. Tooze

Posters and 1946 LIFE Magazine article

Release Date: May 25th, 1946 - USA

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Associated Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


This is Orson Welles by Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Rosenbaum	Orson Welles on Shakespeare: The W.P.A. and Mercury Theatre Playscripts by Orson Welles, Simon Callow, Richard France	Orson Welles: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers (Paperbacks)) by Orson Welles, Mark W. Estrin	Orson Welles : The Stories of His Life by Peter Conrad	Rosebud : The Story of Orson Welles by David Thomson	Encyclopedia of Orson Welles (Great Filmmakers) by Chuck Berg, Tom Erskine, John C. Tibbetts, James M. Welsh, Thomas L. Erskine	Chimes at Midnight: Orson Welles, Director (Rutgers Films in Print) by Bridget Gellert Lyons

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DVD Comparison:

MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Focus-Films (single-disc) Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM Region 2 / 4 - PAL vs. Roan Region 0 - NTSC vs. Parade Region 0 - NTSC vs. Focus-Films (2-disc) Region 0 - NTSC vs. Eureka Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to courtesy of Enrique B Chamorro for the Roan screen captures! and Pavel Borodin for Focus Films (double), Eureka and the MGM.

(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Focus Films -single-disc- Region 0 NTSC 2nd vs. MGM - Region 2 / 4- PAL - 3rd vs. Roan Group - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	MGM - Region 1 - NTSC	Focus Films (Single disc) - Region 0 - NTSC	MGM Home Entertainment Region 2 - PAL	Roan - Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:35:06	1:35:48	1:31:18 ( 4% PAL speed-up)	1:34:45
Video	Aspect ratio: 1:33:1 Average Bitrate: 6.12 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 6.90 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 6.19 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 6.10 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

(Parade Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT, Focus-Films Region 0 -NTSC MIDDLE, Eureka Region 0 -PAL - RIGHT )

DVD Box Cover Click logo to order from:
Distribution	Parade/ Master Movies/ Region 0 - NTSC	Focus Films - Region 0 - NTSC	Eureka Films Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:34:00	1:35:48	1:31:18 ( 4% PAL speed-up )
Video	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 5.11 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 6.90 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	Aspect ratio: 1:37:1 Average Bitrate: 5.60 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Bitrate:	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
MGM
Focus Films (new)
MGM (R2)
Roan Film Group
Parade
Focus Films
Eureka

(Focus Films -single-disc- Region 0 NTSC LEFT vs. MGM - Region 2 / 4- PAL - SECOND vs. Roan Group - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD vs. Parade Region 0 - NTSC - FOURTH, Focus-Films Region 0 -NTSC FIFTH, Eureka Region 0 -PAL - RIGHT )

Dist.	MGM - Region 1 - NTSC	Focus Films (Single disc) - Region 0 - NTSC	MGM Home Entertainment Region 2 - PAL	Roan - Region 0 - NTSC	Parade/ Master Movies/ Region 0 - NTSC	Focus Films (2 disc) - Region 0 - NTSC	Eureka Films Region 0 - PAL
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) DUBS: German, French, Italian, Spanish	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)	English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Subtitles	English, Spanish and none	None	English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Rumanian and none	None	Japanese and none	None	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: MGM (US) Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: July 10th, 2007 Keep Case 20 Chapters	Release Information: Studio: Focus Films Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 0 Layers: Dual Edition Details: • Commentary by film critic Jeffrey Lyons • Orson Welles's first film, 1934's Hearts of Age • Theatrical trailers • Still photo gallery • Number of discs: 1 DVD Release Date: February 7th, 2006 Keep Case 10 Chapters 1 Disc	Release Information: Studio: MGM (UK) Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Trailer DVD Release Date: Feb 2nd, 2004 Keep Case 16 Chapters	Release Information: Studio: Roan Group Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • All Regions • Black & White, Dolby • Two Complete Features: THE STRANGER stars Orson Welles (also directed), Loretta Young and Edward G Robinson about a Nazi criminal hiding out in a small Connecticut town. (1946/86m/B&W) and CAUSE FOR ALARM with Loretta Young married to psychotic Barry Sullivan.(1951/73m/B&W) on the flip side. NOTE: No DVD menu for The Stranger- launches directly into the film DVD Release Date: Feb 4th, 2003 Single Keep Case 20 Chapters	Release Information: Studio: Parade Aspect Ratio): Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: All Regions Layers: Single Edition Details: • All Regions • Black & White DVD Release Date: May 12, 1998 Polygram Case 11 Chapters	Release Information: Studio: Focus Films Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Discographic Information: DVD Encoding: Region 0 Layers: Dual Edition Details: • Commentary by film critic Jeffrey Lyons • Features fully restored and Dolby Digital 5.1 remixed versions of two Orson Welles classics, The Stranger and The Trial • 18-minute documentary, narrated by noted Welles historian Richard France and featuring a rare behind-the-scenes look at the restoration process of these two classic films • Orson Welles's first film, 1934's Hearts of Age • Theatrical trailers • Still photo gallery • Number of discs: 2 DVD Release Date: April 2, 2002 Double Keep Case 10 Chapters 2 Discs in Box Set NOTE: The Stranger is part of a Box-set that contains The Trail and Orson Welles's first film, 1934's Hearts of Age	Release Information: Studio: Eureka Video Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Black & White, PAL • Special Feature: Full-length commentary Layers: Single DVD Release Date: 18 Mar, 2002 Keep Case 12 Chapters

Comments:

ADDITION: MGM - Region 1- NTSC July 07': The NTSC MGM disc is progressive and may be on a par with its Region 2 MGM counterpart in terms of image although if I was forced to choose I'd give the nod to the US edition. I think it shows slightly less artifacts and possibly superior contrast - but it's not a deal-breaker in my mind - detail is the same. Both have optional subtitles but the PAL release has a trailer where the MGM (US) has nothing in the way of supplements. I still love the film and I don't think I'm alone. The new DVD is by no means perfect but it's the best we know of (take into account the inferiority of PAL speedup).

***

ADDITION: Focus Films (Single Disc) - Sept 06': Just a brief warning that the newer single disc Focus Films edition is the exact same interlaced transfer of the double-disc (it's actually the same disc) - same commentary and same horrendous Hearts of Age supplement. As it is single disc'ed it leaves out The Trial and 18 minute documentary. Stick with the slightly black-boosted MGM PAL or the Roan as a close second (it does include Cause For Alarm). This might be worth picking up for the commentary - very reasonably priced. It certainly has the best cover of all of them.

NOTE: On Roan's Cause For Alarm - The real cause for alarm on the Roan DVD of CAUSE FOR ALARM! is that it is almost 2 minutes short: Chapter 3 ends with a fade-out on Loretta Young going back to the house (0:18:08); then chapter 4 starts abruptly in the middle of the next scene with a closeup of Ms. Young finishing a sentence, going "...thought has been for ourselves". The fade-out (a video fade, not a film fade) is the giveaway: Unlike this DVD, the film fades to Barry Sullivan, followed by Ms. Young entering the room and an argument ensuing. By the time she gets to say "(Every moment, every) thought has been for ourselves", 1 Minute and 59 seconds have passed which are missing on the Roan DVD. What's even more frustrating is that when the first release AED-2011 was replaced by AED-2011RM, the re-mastering affected only THE STRANGER. (Thanks Cristoph!)

***

Finally we have a decent version of this film on DVD. Having it slip into the public domain caused a multitude or DVD producers to come out with their own versions- most of them awful. The Roan Group edition is almost as clean/sharp as the MGM, but is substantially cropped. The MGM disc has no Extras but a trailer, but is the winner on image quality. Decent contrast, a little film grain but I do notice a speckle of contrast boosting. Still better than we have seen on DVD yet.

Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

MGM - Region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. Focus Films -single-disc- Region 0 NTSC MIDDLE vs. MGM - Region 2 / 4- PAL - RIGHT

Parade Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Focus-Films Region 0 -NTSC MIDDLE, Eureka Region 0 -PAL - RIGHT

NOTE: No DVD menu in the Roan Group DVD- launches directly into the film.

Screen Captures

Subtitle sample of the MGM (USA)

(MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP vs. Focus Films -single-disc- Region 0 NTSC 2nd vs. MGM - Region 2 / 4- PAL - 3rd vs. Roan Group - Region 0 - NTSC - 4th vs. Parade Region 0 - NTSC - 5th, Focus-Films Region 0 -NTSC 6th, Eureka Region 0 -PAL - BOTTOM)