The Stranger
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Stranger on the Third Floor is often cited as the first "true" film noir of the classic period (1940–1959), though other films that fit the genre such as Rebecca and They Drive by Night were released earlier. Nonetheless, it has many of the hallmarks of film noir: an urban setting, heavy shadows, diagonal lines, voice-over narration, a dream ...
Stranger on the Third Floor: Directed by Boris Ingster. With Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet, Charles Waldron. An aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a café owner's throat, and is soon accused of a similar crime himself.
- (4.6K)
- Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
- Boris Ingster
- 1940-08-16
Oct 2, 2020 · Without Lorre and its significance to the genre, Stranger on the Third Floor would be passable. But the fact remains that it has both and that cool nightmare sequence.
Jul 23, 2012 · Stranger on the Third Floor is the epitome of the B movie. It presses the envelope between a film and a docu-drama at a tight runtime of a mere 65 minutes. Many critics feel that Stranger on the Third Floor marks the inception of the film noir genre and it is true that it does incorporate many elements of that slightly later genre.
The real star of Stranger on the Third Floor is the dream sequence, which contrasts the whole odd drama and its peculiar structure. Look out for in particular the angular images of the prison bars with the gruesome shadow of the electric chair.
Michael's girl Jane believes in Joe and blames Michael, who (in a remarkable sequence) dreams he is himself convicted of murdering his nosy neighbor. Will his dream come true before Jane can find the real murderer? —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
When Ward’s fiancée Jane (Margaret Tallichet) questions his recollections, he becomes consumed by guilt until encountering a stranger (Lorre) who’s been skulking around his building and may be the real murderer. The story is straightforward, but the plotting, cinematography, and Lorre’s performance make for a thrilling, hour-long ride ...
