Film Summary DCCXXXVIII (The Stranger)

There's a Manhunt going on in the world. Against the Nazis. Many a Nazi had escape the trials of Nuremberg and are now living anonymous, free of the crimes and atrocities they committed.
But there are individuals and agencies dedicating themselves to the hunting of these men.
And to bring them to some form of justice.

Or at the very least that's the idea.
In this case they let another guy (who they also know is a convicted Nazi) purposely Escape his cell, so he can lead and investigative team to their main target.
An even crazier Nazi played by Orson Welles.

Now this original escaped Nazi is killed off pretty quickly. Orson Welles character doesn't want him bringing unnecessary attention. So he strangles him in the middle of a forest and (very poorly) buries his body.

Throughout this entire movie I was becoming more and more baffled how this guy was ever able to keep himself secretive from the start.
He's odd personality, blatant approval of Nazi ideology and overall mannerism should have given them away a long time ago.
I guess there's something to be said that small town America just can't pick up on that. Hell, maybe they even appreciate it, who's to say.

The entire operation is pretty minimal from the onset. Single agents investigating, little to no direct contact, asking for cooperation from the local townsfolk. It doesn't seem like anyone's to invested in this guy's capture.
At least not as long as they suspect he's a Nazi and don't actually know.

But then that's not the point of the movie.
The whole idea here is to witness this strange juggling act of people running to and fro. Trying to capture each other off guard and hiding their identities until the perfect moment to pounce.
In the case of Orson Welles character it seems to be the mere idea of running out the clock.
He's Doomed from the onset and you know he's going to get captured in the end. But it's what he does during that time that's so interesting.

Especially as his chemistry with Loretta Young and Edward G. Robinson is just so darn well put together. 

Everyone's acting in this film is Spot on and there's lots of solid and Vivid camera movement. Obviously it's on Orson Welles film, so the cinematography is always been a step up compared to most. But it reminds you just how little effort you need to make a film that 80 years old feel like a film that's 20.
the Highlight for me was Edward G. Robinson performance. He's got this kind-hearted nature to him with these rare moments of cold calculated precision. And his personality is so toned down and a little eerie.

Then you contrast that with the guy who was playing shopkeeper, this bubbly happy man who's just constantly making small talk and playing games of checkers against anybody who will give him the time of day.
And just below that exteriour of kind-hearted warmth and hospitality is a man who will nickel and dime you for every cent you own. Rather it's overcharging on coffee, aspirin* or $0.25 a game at the checkered table. You'll be running up a tab with him and no time.

*Well I say overcharging. The prices might be fair but he's the kind of person that will remind you of the price every second of every day and we'll be sure to get every dime owed to him at some point. The part about the checkers that was completely accurate.
 $0.25 at game! And he wins just about all of them. He probably makes more money off that darn board game that he does off of his freaking store.