The plotline is carried by john mcguire, playing ward, a newspaper reporter whose courtroom testimony sends the hapless briggs elisha cook jr. Stranger on the third floor is a film directed by boris ingster with peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron, year. Stranger on the third floor subtitles 20 subtitles. In fact, it has been cited as the very first ever film noir. The way it starts out, the film seems like it is going to be a b courtroom drama. Stranger on the third floor is commonly regarded as one of the earliest flicks in the film. The stranger on the third floor boris ingster, peter lorre. Please, tcm, do not ever replace the true film classic, like this one, with the filth that began to permeate hollywood in the late 60s, going on until now. Stranger on the third floor 1940 classic film freak. Stranger on the third floor 1940 film complet en francais admin. This extremely weird b movie has been hailed as the first true film noir, and it certainly has all the noir elements, both visual and thematic. Released 1940, stranger on the third floor stars peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr.
I was a young adult during those times in the 60s, and have lived through the results of these. Stranger on the third floor 1940 directed by boris ingster. This extremely weird b movie has been hailed as the first true film noir, and it certainly has all. Stranger on the third floor 1940 eddie robson, who is one of the worlds most thoroughgoing experts on film noir, is determined that stranger on the third floor is the worlds first noir. A stunning example of cinematic expressionism, cited by many as the first studio film shot in a completely noir style. Peter lorre plays the eerie title role in this onceneglected gem about a reporter john mcguire whose testimony sentences a smalltime loser elisha cook jr. Stranger on the third floor is the epitome of the b movie. The american film institute is grateful to sir paul getty kbe and the sir paul getty kbe estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the afi catalog of feature films and without whose support afi would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor. Stranger on the third floor 1940 eddie robson, who is one of the worlds most thoroughgoing experts on film noir, is determined that stranger on the third floor is the worlds first film noir.
Though he doesnt speak his first line of dialogue until the film s final ten minutes, peter lorre spiritually dominates the fascinating rko melodrama stranger on the third floor. Peter lorre is the stranger on the third floor in this b movie from 1940 that stars john mcguire, maria tallichet mrs. Whatever you want to call it, its a wellmade little film and well worth your time. Classic horror film board the golden age of horror murder and mystery stranger on the third floor 1940 share. Stranger on the third floor yarn concerns a stern newspaper reporter whose testimony proves the circumstantial evidence that convicts an innocent man. Ce film, dune duree dune heure, a ete realise par boris ingster en 1940. Sneaking out in 1940 was a sleeper film s sleeper film, a riveting little creepshow called stranger on the third floor. Boris ingster directs 1940s stranger on the third floor, a quick little crime drama from rko. Stranger on the third floor warner archive collection remastered edition a compact 63 minute noir thriller that features a surreal nightmare sequence that justifies its place in your film collection. Stranger on the third floor 1940 boris ingster, peter lorre. As scholars of the genre have attempted to determine what films quality as noir, they almost always agree that the onehour rko b programmer stranger on the third floor 1940 is the first of its kind. He tells his girlfriend, jane margaret tallichet, that he isnt certain briggs is guilty. I admire the film s economy it doesnt need to be longer than it is. When upstart journalist michael ward john mcguire testifies that he saw joe briggs elisha cook jr.
Later, michaels conscience and troubling dreams get the better of him. When a tenant who shares the same apartment building with the reporter is killed, the reporter is the first. All who see stranger on the third floor remember it. It presses the envelope between a film and a docudrama at a tight runtime of a mere 65 minutes. Stranger on the third floor is a fascinating artifact from the great age of film noir. May 22, 2014 stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a gloomy dump peter lorre. Reevaluating orson welless nearperfect stranger the.
Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival. Then a nearly identical murder occurs and the reporter is now the prime suspect. Stranger on the third floor, with its dramatic expressionistic look, broke new cinematic ground. Rough around the edges, but some of the scenes are visually gorgeous, lorres performance is great as always. Stranger on the third floor 1940 classic horror film board. Nathaniel west of day of the locust fame should have been credited with some of the forward looking writing in stranger on the third floor, but wasnt, but its the writing that lifted stranger out of the 1930s and gave it that strange and exciting feel. Not that one should spend a lot of time on this debate, but still its discussed. Stranger on the third floor 1940 08161940 us crime, drama, thriller 1h 4m user score. Stranger on the third floor 1940 directed by boris.
Often though debatably classified as the first true film noir, the stranger on the third floor is an uneven but fascinating example of that fascinating genre. Stranger on the third floor movie 1940 tv passport. Stranger on the third floor is a noir curiosity from 1940, cited by many as the first entry in the genres classic period, which spanned roughly from 1940 to 1959. Modern research has shown that nathanael west wrote the final version of the screenplay, but was uncredited stranger on the third floor is often cited as the first true film. Boris ingster, in his directing debut, makes quite an impression, and one wishes he had directed more movies subsequently. I would say that it stars peter lorre, except that he barely appears or even talks in the movie until three quarters have elapsedand yet lorre was such an impressive actor at. Stranger on the third floor is a 1940 american film noir directed by boris ingster and starring peter lorre, john mcguire, and margaret tallichet, and featuring elisha cook jr it was written by frank partos. The rko secondfeature often considered the first film noir takes a dark turn, as we begin the internal monologue of michael john mcguire, whose testimony just clinched a maybeunjust murder conviction, and he meets the title character peter lorre in stranger on the third floor, 1940. Scarcely more than an hour long, this movie directed by boris ingster is a masterpiece in miniature.
She was an actress, known for stranger on the third floor 1940, it started with eve 1941 and a desperate adventure 1938. Gallery of 8 movie poster and cover images for stranger on the third floor 1940. Stranger on the third floor is a 1940 american film noir directed by boris ingster and starring peter lorre, john mcguire, and margaret tallichet, and featuring. Stranger on the third floor1940rko radio pictures64 min. Mcguire plays mike ward, a reporter who is the key witness in a murder trial that ends with the defendant cook being found guilty. This small, interesting, film which is generally considered the first film noir, the stranger on the third floor, directed by boris ingster, is the story of the story of a reporters search for a. Released 1940, stranger on the third floor stars peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 4 min, and received a score of out of 100. Even though at the time of release this little sleeper wasnt considered the first film noir but just a minor lowbudget b features film. Stranger on the third floor is a 1940 american film noir directed by boris ingster and starring peter lorre, john mcguire, and margaret tallichet, and featuring elisha cook jrit was written by frank partos. I had thought this was about a guy who lived on the third floor, but he really is a stranger who appears on the third floor. Siskoid widely considered the first american film noir, stranger on the third floor is nevertheless a minor work in the genre, but an efficient one that doesnt waste time getting to the point. Unfortunately, this isnt the first great film noir. Stranger on the third floor 1940 cast 49 peter lorre.
Stranger on the third floor 1940 boris ingster, peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet april 18, 2015 rising reporter michael ward is a key witness in the murder trial of young joe briggs, who is convicted on circumstantial evidence while swearing innocence. Laut hbo wurde dieser film im jahre 1940 freigegeben. This film is one of the two contenders for first film noir ever. Sep 04, 2016 chandu 1932, adapted from a nightly radio broadcast, anticipated the superhero dr. Stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a. Jun 15, 2017 le film the third floor 1966 vostfr admin 20170615t01. I was a young adult during those times in the 60s, and have lived through the results of these changes in what many people call entertainment. The rko secondfeature often considered the first film noir takes a dark turn, as we begin the internal monologue of michael john mcguire, whose testimony just clinched a maybeunjust murder conviction, and he meets the title character peter lorre in. With peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron, elisha cook, jr. Oct 10, 2010 for film historians, the stranger offers a foreshadowing of the third man 1949, in which welless harry lime is also a war criminal. Stranger on the third floor 1940 is often considered the first film noir, and that classification totally makes sense to me, as it combines a german expressionist approach to cinematography with later noir tropes like dream sequences, voiceovers and elisha cook jr.
Peter lorre virtually reprises the eerily convincing persona. Stranger on the third floor started off a little slow, but the nightmare sequences and incredibly moody lighting helped get it on point. Stranger on the third floor dvdr 1940 warner archive. Stranger on the third floor 1940stream and watch online.
A newspaper reporters testimony is key to sending a man to the electric chair, the trial based entirely on circumstantial evidence. Stranger on the third floor 1940 boris ingster, peter. Margaret tallichet was born on march, 1914 in dallas, texas, usa. Stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a gloomy dump. As much as this corner is in favor of bold experiments by new young directors, we find it hard to sustain our arguments in the face of such pictures as. Stranger on the third floor warner archive collection remastered edition a compact 63 minute. Though only a minor noir picture a piece of hay in the haystack of the genre, rather than a moredesirable needle stranger on the third floor has a few very striking scenes. Newspaper reporter john mcguire plunges into a nightmare of guilt, fearing that his evidence has sentenced the wrong man to death. Beautifully shot on famously limited sets only one is complete in the traditional sense, stranger on the third floor has made the rounds on home video and tv in a similar pattern as its more famous rko brethren. Stranger on the third floor 1940, directed by boris. Stranger on the third floor 1940 approved 1h 4min crime, drama, filmnoir 16 august 1940 usa an aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a cafe owners throat and is soon accused of a similar crime himself. Reporter michael ward is the key witness in a murder trial. Stranger on the third floor 1940 kozaks classic cinema. Thanks to its performances, all perfect, and its staging, stranger on the third floor is a discovery that still surprises more than seventy years later.
Stranger on the third floor 1940 stranger on the third. Joseph cotten plays holly martins, a scribbler with too much drink. Stranger on the third floor 1940 the movie database tmdb. This small, interesting, film which is generally considered the first film noir, the stranger on the third floor, directed by boris ingster, is the story of the story of a. The coronavirus crisis in seattle is a major threat to the strangers ability to keep the city informed. Theres no definitive answer to the question of which movie is the first film noir but some experts make a case for stranger on the third floor 1940, boris ingster and it. Stranger 1940 stars peter lorre in an atmospheric bmovie. Periodstyle trailer for stranger on the third floor, for conversion to 16mm. Peter lorre gets top billing in an underplayed, but brilliant supporting role as the stranger. Though he doesnt speak his first line of dialogue until the films final ten minutes, peter lorre spiritually dominates the fascinating rko melodrama stranger on the third floor. Wellproduced and acted bmovie which rises above its station. 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. His evidence that he saw the accused briggs standing over the body of a man in a diner is instrumental in having briggs. Stranger on the third floor is the little b picture that launched one of the greatest movements in cinema history.
According to some film critics the films blind alley, rio, and. Naturally the film s highlight is the extended nightmareparanoia sequence which fully exploits the storys noir leanings. These are some of the questions that were waiting to be answered when the film that is considered the first film noir stranger on the third floor was released in theatres on august 16, 1940. Please note that number of personal lists displayed might be different from the total number of personal lists this movie is in. Stranger on the third floor 1940 peter lorre in stranger on the third floor 1940 elisha cook jr. Modern research has shown that nathanael west wrote the final version of the screenplay, but was uncredited. But thats not to imply that the rest of the film is wanting. If this movie doesnt glamorize the life of black market profiteers in immediate postww ii vienna, then no movie ever did.
With peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron. A reporter is torn by guilt and doubt about his testimony that put a man on death row. An aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a cafe owners throat and is soon accused of a similar crime himself. Stranger on the third floor 1940 the motion pictures. Peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron, elisha cook jr. Stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a gloomy dump peter lorre.
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