The stranger on the third floor directed by boris ingster. Get info about the original print of stranger on the third floor, 1940, directed by boris ingster, with peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet. An rko bfilm from 1940, done up in high hollywood expressionism. Modern research has shown that nathanael west wrote the final version of the screenplay, but was uncredited. Reissued on bluray by kino lorber, it concerns the adventures of the benign adventurer frank. Tim wardles film follows the incredible true story of triplets who learned of one anothers existence only at age 19, their initial joy giving way to increasingly unsettling discoveries.
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. Stranger on the third floor 1940 when upstart journalist michael ward john mcguire testifies that he saw joe briggs elisha cook jr. Sally potters eighth feature film is the party, a 71minute blackandwhite movie that was, admittedly, panned by the best film critic in the us, manohla dargis, who, though comparing it to. The stranger 1535 11th ave, third floor seattle, wa 98122 office hours. According to some film critics the films blind alley, rio, and. Peter lorre gets top billing in an underplayed, but brilliant supporting role as the stranger. 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 coronavirus crisis in seattle is a major threat to the strangers ability to keep the city informed. 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. Noir709960355693140 to see the film in its entirety, visit the. 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. He falls in love with a woman who has lots of problems, the biggest of which is her boss. Street date september 21, 2010 available through the warner archive collection 19.
Directed and written by travis stevens, the film also stars trieste kelly dunn, elissa dowling, sarah brooks, travis. The plotline is carried by john mcguire, playing ward, a newspaper reporter whose courtroom testimony sends the hapless briggs elisha cook jr. And who is that buggedeyed stranger on the third floor. Newspaper reporter john mcguire plunges into a nightmare of guilt, fearing that his evidence has sentenced the wrong man to death. 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. 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 its a pretty good argument. Stranger on the third floor 1940 boris ingster, peter. Not that one should spend a lot of time on this debate, but still its discussed. We pride ourselves on having navigated many storms in. 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.
His evidence that he saw the accused briggs standing over the body of a man in a diner is instrumental in having briggs deemed. 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. Stranger on the third floor 1940 original print info. This hong kong martialarts film was completed in one of the most important years of the 20th century, 1989. Stranger on the third floor 1940 im not guilty the stranger killed him.
The film also has other complications, which the hero must confront. 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. It may be a very short film at 65 minutes and it may not have a huge name cast peter lorre aside, but in my little world its one of the most important films of all time. 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. 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 ist ein usamerikanischer kriminalfilm aus dem jahr 1940. It is the third film from sobras international pictures project chilewood. Peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron, boris ingster. Chandu the magician and stranger on the third floor. Boris ingster directs 1940s stranger on the third floor, a quick little crime drama from rko. Reporter michael ward is the key witness in a murder trial. Watch stranger on the third floor full movie in hd visit movie 29481 newspaper reporter john mcguire plunges into a nightmare of g. Stranger on the third floor is a 1940 american film noir directed by boris ingster and starring.
Stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a. The contrarian position often argueserroneouslythat the 1939 film blind alley should hold that distinction. Do not torture yourself by watching girl on the third floor. Stranger on the third floor letterboxd social film.
More accurately rko hadnt done right by the audience who would be entitled to. Stranger on the third floor 1940 the motion pictures. Stranger on the third floor subtitles 20 subtitles. Stranger on the third floor 1940 classic horror film. 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. Peter lorre virtually reprises the eerily convincing persona he. The films memorable highlight is mcguires expressionist nightmare, with all elements of his recent existence showing up in stylized fashion to literally haunt his dreams and spur him to do the right thing.
A single shot in the protonoir stranger on the third floor predates hoppers painting by two years it was released on aug. If youre watching the stranger, a gruesome and perilously underlit ie. Stranger on the third floor 1940 movie clip what a gloomy. 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.
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. This is especially ironic since the green inferno, roths appropriately icky homage to italian cannibal chillers like cannibal holocaust, has had trouble finding an audience beyond film. 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. With peter lorre, john mcguire, margaret tallichet, charles waldron. Netflix viewers are left horrified by mentally disturbing. 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 1940 stranger on the third floor. A stunning example of cinematic expressionism, cited by many as the first studio film shot in a completely noir style. Stranger on the third floor is the little b picture that launched one of the greatest movements in cinema history. The stranger on the third floor by boris ingster boris. 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. The roundtable edward hoppers nighthawks diner found. 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 noir of. Oscar oshea and charles waldron in stranger on the third floor 1940 stranger on the third floor. Boris ingster, in his directing debut, makes quite an impression, and one wishes he had directed more movies subsequently. Stranger on the third floor 1940 is often considered the first filmnoir, 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. 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. 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.
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. This film, beautifully photographed by nicholas musuraca, shows the german. Others cite 1941s the maltese falcon by john huston and some film historians maintain that double indemnity 1944, billy wilder holds the title. Stranger on the third floor 1940 film noir of the week. 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. Reporter michael ward sends joe briggs to the electric chair by testifying that he saw the unfortunate briggs fleeing the scene of a murder. Cinematography nicholas musuraca film editor harry marker. Streaming stranger on the third floor full movie engsub watch stranger on the third floor full english full movie online stranger on the third floor full film online. No submissions will be admitted to the festival without a signed release form and photo id from each performer and an entry form completed and signed by the films producer. Lost in his thoughts, michael recalls his meeting with meng, his. Stranger on the third floor was the second feature on the opening night double bill of seattle 2011 noir city festival and is available on the warner archive collection of dvdr discs in a remastered edition and it looks superb. Stranger on the third floor started off a little slow, but the nightmare sequences and incredibly moody lighting helped get it on point.