Not as a Stranger

Released Jun 28, 1955

2h 15m

Drama

List

10%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Ambitious medical student Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum) aspires to being a doctor with his own practice. Unable to fund his studies himself, he woos the warm, supportive nurse Kristina (Olivia de Havilland), who has the financial resources he needs for him to realize his dreams. The couple marries and moves to a small town, where Lucas works as an assistant to Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford). However, after a series of betrayals, Lucas is forced to face life without the help of others.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Though some scenes come off fairly well, Mitchum is poker-faced from start to finish.

Nov 7, 2007

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

With so much dissecting in his picture -- and so much of it being good -- it is too bad that Mr. Kramer couldn't have done a little on his characters.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Tom Milne

Time Out

The exceptional cast helps to while away the platitudes and pieties, provided you can accept the likes of Mitchum, Sinatra and Marvin as somewhat wrinkly students.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Martin S. Dworkin

Film Culture

This is the first film Stanley Kramer has directed, as well as produced, and he must be judged as having succeeded only erratically. The most salient reason is the casting, which betrays a ubiquitous unclarity of concept.

Mar 29, 2022

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

This is clearly a beginning film for Kramer, who doesn't seem concerned with the idea of pacing.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 26, 2020

Full Review

Chris Alexander

Alexander On Film

When the final moments of the movie wind down and Marsh finally fully hits the wall and Mitchum finally dissolves, it's startling and heart-wrenching.

Feb 27, 2018

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Bruce L

Apparently, this movie was Stanley Kramer's directorial debut. Olivia de Havilland receives top billing, but Robert Mitchum as Dr. Lucas Marsh, an idealistic physician, is the chief protagonist. I was intrigued by the cast, which in addition to de Havilland and Mitchum includes Frank Sinatra, Lee Marvin and Gloria Graham. The real standout performances are from Sinatra and de Havilland. Mitchum is brooding and moody for most of the picture and only gets to display the menacing and humorous character that became signatures in his best films. Lee Marvin and Gloria Graham are really wasted in this film; Graham only showing up in the last third of the film. It was apparently well received in its time, but doesn't hold up that well. If you are a Mitchum, de Havilland or Sinatra fan, or like Soap Opera like movies with a happy ending, you'll probably enjoy this film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Soap elevated to excellence by the cast and director. The book from which this was adapted, in one way or another, isn't bad either.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The exceptional cast helps to while away the platitudes and pieties, provided you can accept the likes of Mitchum, Sinatra and Marvin as somewhat wrinkly students.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Despite a stellar cast, this is an ordinary melodrama hamstrung by a mediocre script and dreadful Swedish accents.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very good heartfelt film with some of the best actor's in the biz. A film worth adding to your collection.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good little soaper of a melodrama. It reminded me in many ways of the superior "A Place in the Sun" with the social themes focus on social climbing, unplanned pregnancies, and of course love and marriage. Sun did it better, but this film is no slouch. Mitchum is always great, but this one seemed like one of his better performances. And what a bunch of tough guys as med students (Sinatra, Lee Marvin, and Mitchum)!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

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Stanley Kramer

Director

Olivia de Havilland

Kristina Hedvigson

Robert Mitchum

Lucas Marsh

Frank Sinatra

Alfred Boone

Gloria Grahame

Harriet Lang

Broderick Crawford

Dr. Aarons

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Synopsis

Ambitious medical student Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum) aspires to being a doctor with his own practice. Unable to fund his studies himself, he woos the warm, supportive nurse Kristina (Olivia de Havilland), who has the financial resources he needs for him to realize his dreams. The couple marries and moves to a small town, where Lucas works as an assistant to Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford). However, after a series of betrayals, Lucas is forced to face life without the help of others.

Director: Stanley Kramer
Distributor: United Artists
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 8, 2016
Runtime: 2h 15m

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