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Not as a Stranger

Play trailer Poster for Not as a Stranger Released Jun 28, 1955 2h 15m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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10% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
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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Not as a Stranger

Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (13) audience reviews
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 Read all reviews
Not as a Stranger

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Not as a Stranger

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Movie Info

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
Producer
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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