Plot: What’s it about?
Bridie Quilty (Deborah Kerr) is a beautiful young woman with a chip on her shoulder, as she hates England. She dislikes the people, the culture, the political views, and in short, she simply hates everything about the English. But this intense hatred wasn’t forged overnight, as it was instilled in her pretty much since birth. You see, her father fought for Ireland in the battles against England in 1916, so he told her all kinds of stories about his experiences, some true and others, well, others that weren’t so factual. As such, she has always hated England and now that she’s grown, she wishes to join the IRA and continue her father’s work. Unable to find much support, Bridie becomes down and is an easy mark for a ruthless Nazi agent. He recruits Bridie under the guise of an IRA agent, though he plans to use her to advance his own cause, of course. So desperate to be involved, she agrees and finds herself working as a barmaid close to a prison. While the Nazi makes preparations to break a terrorist free from the prison, Bridie is to learn as much as she can from a local police officer, whom she uses her feminine charms on. When the prison break ends in disaster however, Bridie is on her own in a trek to secure some top secret information, while an Englishman named Baynes (Trevor Howard) stays hot on her trail. Will she ever discover the truth about her actions, or will her hatred for the English forever cloud her vision?
I was beyond thrilled to learn that Home Vision had released I See a Dark Stranger, as it is a masterful, wildly entertaining motion picture. It isn’t often that a film can combine elements from several genres and come off as a success, but I See a Dark Stranger blends a wide array of ingredients with immense skill. The basic premise resembles some kind of spy picture, but you’ll also find some effective stretches of suspense, romance, and even humor, all seamlessly added to the primary storyline. These extra elements don’t seem forced nor do they seem useless, they work together to conjure up a movie that always seems to be moving in a new direction, but its always an effective process. When the film wishes to have intense suspense, it does and when it wants lighter moments, it does and this mixture is as smooth as possible, a true masterwork of creative energies, if you ask me. A few nice twists & turns keep I See a Dark Stranger moving ahead, but as always, these are well handled and never remove us from the film’s atmosphere. Deborah Kerr leads here and turns in a star making performance, while Trevor Howard supplies a solid effort as her potential love interest. I am disappointed with Home Vision’s barebones release, but as this is such a great movie, this disc is still very recommended.
This wasn’t her first movie, but this was the one that sent Deborah Kerr toward a career as a genuine movie star. It won’t be her most remembered role, nor the most successful picture she starred in, but her performance grabbed the attention of the right people, garnered critical & audience acclaim, and even won her a New York Film Critics Circle award. We all know Kerr was a gifted performer with immense screen presence, but you have to give some credit in this one to the superb material she was given. I mean, the dialogue here is so amazing at times, its staggering and the writing certainly plays a part in Kerr’s performance. But of course, even the best material needs great execution and I think Kerr works this material to its fullest, really bringing a nice sense of timing and presence. Other films with Kerr include An Affair to Remember, Black Narcissus, King Solomon’s Mines, Separate Tables, and The Naked Edge. The cast also includes Trevor Howard (Von Ryan’s Express, Around the World in Eighty Days), Raymond Huntley (The Yellow Teddybears, Bottoms Up), and Tom Macaulay (The Long Dark Hall, The Planter’s Wife).
Video: How does it look?
I See a Dark Stranger is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. I would love to have a fully restored version of this movie, but as it stands, this treatment is solid and should satisfy those interested. The print has seen better days, as grain and debris are present, but never to an extreme degree, so the flaws never distract from the movie itself. I found the contrast to be stable and acceptable, though as not as stark and refined as I would like. Then again, this movie is over five decades old and as such, it deserves some slack in terms of visual presentation. So while this isn’t the restored, pristine edition I’ve always longed to have, I think Home Vision has given us a stable, enjoyable presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This flick doesn’t really need a dynamic audio track, but the included mono version manages to provide a solid and enjoyable mix. The music and sound effects are well crafted here, adding a lot to the tense atmosphere and they’re in solid form here. The music also never overpowers the other elements, which means the sound effects come through with clarity and separation. I didn’t find much in terms of harshness with this track either, and the dreaded mono hiss is minimal. The dialogue is clean and crisp at all times, with no problems at all to hinder the vocals. A nice, solid audio track that has withstood the tolls of time quite well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
