Not as a Stranger (1955)

Not as a Stranger (1955) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards
Oscar Academy Awards
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
Australia ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
130 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1955 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Stanley Kramer

Written By:
Edna Anhalt
Edward Anhalt

Actors:
Olivia de Havilland ..... Kristina Hedvigson
Robert Mitchum ..... Lucas Marsh
Frank Sinatra ..... Alfred Boone
Gloria Grahame ..... Harriet Lang
Broderick Crawford ..... Dr. Aarons
Charles Bickford ..... Dr. Dave W. Runkleman
Myron McCormick ..... Dr. Snider
Lon Chaney Jr. ..... Job Marsh (as Lon Chaney)
Jesse White ..... Ben Cosgrove
Harry Morgan ..... Oley
Lee Marvin ..... Brundage
Virginia Christine ..... Bruni
Whit Bissell ..... Dr. Dietrich
Jack Raine ..... Dr. Lettering
Mae Clarke ..... Nurse Odell
John Dierkes ..... Mr. Revere, Hospital bursar
William Vedder ..... Carlisle Emmons
Al Murphy ..... Patient being restrained (scenes deleted)
David Alpert ..... Ear, Nose & Throat Intern (uncredited)
Robert Bailey ..... Charlie, patient in recovery ward (uncredited)
Gail Bonney ..... Mrs. Fields (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks ..... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
James Conaty ..... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Jack Daly ..... Mr. Clyde (uncredited)
King Donovan ..... Mr. Slocum (uncredited)
Marlo Dwyer ..... Patient (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum ..... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
John Goddard ..... Morgan (uncredited)
Paul Guilfoyle ..... Mr. Burke (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey ..... Policeman (uncredited)
Jimmy Hawkins ..... Boy (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins ..... Sam (uncredited)
Gertrude Hoffman ..... Mrs. Payton (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes ..... Greenville patient reading in bed (uncredited)
Frank Jenks ..... Mr. Parrish (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ..... Greenville patient getting chest exam (uncredited)
Nancy Kulp ..... Gertrude (uncredited)
Harry Lauter ..... Harry, Radio Broadcaster (uncredited)
Eve McVeagh ..... Mrs. Ferris (uncredited)
Frank Mills ..... Patient (uncredited)
Juanita Moore ..... Mrs. Clara Bassett (uncredited)
Scotty Morrow ..... Mrs. Fields' Son (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann ..... Patient (uncredited)
Frank Orth ..... Greenville patient (uncredited)
Jerry Paris ..... Thompson (uncredited)
Bob Perry ..... Man in Typhoid Immunization Line (uncredited)
Stafford Repp ..... Orientation Doctor (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway ..... Sidewalk Extra outside Movie Theatre (uncredited)
Harry Shannon ..... Ed (uncredited)
Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer ..... Unexpected father (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow ..... Nurse Snow (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey ..... Kristina's Father in Photo (uncredited)
Herb Vigran ..... Lou, Pharmaceutical Salesman (uncredited)
Mack Williams ..... Man with cast (uncredited)
Will Wright ..... Mr. Roberts (uncredited)

Synopsis:

Lucas Marsh, an intern bent upon becoming a first class doctor, not merely a successful one. He courts and marries the warm hearted Kristina, not out of love but because she is highly knowledgeable in the skills of the operating room and because she has frugally put aside her savings through the years. But as much as he tries to be a good husband to the undemanding Kristina, Marsh easily falls into the arms of a local siren and the patience of the long sorrowing Kristina wears thin. She reasons he no longer needs her and asks for a divorce. A calamity now brings Marsh to his senses. Dr Runkleman, Marshs gruff and wise employer, is stricken with a heart attack and requires emergency surgery. Marsh is forced to operate.

Ambitious but impecunious medical student Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum) marries the older and (in this film, at least) not especially attractive Kristina Hedvigson (Olivia de Havilland) so that she can pay his tuition fees. Kristina loves Lucas, but he loves nothing but his work. Emotionally shutting himself off from everyone - including best friend, Alfred Boone (Frank Sinatra), and drunken dad, Job Marsh (Lon Chaney Jr.) - Lucas survives his training and goes to work as the assistant to tough but tender small-town medico Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford). He enters into an affair with wealthy Harriet Lang (Gloria Grahame) (watch for the symbolism-laden tryst in the horse barn!), obliging Alfred, now a big-city doctor, to try to patch up his pal's marriage. But Lucas feels nothing and needs no one because he's come to think of himself as the perfect physician, incapable of making an error. When Lucas fails to revive his mentor Dr. Runkleman during heart surgery (a genuine heart is used in the 'massage' close-ups), the young doctor suddenly realizes that he's not infallible after all. He wanders aimlessly through town, finally returning to his wife and collapsing into her arms, sobbing 'Help me! Please help me!' Cameo players range from Broderick Crawford as a Jewish doctor denied entry into medicine's upper circles to Carl Switzer as a bug-eyed patient. The film was adapted from the best-selling novel by Morton Thompson.

An ego-driven, aspiring physician, intolerant of the weaknesses of others, especially those closest to him, comes to grips with his own imperfections.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 25 February, 2015.