Stranger On The Third Floor Review

• 18th May 2011

Stranger on the Third Floor is a classic American film noir directed by Boris Ingster and starring the legendary Peter Lorre. Reporter Michael Ward (John McGuire) is the key witness in a murder that ends up sending Joe Briggs (Elisha Cook Jr) to jail. Following the trial Ward become haunted by the possibility that he may have been mistaken in what he saw.

Film noir was in its infancy in 1940 following the German expressionism of the 30s, as the now exiled European filmmakers simply applied their look to Hollywood films. Boris Ingster was a Russian-born writer who later produced classic cult TV such as The Man from Uncle. Stranger on the Third Floor is one of Ingster’s rare outings as a director, which is quite remarkable given the high quality of this film. The inclusion of Peter Lorre as the stranger is perfect given its resemblance to his role in the German film classic M.

Stranger on the Third Floor features a delirious mix of eschewed angles, horizontal shadows and endless staircases which would later become commonplace within the genre. The film noir look is something that’s now well established having moved to neo-noir in films such as Blood Simple and The Man Who Wasn’t There, for example.

The highlight of the film comes in the shape of a dream sequence suffered by Michael Ward. The design is spectacular enough as to almost exceed the insanity of the Freud-infused Hitchcock drama Spellbound. Ward has become a tortured soul by this point as the truth-seeking reporter within him is eaten away by doubts. The sequence is so dark and distorted that it points to the production team having perhaps dabbled in psychopharmacology.

Stranger on the Third Floor is a film of huge historical interest given its visual style and the year in which it was released. The genre of noir was in its early days and films such as this helped cement its place within the Hollywood studio system. The next decade would see such luminaries as Fritz Lang, Robert Siodmak and Nicholas Ray all deliver classics within noir. For fans of the genre, the inclusion of Peter Lorre is also a key ingredient in the lasting value of this film. Few actors of any period can match his almost hysterical level of freakiness, given those eyes and the exotic accent. His slight stature suggests that he couldn’t overwhelm a schoolchild yet he continues to convince as a dangerously sadistic character.

Finally available on DVD, this excellent film is a must see for those with an interest in the history of noir. The new crisp clear transfer is heaven-sent as it beautifully accentuates the stunning photography. Running at only 70 minutes the action is rapid and given the thin storyline you aren’t made to wait too long for the more involved part of the narrative. Stranger on the Third Floor isn’t the greatest film noir of all time but it is essential viewing for anyone who wants a rounded history of the genre.

Aled Jones