Love from a Stranger

I saw this as a fan of Agatha Christie and I'd see any film adaptation of her work. Not all the adaptations of her work have been successful, there are some truly great ones out there but there are some that just don't work. A Stranger Walked In doesn't fit in either of these categories, it's not a bad film but it's not a good one either. It does look good, it is lavishly photographed and the period detail is evocatively and beautifully rendered. The music has the romantic melodrama feel but also a psychologically haunting quality, not an amazing score by all means but one that fits within the film. Sylvia Sidney gives a poignant performance while bringing some edge to her role, and Ann Richards plays it straight very effectively. John Hodiak however overacts quite badly particularly in the latter part of the film, more subtlety was needed, and his chemistry with Sidney never convinces. The script is trite and does get very overwrought, again it could've done with more subtlety, a little less talk and more of Christie's writing style which would have given that. The story and pacing were also major issues. The story feels very undercooked dramatically as well as dull, and the psychological aspects that would have added to any suspense was on mute, as was the suspense. The pacing is also very pedestrian, making some of the less eventful scenes a bit hard to sit through. And the ending is more ridiculous than it is satisfying, I wasn't surprised by the outcome, it was underdeveloped and it also felt unnecessarily melodramatic. All in all, not terrible not a disappointment. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Sylvia Sidney falls in love with a mysterious charmer (John Hodiak) in "Love from a Stranger," from 1947.

This is a remake that originally starred Basil Rathbone and Ann Harding, and was set in modern times. For some reason, this film is set in Victorian England. A young woman has just won a lottery and is planning what to do with her winnings. When a man, Manuel Cortez (Hodiak) comes to look at her flat as a possible rental, she finds herself attracted to him.

Unfortunately, she's engaged to someone else (John Howard). She breaks up with him and winds up marrying Cortez. He spirits her away to an isolated cottage.

There were a few signs along the way that all was not as it seems, but the happy bride doesn't seem to notice.

Okay film with not much chemistry between the two leads. The story is predictable. There are a couple of exciting moments. The film is incredibly atmospheric, particularly the cottage scenes.

Based on a story by Agatha Christie, this lacked the usual Christie pizazz.

Hodiak overacts and Sidney does an adequate job in this dark Franju remake of 1937 movie (based on a play based on an Agatha Christie novel). Overstuffed with English local color & symbolic stormy weather. Entertaining.

LOVE FROM A STRANGER begins with the news that a notorious murderer in NYC has been killed by the police. Then, a series of new murders occur in London, where Cecily Harrington (Sylvia Sidney) has just had her love life turned upside down by a man named Manuel Cortez (John Hodiak).

In a whirlwind romance, Cecily is swept away by the mysterious, passionate Cortez. Before she knows it, they're moving in to their honeymoon house.

Utter bliss ensues, right up until the secrets and strange behavior begin!

This is an effective suspense / thriller based on the story by Agatha Christie. Hodiak is sublimely devilish, and Ms. Sidney plays her clueless role to perfection!...

This movie "Love From a Stranger" is based on a story written by Agatha Christie. It is similar to "Love From a Stranger" made in black and white in 1937 starring Basil Rathbone and Ann Harding.

This one is from 1947 black and white. The stars of this movie are John Hodiak as Manuel Cortez and Sylvia Sidney as Cecily Harrington.The premise is the same in both movies.

A woman wins a sweepstakes/lottery, drops her boyfriend, and meets Mr Wonderful who sweet talks her, marries her in a short time and prepares to kill her at sometime in the near future at 9:PM.

Cecily is the target. She finds out more about Manuel her husband while he is away one night and gets scared. She sees a hole like a burial hole down in the cellar where no one is allowed to go. I like the ending in this one too is was like a bar fight but much better. The one with Basil Rathbone had a ironic ending too. You can watch this with John Hodiak on this IMDb site http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039586/ which will link you to Hulu.

You can download the one with Basil Rathbone at Archive.org for free or watch it on line with the same name. http://www.archive.org/details/LovefromaStranger