Robert J. Maxwell If you didn't know this was from a story by Agatha Christie, you wouldn't know this was from a story by Agatha Christie.The entire first half of the film is a romantic melodrama of no particular interest, except perhaps for Basil Rathbone's skanky performance as the smiler with a knife. I saw him on Broadway as a comforter in Archibald MacLeish's "J.B.", but it was no use. Every time I see Rathbone trying to be a nice guy I see Mr. Murdstone and the Sheriff of Nottingham.When he sweeps the newly minted Ann Harding off her feet and marries her, the director Rowland V. Lee looses the reins on Rathbone's performance and he begins to blow fuse after fuse, each one worse than the preceding one.Ann Harding, awash in a sea of love, attributes his spells to his time in the trenches in World War I or something. And, like all good wife abusers, he apologizes profusely.At least until the night of the murder arrives. Rathbone has sent the staff away and locked all the doors and windows, preparatory to strangling his wife. She prevents her own death by precipitating his. He drops dead and she rushes screaming to the door of the cottage, which is immediately broken in by three or four friends who were evidently waiting just outside for their cue. They had no other reason for being there.If this is worth sitting through it's because this is -- Basil Rathbone AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE! Man, he overacts. He glares, he spits, he snarls, he chews his tongue, he chews the furniture.I understand he was a pretty good amateur fencer.

TheLittleSongbird That is saying a fair bit actually because the Sylvia Sidney version was dramatically underwhelming and not easy to get into. This film does take its time to get going, with the beginning moving rather slowly, and Bruce Seton is wooden. But there is so much to like about Love from a Stranger. The production values, from the period detail to the photography, is very pleasing to look at, and Benjamin Britten's(only 23/24 at the time) score has a haunting undercurrent as well as stylistically distinctive. The dialogue is snappy and adds intensity rather than falling too much into stodgy melodrama. And the storytelling is far more convincing, the middle is suspenseful, helped by a far more convincing exploration of the psychological and psychopathic aspects of the characters and story, and the somewhat ironic ending is very tense. In the later version, the ending was ridiculously done and what was suspenseful here was undermined by overwrought melodrama and real stodginess. Director Ronald V. Lee sets things up with a smooth and neat approach, and the cast are top notch, Joan Hickson and Binnie Hale stand out in support. But it's the leads who carry with a classy and dignified Ann Harding and a genuinely menacing Basil Rathbone. Overall, a very good film that starts slowly but rewarding once you stay with it. Comparing this with the later version with Sylvia Sidney and John Hodiak, there is no doubt that it's this one that is the far superior film version. 8/10 Bethany

kidboots Beautiful Ann Harding was noted for her long silvery blonde hair and her melodious throbbing voice. Her looks and bearing meant she was only to play ladies and she played them to perfection but by the mid 1930s she was being ousted by stars who could play more down to earth heroines. Like many other stars whose box office power had dimmed she tried her luck in England and made "Love From a Stranger" in 1937. It was taken from an Agatha Christie short story and had a ripping, over the top performance by Basil Rathbone. Some of the critics of the day compared the shocking ending to James Cagney's ending in "The Public Enemy" (1931) - not quite!!Ann Harding at her most dignified was completely believable as English working girl Carol who finds she has won the lottery. She goes on a "wild" spending spree (she buys a hat she has had her eye on) and eagerly awaits the return of Ronnie (Bruce Seton), her fiancé, old "Mr. Reliable", who she hasn't seen for a few years (he has been working in the Sudan, saving for their marriage). Before he arrives she meets Gerald Lovell (Basil Rathbone) who has come to view her flat which she is going to let. Once Ronnie arrives and realises she has won the lottery - suddenly the thought of marriage turns him cold. He wants to be the man of the house, support them both on his salary etc, but Carol wants them both to travel to exotic lands, to places new and interesting. They quarrel and suddenly Gerald is back on the scene and Carol finds it hard to resist him. He follows her to Paris - where she has to pick up her winnings - and proceeds to show her the Paris he knows - all the out of the way places. Ronnie then turns up, he is sorry for the way he has behaved, but she has news for him - she is already married.Things, at first, seem wonderful but then a house deal falls through and Gerald's South American bank funds are late - he is more than happy for Carol to sign some papers. He has an evil glint in his eye - is she signing away her fortune??? They move into a beautiful country house but as in all these movies - the cellar is the master's domain and no one is to go down there but him!!! He gives Carol a beautiful scarf - and it starts to affect his mind. His behaviour becomes more and more erratic - he literally screams when he finds her near his "dark room", when the doctor examines him and when Carol's old friends come to visit. The screams are really bloodcurdling!!! He is particularly interested in "Fletcher", a master criminal who has murdered three women and successfully evaded the police. When he sees Carol looking at Fletcher's picture again - she realises not only is he mad but he is also Fletcher. The ending is tension filled but with a few holes. Lovell is supposed to have a heart condition - but can no one see he is stark raving mad!! There is a fine line between Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes and the madness of Gerald Lovell. Ann Harding gives a gripping performance as the lovely Carol who, in a huge surprise twist, turns the tables on Gerald - and wins. This could be Ann's best performance.Highly Recommended.

jcoppeto001 This is the definitive movie version of the story. The later movie version pales by comparison. The casting is terrific. The plot is plausible. The pacing is perfect. The settings were simple yet convincing. The acting is right on the button. Basil Rathbone is extraordinary in what may be one of his finest performances. Hitchock could not have directed it any better. The psychopathology is presented in a valid way, eschewing melodrama. This version is uncompromisingly true to the meaning and the tone of Christie's creation. Just as importantly the dialogue does not insult your intelligence. The final scene is intense yet controlled and makes one yearn for these well-done black and white movies in contrast to the melodramatic, syrupy Technicolor endings we get nowadays.