Heads Up: The Stranger

"The Stranger" is a public domain film that I have had on dvd for years, but for some reason only recently got around to watching it.  It came out in 1946, and is directed by and features the great Orson Welles.
The story is about a detective on the trail of a nazi who was one of the masterminds behind concentration camps and then disappeared without a trace after the war.  It is an interesting yarn, and a good noir story.  It puts a bit of a spin on classic noir form, in that it takes place in a small suburban town in New England, and is set against the back drop of political intrigue, as opposed to traditional noir's urban crime drama.
It is filmed in Welles' typical dynamic style; full of stunning lighting and really stylish compositions.  There are some really brilliant camera moves.  While watching it, I wondered how film can so often use Welles' style as a starting point, and yet carry none of his stylish technique.
The acting of the main character, the detective, is regrettably bland.  I wasn't aware that he was the main character until a good ways into the movie, because he just seemed like a supporting role.  Especially when competing with Welles on screen, who delivers a tremendously compelling performance.
This is a very stylish and well put together noir.  For anybody interested in Orson Welles it would be worth your while to track down this movie.  As it is currently public domain, you should be able to find it on the internet without too much hassle.  Till then, Excelsior, I suppose.