RACHEL AND THE STRANGER
US, 1948, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Loretta Young, William Holden, Robert Mitchum, Gary Gray, Tom Tully, Sarah Haden.
Directed by Norman Foster.
Rachel and the Stranger is a very warm film. It has a graceful performance by Loretta Young as an indentured slave who is bought by widower David Harvey (William Holden) to teach his son and bring him up in the way that his mother would have wanted. However, the marriage is one of convenience and David shows no affection for Rachel. He takes her for granted. When his friend Jim Fairways arrives (Robert Mitchum) who takes an interest in Rachel, David realises the qualities in Rachel and sees her differently, falling in love with her.
The film is set in pioneering days in Ohio, with work on the farm, with people living ordinary lives, struggling. It has a profound sense of humanity.
The previous year, Loretta Young had won an Oscar for The Farmer's Daughter.
The film was based on a story by novelist Howard Fast (author of the very different Spartacus). It was written for the screen by celebrated writer Waldo Salt who won Oscars for The Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home. It was directed by Norman Foster, director of many conventional films in the 1930s and 1940s (but also Journey Into Fear which was once attributed to Orson Welles).
1. How enjoyable was this film? Its 'folksy' appeal? Its humanity? Its picture of the west?
2. How typical an entertaining film of the forties was this? How would the theme be treated now? Would there be much change? Why?
3. How did Rachel act as the focus for the film? The attractiveness of Loretta Young's performance? Her initial appearance as slave, the nature of her bondage, chosen for marriage, the status of her marriage and being bought? Rachel's dignity in the face of this marriage? The explanation of her life and background? The fact that nobody asked her about herself, but humiliated her? Her conscientiousness in doing her duty? Her response to Dave in the marriage, her response to the boy? Why was she so charmed by Jim? The importance of learning to shoot? Why was she eventually disgusted with all three? The scenes of happiness and then her leaving? The fight for her and its importance to her? The fulness of the marriage and the sharing of danger? The learning of respect? How important a presentation of the nature and dignity of a woman?
4. The portrayal of Dave in the film? As a masculine hero, yet his false regard for women? His initial morbid mourning for his wife? His love for his son? The amount of work done, the humourless atmosphere? The importance of a decision to bargain for a wife? His inability to see the dignity of Rachel? Not asking her anything? Contrasting the memory of his wife? Gradually growing jealous of Jim? The importance of the fight? The sharing of the danger and the prospects for the future?
5. The focus of the boy? his relationship with his father, admiration for Jim, disregard for Rachel? His warning of danger at first? Admiration for her shooting? Then learning to love her?
6. The attractiveness of Jim? Robert Mitchum's performance and style? ,Jim as the 'western wanderer', his songs? As a model for the boy's admiration? His enjoying of life and hunting? His courtesy towards Rachel? His appearing as no better than Dave in his selfish attitude towards marrying Rachel? The importance of the fight? His decision to move on?
7. How interesting a picture of the west was this, the environment, the characters, pioneering, building a family life, the primitive aspects, the nature and solidity of home life, the spinet and singing, the necessity of shooting etc.?
8. How important was the climax of the film? Was it appropriate for an Indian fight to end the film? The impact on pioneers of the danger? The importance of the shared danger?
9. How well did the film present values of love, respect, human dignity?
10. How much warmth was there in the film and did this make it enjoyable?
