A STRANGER IN TOWN

US, 1943, 67 minutes, Black and white.
Frank Morgan, Richard Carlson, Jean Rogers, Porter Hall, Robert Barrett, Donald Mac Bride, Chill Wills.
Directed by Roy Rowland.


A Stranger in Town is an interesting film for its under 70 minutes. It is a star vehicle for Frank Morgan who made quite a number of films but is best remembered as The Wizard of Oz.

Here he portrays a busy Supreme Court Justice who goes on holiday to fish, keeping his identity a secret. In the town, he is pressured by a local official to pay a fishing tax and pay extra for a stamp from the town. This brings him into the court, where he listens in to a case where a man is made to forfeit his tractors because of lack of funds. The man is defended by Bill Adams (Richard Carlson) who is good-natured not yet successful in his work, but is standing for Mayor in protest against the corrupt mayor and his henchmen around the town.

The Mayor evicts Bill from his office, and tries to eliminate him from the mayoral election. In the meantime, the Justice becomes more interested, urges Bill to research his law, helps him in a case which the corrupt local judge reluctantly agrees to. In the meantime, the Justice’s assistant comes with documents, with Bill meeting her at the station with all kinds of pratfalls. The secretary, Lucy (Jean Rogers) is not welcome at the hotel, Bill protests and they find themselves in jail.

The townspeople are on his side, supporting Bill, especially Chill Wills who acts as his campaign manager.

With success in the courts, and the antagonism towards Bill, even getting him into jail so that he could not come to the final campaign speeches. The Justice revealed his identity and order is restored – but, for a vindictive-feeling audience there are not enough scenes of the humiliation of the baddies!

This is the first feature film from director Roy Rowland who had directed short films for nine years and then was to stay, mainly at MGM, with some good feature films in the 1950s, a variety from Many Rivers to Cross to Hit the Deck.

1. An entertaining drama? In the Frank Capra tradition about stories of ordinary people and corrupt authorities?

2. The black-and-white photography, short running time, Supreme Court, the town, fishing? Musical score?

3. The title, sounding like a western – with the basic plot something like the corruption in the American West and the need for law and order?

4. Judge Grant, busy, going on his holiday, fishing, going to the town, being asked to pay for the licence, his going to court, his observations about the people in the town, Bill and the case and his client losing his machinery? An interest in Bill, guiding him to legal decisions, and Bill winning in the court? The Justice’s dislike of the corrupt mayor and his henchmen, the considering him just an old-timer? His secretary, his treatment of her in Washington, wanting to resign, happy to stay, bringing the documents, her being put in jail with Bill, the Justice’s pressure in getting them out? His taking the side of ordinary people, of Bill, getting Bill out of jail, his speech, finally people knowing who he was, the mayor blustering away with the local judge trying to warn him? And a happy ending for the Justice going back to work?

5. Bill, earnest young man, against the corruption in the town, practising law, his not winning cases? Standing for mayor, the posters, his campaign, some money for putting up a poster, the campaign manager? The encounters with the Justice, in court, looking at the law books, winning a case? Meeting Lucy, his awkwardness, and of not being allowed into the hotel, his protest, their being in jail? Getting out, his being evicted from his office? Back in jail, the Justice getting him out for the campaign speeches? His fainting when he found out who the Justice was? the scenes with Lucy, their working together, the dance, the quick romance?

6. Lucy, working with the Justice, arrival in town, disdainful of Bill, jail, not telling the truth? Falling in love, the social, the dance? The happy ending?

7. The people in the town, the mayor, his corrupt henchmen, their brutal tactics, threatening the Justice, evicting Bill, Lucy in prison? The mayor and his long speech? Comeuppance? The Justice, dealing with the mayor,the local judge trying to warn the mayor?

8. The good people in the town, hard done by, supporting Bill, the campaign?

9. The defeat of the bad, the triumph of good over evil – with a touch of romance?