Not as a Stranger
Encyclopedia
Not as a Stranger was a 1954
novel written by Morton Thompson
. The romantic melodrama became widely popular, topping that year's list of bestselling novels in the United States
. The novel was adapted into a 1955 film of the same name by United Artists Pictures
. Not as a Stranger was Stanley Kramer
's directorial debut and featured Olivia de Havilland
and Robert Mitchum
in the lead roles, backed by a stellar supporting cast including Frank Sinatra
, Gloria Grahame
, Broderick Crawford
, Charles Bickford
, Lon Chaney, Jr.
, Harry Morgan
, and Lee Marvin
. Sinatra had catapulted back into the limelight as the result of a supporting role for a film from a similarly popular novel, From Here to Eternity
, two years earlier. Initially a box office success, Not as a Stranger is obscure today, never receiving widespread distribution in VHS
markets, and never being released on the DVD
format.
Thompson's novel is mentioned rather ironically in Marilynne Robinson's 1980 novel Housekeeping, where it is read by the young heroine (and narrator) Ruth. "That isn't the sort of thing you should be reading," her guardian, Sylvie, says; "I don't know how it got in the house!" The novel is eventually burned by Sylvie along with lots of other reading material before Sylvie and Ruth run away (chapter 10). "I did not tell her it was a library book," Ruth comments wryly.
) was blinded by ambition, losing his idealism after marrying older woman Kristina Hedvigson (Olivia de Havilland
) in order to make it through medical school. He is indifferent toward his wife, dedicated only to his work. As he climbs his way to the top of the medical profession by using others, he is forced to face his morality after his misjudgment leads to the death of a friend.
for Best Sound Recording (Watson Jones
). Frank Sinatra
was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor, and Charles Bickford
won that year's National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor.
1954 in literature
The year 1954 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Jack Kerouac reads Dwight Goddard's A Buddhist Bible, which will influence him greatly.*John Updike graduates from Harvard with a thesis on George Herbert....
novel written by Morton Thompson
Morton Thompson
Morton Thompson was an American writer of newspaper journalism, novels and film screenplays. Amongst his works were a collection of journalistic memoirs called Joe, the Wounded Tennis Player, and the novels Not as a Stranger and The Cry and the Covenant. He was also the inventor of the...
. The romantic melodrama became widely popular, topping that year's list of bestselling novels in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The novel was adapted into a 1955 film of the same name by United Artists Pictures
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. Not as a Stranger was Stanley Kramer
Stanley Kramer
Stanley Earl Kramer was an American film director and producer. Kramer was responsible for some of Hollywood's most famous "message" movies...
's directorial debut and featured Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
and Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
in the lead roles, backed by a stellar supporting cast including Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Gloria Grahame
Gloria Grahame
Gloria Grahame was an American Academy Award–winning actress.Grahame began her acting career in theatre, and in 1944 she made her first film for MGM. Despite a featured role in It's a Wonderful Life , MGM did not believe she had the potential for major success, and sold her contract to RKO Studios...
, Broderick Crawford
Broderick Crawford
Broderick Crawford was an Academy Award-winning American stage, film, radio and TV actor, often cast in tough-guy roles and best known for his starring role in the television series "Highway Patrol."-Early life:...
, Charles Bickford
Charles Bickford
Charles Bickford was an American actor best known for his supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette , The Farmer's Daughter , and Johnny Belinda...
, Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
, Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
, and Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
. Sinatra had catapulted back into the limelight as the result of a supporting role for a film from a similarly popular novel, From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. It deals with the troubles of soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the...
, two years earlier. Initially a box office success, Not as a Stranger is obscure today, never receiving widespread distribution in VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
markets, and never being released on the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
format.
Thompson's novel is mentioned rather ironically in Marilynne Robinson's 1980 novel Housekeeping, where it is read by the young heroine (and narrator) Ruth. "That isn't the sort of thing you should be reading," her guardian, Sylvie, says; "I don't know how it got in the house!" The novel is eventually burned by Sylvie along with lots of other reading material before Sylvie and Ruth run away (chapter 10). "I did not tell her it was a library book," Ruth comments wryly.
Plot for the film
The movie follows a group of medical students through school, hospital internships, and eventually their careers as doctors. Dr. Lucas Marsh (Robert MitchumRobert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
) was blinded by ambition, losing his idealism after marrying older woman Kristina Hedvigson (Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
) in order to make it through medical school. He is indifferent toward his wife, dedicated only to his work. As he climbs his way to the top of the medical profession by using others, he is forced to face his morality after his misjudgment leads to the death of a friend.
Cast
- Olivia de HavillandOlivia de HavillandOlivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
as Kristina Hedvigson - Robert MitchumRobert MitchumRobert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
as Dr. Lucas Marsh - Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
as Alfred Boone - Gloria GrahameGloria GrahameGloria Grahame was an American Academy Award–winning actress.Grahame began her acting career in theatre, and in 1944 she made her first film for MGM. Despite a featured role in It's a Wonderful Life , MGM did not believe she had the potential for major success, and sold her contract to RKO Studios...
as Harriet Lang - Broderick CrawfordBroderick CrawfordBroderick Crawford was an Academy Award-winning American stage, film, radio and TV actor, often cast in tough-guy roles and best known for his starring role in the television series "Highway Patrol."-Early life:...
as Dr. Aarons - Charles BickfordCharles BickfordCharles Bickford was an American actor best known for his supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette , The Farmer's Daughter , and Johnny Belinda...
as Dr. Dave W. Runkleman - Myron McCormickMyron McCormickMyron McCormick was an American actor of stage, radio and film.McCormick was born as Walter Myron McCormick in Albany, Indiana....
as Dr. Clem Snider - Lon Chaney, Jr.Lon Chaney, Jr.Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
as Job Marsh - Jesse WhiteJesse White (actor)Jesse White was an American television, film, and stage character actor. He is best remembered for portraying the Maytag repairman in television commercials, a role he played from 1967 to 1988.-Life and career:...
as Ben Cosgrove - Harry MorganHarry MorganHarry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
as Oley - Lee MarvinLee MarvinLee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
as Brundage
Awards
The motion picture was nominated for an Academy AwardAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Sound Recording (Watson Jones
Watson Jones
Watson Jones was an American sound engineer. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Sound Recording for the film Not as a Stranger.-External links:...
). Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor, and Charles Bickford
Charles Bickford
Charles Bickford was an American actor best known for his supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette , The Farmer's Daughter , and Johnny Belinda...
won that year's National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor.