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6.8/10
4.6K
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An aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a café owner's throat and is soon accused of a similar crime himself.An aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a café owner's throat and is soon accused of a similar crime himself.An aspiring reporter is the key witness at the murder trial of a young man accused of cutting a café owner's throat and is soon accused of a similar crime himself.
Bobby Barber
- Giuseppe
- (uncredited)
Vince Barnett
- Cafe Customer
- (uncredited)
Lee Bonnell
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley
- Court Clerk
- (uncredited)
Lynton Brent
- Cabdriver at Nick's
- (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham
- Detective
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPeter Lorre owed RKO two days on his contract and was given this role with few scenes and few lines. He received top billing largely because his was the most recognizable name among the film's principal cast.
- GoofsAt the beginning, after Mike joins Jane at the luncheon counter, she is holding a piece of toast in her left hand; i.e., next to Mike, who is sitting on her left. On the next cut, a shot of the mirror showing the reflection of Jane holding the toast and Mike pointing, the image in the mirror shows Jane holding the toast in her hand further away from Mike. Then, when it cuts back to the real them, Jane is no longer holding the toast.
- Quotes
The Stranger: I want a couple of hamburgers, and I'd like them raw.
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "MAD LOVE (1935) + STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR (1940)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Stranger on the Third Floor (1969)
Featured review
It may or may not be the first Film Noir but it's a very interesting and strange thriller whatever you call it.
I was curious to see 'Stranger on the Third Floor' when it was recently shown on TV after I read it described as "the first Film Noir". Whether it actually is that or not I'll leave up to more knowledgeable film fans to argue over, but whatever you call this movie it is a very interesting and strange thriller that deserves a lot more attention. Part courtroom drama, part murder mystery, with a memorable dream sequence, you can't but help wonder if David Lynch is extremely familiar with this film (something I also thought while watching 'Kiss Me Deadly', 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Branded To Kill'). John McGuire plays a reporter who is the key witness in a murder trial. After finding a neighbor dead and noticing a mysterious figure lurking nearby (Peter Lorre) he comes to believe that the man convicted (Elisha Cook, Jr) is innocent, and sets out to clear his name. I really love thrillers that are stylized or nightmarish and become borderline surrealism, and this is one of those kind of movies. It isn't without a few flaws, but I still found it to be fascinating and really enjoyed Cook and Lorre's performances, though sadly I don't think they actually have any scenes together.
helpful•484
- Infofreak
- Jul 7, 2003
- How long is Stranger on the Third Floor?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $171,200 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 4 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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By what name was Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) officially released in India in English?
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