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{{Short description|1948 film}}
{{Short description|1948 film}}
⚫
{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=April 2020}}
{{original research|date=April 2020}}
}}
⚫
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = Rachel and the Stranger
| name = Rachel and the Stranger
| image = Rats1948.jpg
| image = Rachel and the Stranger (poster).jpg
| producer = {{unbulleted list|[[Richard H. Berger]]|[[Jack J. Gross]]}}
| producer = {{unbulleted list|[[Richard H. Berger]]|[[Jack J. Gross]]}}
| director = [[Norman Foster (director)|Norman Foster]]
| director = [[Norman Foster (director)|Norman Foster]]
Line 19: Line 15:
| color_process = [[Black and white]]
| color_process = [[Black and white]]
| distributor = [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]]
| distributor = [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]]
| released = {{Film date|1948|9|18|Premiere-New York City|1948|10|2|U.S.| ref1=<ref name=AFI>{{cite web | url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=25688| title=Rachel and the Stranger: Detail View | publisher=American Film Institute | accessdate=May 10, 2014}}</ref>|ref2=<ref name=AFI/>}}
| released = {{Film date|1948|9|18|Premiere-New York City|1948|10|2|U.S.| ref1=<ref name=AFI>{{cite web | url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/25688-RACHEL-ANDTHESTRANGER?sid=1fa44d1b-7e54-4c9e-93a1-1c378d5669bc&sr=12.164551&cp=1&pos=0| title=Rachel and the Stranger: Detail View | publisher=American Film Institute | accessdate=May 10, 2014}}</ref>|ref2=<ref name=AFI/>}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = United States
| country = United States
|gross = $2.4 million (US rentals)<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/variety173-1949-01#page/n45/mode/1up "Top Grossers of 1948", ''Variety'' 5 January 1949 p 46]</ref>
|gross = $2.4 million (US rentals)<ref name="gross">[https://archive.org/stream/variety173-1949-01#page/n45/mode/1up "Top Grossers of 1948", ''Variety'' 5 January 1949 p 46]</ref>
| language = English
| language = English
}}
}}
'''''Rachel and the Stranger''''' is a 1948 American [[Western (genre)|Western]] film starring [[Loretta Young]], [[William Holden]], and [[Robert Mitchum]]. The [[Norman Foster (director)|Norman Foster]]-directed film was one of the few to address the role of women in the pioneer west, as well as portray early America's [[indentured servant]] trade.{{original research inline|date=April 2020}} It was based on the [[Howard Fast]] short story "Rachel".
'''''Rachel and the Stranger''''' is a 1948 American [[Historical drama|historical]] film starring [[Loretta Young]], [[William Holden]], and [[Robert Mitchum]]. The [[Norman Foster (director)|Norman Foster]]-directed film was one of the few to address the role of women in the early American frontier, as well as portray early America's [[indentured servant]] trade.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}} It was based on the [[Howard Fast]] short story "Rachel".<ref name=AFI/>


While the film had a low budget, it was [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]]'s most successful film that year, making $395,000.
While the film had a low budget, it was [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]]'s most successful film that year, making $395,000.<ref name="gross"/>


==Plot==
==Plot==
In colonial America, David Harvey ([[William Holden]]), a recent widower farming in the wilderness, decides that his young boy Davey ([[Gary Gray (actor)|Gary Gray]]) needs a woman around to help raise him. The following spring, he goes to the nearest settlement and consults Parson Jackson ([[Tom Tully]]) and his wife. In view of the dearth of women in the settlement, David is persuaded to buy the contract of an indentured servant named Rachel ([[Loretta Young]]). David accepts that he will have to marry her, for the sake of propriety.
In early America, David Harvey ([[William Holden]]), a recent widower farming in the wilderness in the [[Northwest Territory]], decides that his young boy Davey ([[Gary Gray (actor)|Gary Gray]]) needs a woman around to help raise him. He goes to the nearest settlement and consults Parson Jackson ([[Tom Tully]]) and his wife. In view of the dearth of women in the settlement, David buys the contract of an [[Indentured servitude|indentured servant]] named Rachel ([[Loretta Young]]). David accepts that he will have to marry her, for the sake of propriety.

⚫
Their marriage, however, is in name only. David is still grieving for his dead wife Susan and Davey resents what he sees as an attempt to replace his mother. Despite her hopes, Rachel is treated as a servant and not a wife. She is naturally upset by this but keeps her sorrows to herself. Unlike Susan, she is unskilled in the use of a musket, but resolves to learn to shoot to connect with the boy and through him, with the father. She practices secretly in the cabin's cellar. This will stand her in good stead later.


⚫
Their marriage is in name only. David is still grieving for his dead wife Susan, and Davey resents what he sees as an attempt to replace his mother. Unlike Susan, Rachel is unskilled in the use of a [[musket]], but she resolves to learn to shoot to connect with the boy and through him, with the father.
Jim Fairways ([[Robert Mitchum]]), a hunter who is a family friend (and former suitor of Susan's), visits and becomes attracted to Rachel. She blossoms under Jim's attentions and discloses, to David's surprise and embarrassment, that she can play Susan's spinet. They enjoy a pleasant evening of instrumental music and singing. Later, Davey interrupts the beginnings of a mutual understanding between David and Rachel.


On his next visit, ostensibly to retrieve his forgotten guitar, Jim brings presents, including a dress for Rachel. David is disturbed by the easy way in which Jim has become friendly with Rachel and he slowly becomes jealous and irritated as Jim stays weeks longer than expected. He takes the opportunity of a night out hunting foxes with the dogs, to tackle Jim and encourage him to leave. Davey defies Rachel and stays outside the cabin to listen to the sounds of the hunt. A prowling mountain lion threatens Davey and the stock. At the sound of a gunshot the men come running and Rachel admits that she killed the animal. As a result, she rises in Davey's estimation.
Jim Fairways ([[Robert Mitchum]]), a hunter who is a family friend, visits and becomes attracted to Rachel. On his next visit, Jim brings presents, including a dress for Rachel. David becomes jealous and irritated as Jim stays weeks longer than expected. He takes the opportunity of a night out hunting foxes with the dogs to tackle Jim and encourage him to leave. Davey defies Rachel and stays outside the cabin to listen to the sounds of the hunt. A prowling [[Cougar|mountain lion]] threatens Davey and the stock. At the sound of a gunshot, the men come running, and Rachel admits that she killed the animal. As a result, she rises in Davey's estimation.


When Jim offers to buy her, David's resentments come to the surface and they fight. Rachel has to intervene. She is quietly furious and feels that both men appear to regard her more as a commodity to be traded than as a wife. She decides to leave and walks back to the settlement, daring David to take her to law over the indenture. David is angry but also concerned about her travelling alone in view of the possible presence of Shawnee nearby. It has slowly dawned on him what a fine woman she is and what her loss would mean to him. Jim intends to press his own suit. Taking Davey, they ride after her.
When Jim offers to buy her, David's resentments come to the surface, and they fight. Rachel is quietly furious and feels that both men regard her more as a commodity than as a wife. She decides to leave and walks back to the settlement. Taking Davey, David and Jim ride after her.


That night, while they are camped, Jim makes an offer to Rachel to come away with him. At Davey's urging, David makes an awkward bid for her to return home. She does not respond to either man. Later, they see a glow in the night sky and fear the Shawnee are attacking settlers. The two men send Rachel and Davey on horseback to the settlement for safety while they run back to the cabin to see what is going on.
That night, while they are camped after finding Rachel, they see a glow in the sky and fear the Shawnee are attacking settlers. The men send Rachel and Davey on horseback to the settlement while they run back to the cabin to see what is going on.


Rachel is worried about David and after a while sends Davey on for help while she follows the men. She reaches the cabin to find them besieged. She is dragged from her horse by one of the attackers, but David and Jim make a sally and manage to get her into the cabin where she uses her new-found skill with a musket to aid the defense. The Shawnee set the cabin on fire and the trio retreat to the cellar. Early next morning, Parson Jackson and the local militia arrive to drive off the attackers. David and Rachel survey the burnt-out cabin, making tentative plans for the future. Rachel knows she has been accepted as a wife when David tells his son to "do as your Ma says" and enfolds her in a tender embrace.
Rachel sends Davey on for help while she follows the men. She reaches the cabin to find them besieged. She is dragged from her horse by one of the attackers, but David and Jim make a sally and get her into the cabin. The Shawnee set the cabin on fire, and the trio retreat to the cellar. Early the next morning, Parson Jackson and the local [[militia]] arrive to drive off the attackers. David and Rachel survey the burnt-out cabin, making plans for the future. Rachel knows she has been accepted as a wife when David tells his son to "do as your ma says" and enfolds her in a tender embrace.


==Cast==
==Cast==
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The film recorded a profit of $395,000.<ref name="rko">Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p. 231</ref><ref name="uni">Richard B. Jewell, ''Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures'', Uni of California, 2016</ref>
The film recorded a profit of $395,000.<ref name="rko">Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p. 231</ref><ref name="uni">Richard B. Jewell, ''Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures'', Uni of California, 2016</ref>


After Mitchum was arrested for possessing marijuana,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/actor-robert-mitchum-is-released-after-serving-time-for-marijuana-possession|title=Actor Robert Mitchum is released after serving time for marijuana possession|website=History.com|publisher=[[A&E Networks]]|access-date=2 December 2022}}</ref> RKO rushed to release the film to take advantage of the news of Mitchum's arrest.<ref>{{AFI film|25688|Rachel and the Stranger}}</ref> The film opened in 7 key US cities to test the public's attitude and both critics and the public welcomed it and it was the [[List of 1948 box office number-one films in the United States|number one film]] in the US for two weeks.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|title=National Boxoffice Survey|date=September 22, 1948|page=3|url=https://archive.org/details/variety171-1948-09/page/n180/mode/1up?view=theater|access-date=December 29, 2023|via=[[Archive.org]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|title=National Boxoffice Survey|date=September 29, 1948|page=3|url=https://archive.org/details/variety171-1948-09/page/n236/mode/1up?view=theater|access-date=December 29, 2023|via=[[Archive.org]]}}</ref>
After Mitchum was arrested for possessing marijuana, RKO rushed to release the film to take advantage of the news of Mitchum's arrest.<ref>{{AFI film|25688|Rachel and the Stranger}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0040720}}
* {{IMDb title|0040720}}
* {{Tcmdb title|87528}}
* {{TCMDb title|87528}}
* {{AllMovie title|39993}}
* {{AllMovie title|39993}}
* {{AFI film|25688}}
* {{AFI film|25688}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rachel And The Stranger}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rachel And The Stranger}}
[[Category:1948 films]]
[[Category:1948 films]]
[[Category:1948 Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:1940s historical drama films]]
[[Category:1948 drama films]]
[[Category:1948 drama films]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:American historical drama films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
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[[Category:Films with screenplays by Waldo Salt]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Waldo Salt]]
[[Category:RKO Pictures films]]
[[Category:RKO Pictures films]]
[[Category:Revisionist Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:1940s American films]]
[[Category:English-language historical drama films]]

Latest revision as of 17:57, 2 September 2024

Rachel and the Stranger
Directed byNorman Foster
Screenplay byWaldo Salt
Based onRachel
1945 story
by Howard Fast
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMaury Gertsman
Edited by
Music byRoy Webb
Color processBlack and white
Distributed byRKO
Release dates
  • September 18, 1948 (1948-09-18) (Premiere-New York City)[1]
  • October 2, 1948 (1948-10-02) (U.S.)[1]
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.4 million (US rentals)[2]

Rachel and the Stranger is a 1948 American historical film starring Loretta Young, William Holden, and Robert Mitchum. The Norman Foster-directed film was one of the few to address the role of women in the early American frontier, as well as portray early America's indentured servant trade.[citation needed] It was based on the Howard Fast short story "Rachel".[1]

While the film had a low budget, it was RKO's most successful film that year, making $395,000.[2]

Plot

[edit]

In early America, David Harvey (William Holden), a recent widower farming in the wilderness in the Northwest Territory, decides that his young boy Davey (Gary Gray) needs a woman around to help raise him. He goes to the nearest settlement and consults Parson Jackson (Tom Tully) and his wife. In view of the dearth of women in the settlement, David buys the contract of an indentured servant named Rachel (Loretta Young). David accepts that he will have to marry her, for the sake of propriety.

Their marriage is in name only. David is still grieving for his dead wife Susan, and Davey resents what he sees as an attempt to replace his mother. Unlike Susan, Rachel is unskilled in the use of a musket, but she resolves to learn to shoot to connect with the boy and through him, with the father.

Jim Fairways (Robert Mitchum), a hunter who is a family friend, visits and becomes attracted to Rachel. On his next visit, Jim brings presents, including a dress for Rachel. David becomes jealous and irritated as Jim stays weeks longer than expected. He takes the opportunity of a night out hunting foxes with the dogs to tackle Jim and encourage him to leave. Davey defies Rachel and stays outside the cabin to listen to the sounds of the hunt. A prowling mountain lion threatens Davey and the stock. At the sound of a gunshot, the men come running, and Rachel admits that she killed the animal. As a result, she rises in Davey's estimation.

When Jim offers to buy her, David's resentments come to the surface, and they fight. Rachel is quietly furious and feels that both men regard her more as a commodity than as a wife. She decides to leave and walks back to the settlement. Taking Davey, David and Jim ride after her.

That night, while they are camped after finding Rachel, they see a glow in the sky and fear the Shawnee are attacking settlers. The men send Rachel and Davey on horseback to the settlement while they run back to the cabin to see what is going on.

Rachel sends Davey on for help while she follows the men. She reaches the cabin to find them besieged. She is dragged from her horse by one of the attackers, but David and Jim make a sally and get her into the cabin. The Shawnee set the cabin on fire, and the trio retreat to the cellar. Early the next morning, Parson Jackson and the local militia arrive to drive off the attackers. David and Rachel survey the burnt-out cabin, making plans for the future. Rachel knows she has been accepted as a wife when David tells his son to "do as your ma says" and enfolds her in a tender embrace.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Filming took place in Eugene, Oregon.[3]

Reception

[edit]

The film recorded a profit of $395,000.[4][5]

After Mitchum was arrested for possessing marijuana,[6] RKO rushed to release the film to take advantage of the news of Mitchum's arrest.[7] The film opened in 7 key US cities to test the public's attitude and both critics and the public welcomed it and it was the number one film in the US for two weeks.[8][9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Rachel and the Stranger: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
  3. ^ "Filmed in Oregon 1908–2015" (PDF). Oregon Film Council. Oregon State Library. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  4. ^ Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, The RKO Story. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p. 231
  5. ^ Richard B. Jewell, Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures, Uni of California, 2016
  6. ^ "Actor Robert Mitchum is released after serving time for marijuana possession". History.com. A&E Networks. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  7. ^ Rachel and the Stranger at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  8. ^ "National Boxoffice Survey". Variety. September 22, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Archive.org.
  9. ^ "National Boxoffice Survey". Variety. September 29, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Archive.org.
[edit]
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