Phone Call From a Stranger

Director: Jean Negulesco Jean Negulesco

Overview

David Trask (Gary Merrill), the sole survivor of an airplane crash, takes it upon himself to contact the families of the various victims. Though he's already formed preconceived notions of his deceased fellow passengers, he's in for quite a few surprises when he meets the relatives. His first visit is to the wife (Beatrice Straight) and son (Ted Donaldson) of a profoundly troubled doctor (Michael Rennie). His second stop is at a nightclub managed by the domineering mother-in-law (Evelyn Varden) of an aspiring actress (Shelley Winters). Finally, he meets the invalid wife (Bette Davis) of an outwardly obnoxious travelling salesman (Keenan Wynn). After his odyssey into other people's lives, Trask gains a new perspective on his own personal travails. Few studios could pull off the "multi-story film" format as well as 20th Century-Fox, and Phone Call From a Stranger is a grade-A example of that format.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/27/2018
UPC:	0024543586371
Original Release:	1952
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Time:	1:36:00
Sales rank:	6,844

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gary Merrill	David L. Trask
Shelley Winters	Binky Gay
Michael Rennie	Dr. Robert Fortness
Bette Davis	Marie Hoke
Keenan Wynn	Eddie Hoke
Evelyn Varden	Sally Carr
Warren Stevens	Marty Nelson,Mike Carr
Beatrice Straight	Mrs. Fortness
Ted Donaldson	Jerry Fortness
Helen Westcott	Jane Trask
Sydney Perkins	Stewardess
Hugh Beaumont	Dr. Brooks
Thomas Jackson	Mr. Sawyer,Mr. Sawyer
Harry Cheshire	Dr. Fletcher
Harry V. Cheshire	Dr. Fletcher
Tom Powers	Dr. Fernwood
Freeman Lusk	Thompson
George Eldredge	Doctor
Nestor Paiva	Headwaiter
Perdita Chandler	Mrs. Brooks
Genevieve Bell	Mrs. Fletcher
George Nader	Pilot
John Doucette	Bartender
William Neff	Copilot
Ruth Robinson	Nurse
Robert A. Davis	Actor

Technical Credits

Nunnally Johnson	Producer
Ray Kellogg	Special Effects
Jean Negulesco	Director
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Phone Call from a Stranger is the kind of studio product that Hollywood produced with considerable polish and flair up through the 1950s. It's a product, not art, and as such it tends to be very concerned with getting things right: the right mixture of character types, the right way of setting up each story so that the audience follows it clearly, the right plot turns that grow naturally out of what has come before. Nunnally Johnson's screenplay accomplishes all that it sets out to do very well and makes the movie very watchable, but there's a calculated precision to it that modern day audiences may find off-putting. It also makes for uncomfortable moments, as when Gary Merrill's character puts off telling the family the fate of one character merely as a means of creating tension in the audience. The screenplay does provide some juicy parts for its generally good cast, however, with Bette Davis turning in a memorable performance and making the most of the setpiece given to her. Shelley Winters also does very well, and Keenan Wynn is excellent as the obnoxious salesman whose blustery demeanor masks genuine tenderness. Even Gary Merrill is more convincing than usual. Phone Call is well-done and moderately entertaining but ultimately empty.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler