Review of Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) by John T — 08 Jul 2013

A pretty good "B" movie starring John McGuire as a reporter who begins to doubt whether the testimony he gave convicted an innocent man of murder. He later observes a stranger, played by Peter Lorre, leaving his neighbor's apartment - hence the film's title - and after experiencing a strange dream sequence, discovers the neighbor dead in a fashion similar to the first murder. He is falsely accused of committing the crime when he reports it to the police.

This film introduces most of the elements of the film noir genre including the an inner city street setting (mostly at night), the use of light and shadows, diagonal lines and camera angles, voiceovers and flashbacks, a dream sequence, winding staircases, and a relatable wrongly accused man that create a spellbinding crime thriller.

Although he doesn't speak a line until more than one hour into the film, Peter Lorre is his typical creepy self and provides the most memorable acting in the film.

This film makes a mockery of the criminal justice system with a serio-comic bent, which is a departure from most film noir stories; specifically shots of he judge and jury sleeping during the trial, the introduction of prior convictions into evidence, and the defendant taking the stand in his defense.