Rachel and the Stranger [Blu-ray]

Older movies are the greatest movies, this movie has everything

Fantastic movie

This movie grows on you. With each viewing you realize new elements of the perfect acting, the perfect casting, the perfect screenwriting, and the perfect cinematography that went into it. Not surprising, it’s one of my favorite movies.The story is simple. In the 1700’s in the Northwest Territory, William Holden is in deep mourning for his deceased wife. To raise his rowdy young son properly, Holden decides to buy an “indentured servant,” or bondswoman, played by Loretta Young, to care for house and child. This was a historical practice in which young folk who inherited big debts they couldn’t pay off traded labor for room and board. They often earned wages at the same time and eventual freedom from their masters. In the movie, Puritan ethics dictate that Holden marries “Sister Rachel,” and the wedding ceremony that ensues is hilarious.Forcing her to walk all the way instead of ride a horse, he brings her back to his remote farm. Because of his grief and shyness, he makes no attempt to consummate the marriage, and Rachel is essentially strapped to a stranger who ignores her and treats her like a slave. Then along comes his friend, happy-go-lucky Robert Mitchum, for a visit, and he quickly shows more-than-friendly interest in Rachel. Her warm response to the new stranger stirs up Holden’s nascent jealousy, and he begins to see his wife in a new light. Kudos to director Norman Foster who expertly turns a mundane story into a stirring and powerful one with equal parts of singing, humor, romance, and danger.As for the actors, Young is beautiful, with her every facial expression reflecting intelligence and sensitivity. Mitchum is manly and sly, as he serenades her on his guitar. But Holden is the star. Handsome, athletic, and blonde, he chops down trees, fishes in the stream, and strides around shirtless displaying his perfect physique. The culminating moment is a poignant and seductive love scene that centers around drinks of water. Drink it in and enjoy!

"Rachel and the Stranger" made in 1948 is one of the many enjoyablemovies of the 1940's, a time when movies were pure entertainment -light hearted, believable and not offensive. If you are somewhat tiredof to-day's unrealistic movies and you are looking for a pleasant change,then this movie is for you.Although it is classified as a western, it is not a cowboy western but anearly frontier western set in the days of the early pioneers and like agood book your interest is held to the very end.The story told is simple but absorbing and although there is not anabundance of action scenes, there are excellent performances by atalented cast who play out their roles naturally and convincingly.The cast includes:Loretta Young as Rachel HarveyWilliam Holden as David HarveyRobert Mitchum as Jim FairwaysGary Gray as DaveyLoretta Young is very attractive and a fine actress, whilst William Holdenand Robert Mitchum perform their best as usual. We should not over-lookthe fact that child actor Gary Gray was outstanding and for those who areinterested in the finer points, Gary Gray beat that other fine child actorBobby Driscoll for the role of Davey and I would add that Gary Gray wasthe ideal choice. That of course is in itself some achievement. Gary Graylooks and acts the part well.The story told concerns David Harvey who is suffering a period ofdepression after the loss of his wife and he constantly visits her gravesite near their cabin where he spends a lot of his time mourning herpassing on. Things get so bad that he neglects his chores andunfortunately his son.David Harvey has an unattached friend Jim Fairways who occasionallydrops in for a visit to see David and Davey and he is surprised to findone day that David has taken in a bonded woman Rachel to assist withthe housework and to teach his son basic schooling as his wife wouldhave done. David Harvey is a decent man and treats Rachel well andlater marries her but of course this is really only a marriage ofconvenience. David shows no real affection towards Rachel and Daveydislikes her mainly due to the fact that she is a bonded woman.This of course all changes when smooth-talking Jim Fairways arrives andtakes an obvious interest in Rachel. David starts to realize that she meansfar more to him then he first thought and young Davey now thinks betterof her than at first because she has become proficient with a gun andsaves his life.This movie is on VHS tape which was purchased brand new and sealedfrom an Amazon Marketplace supplier. It is in pristine condition and Ibelieve that it would not look or sound any better on DVD.This movie is a pleasant relief from to-day's nonsense and so-called arthousemovies and it makes you feel good to relax and watch it.Highly recommended.

We love classic movies and bought this one so we can revisit it whenever we need an emotional pick-me-up.

Warner Archives has finally released a transfer of this RKO gem from 1948. ... and it's on Blu-ray! This is one of those great films of the 40s that was previously only available on home video through bootleg copies, probably recorded on a VCR from a late-night television viewing.The story is wonderful, well acted and downright enjoyable, so one has to wonder why it was never made available before (and the same question can be asked of another Loretta Young film---in fact, her Academy Award-winning performance---1947's "The Farmer's Daughter," which only recently made its official home video debut, thanks to KL Studio Classics.)Since there are no former formal transfers to compare this with, one has to say it's the best transfer ever. My biggest complaint is the same one I had with "The Farmer's Daughter"---the transfer is so grainy. In fact, in places it almost looks like static. I went to a Blu-ray review website to see what it said, and the reviewer bragged about "the natural film grain." Really? Of course, I don't want it to look like a video, but what's wrong with a clear picture? One of the cleanest pictures I've ever seen on Blu-ray is 20th Century Fox's "The Longest Day," and when I read a Blu-ray review of it, that author claimed that the restoration had gone too far and ruined the picture by cleaning up the grain too much. Huh? I think it has a beautiful, clean picture. I guess I had my fill of grainy video growing up in a rural area with a rooftop antenna, two channels and a grainy, static-filled picture. So this is progress?Anyway, "Rachel and the Stranger" is a simple love story of a wilderness family set against the backdrop of the early days of America, filled with sentiment, drama and action. A fine, four-star film.

Even though it took about 15 to 20 minutes for me to get into this film, it was worth the DVD price. A very good plot once it got going. Very good performances from Robert Mitcham and William Holden, some really good scenes throughout the majority of the film.

Thank you for the DVD my brother loves this movie very much and I like it as well thank you very much kindest regards Patricia Thompson

Excellent Item/Excellent Seller A+++++

i liked it myself

Good DVD case notes. Sort of a 1940's romantic comedy with the main players.Pioneer classic with cavalry fort and attacking Indians .All add up for an entertaining 90 minutes or so.