User reviews

While Gary Merrill's main claim to fame was his brief marriage to Bette Davis, he was a minor Hollywood star on his own--playing a variety of bit parts. However, this film features him as a survivor of a plane crash who seeks out family members of victims he met on the trip. And, he does a competent job and proves he really could act. Unfortunately, he was far from a handsome leading man and once he was divorced from Ms. Davis, his career pretty much disappeared.

In addition to his excellent performance, the movie is so well-written. The vignettes where he meets the families are very touching and sometimes very ironic (such as the one he plays with Ms. Davis). It is a strange but well-executed film that deserves to be remembered.

Gary Merrill is the stranger making the phone calls in "Phone Call from a Stranger," a 1952 film directed by Jean Negulesco and also starring Shelley Winters, Keenan Wynn, Michael Rennie, Beatrice Straight, Craig Stevens and Bette Davis. Unable to forgive his wife for an affair, David Trask gets on a plane, where, due to the plane being late and an unexpected stopover because of bad weather, he becomes friendly with three passengers: a performer (Winters), a salesman (Wynn) and an alcoholic attorney (Rennie) and hears their stories. The salesman seems a happy man with a knockout for a wife; the performer has a horrid mother-in-law, a former vaudeville star with whom she competes, but she loves her husband; and the attorney has resolved to go to the DA and admit responsibility for an accident that happened a few years earlier which has destroyed his marriage. When the plane crashes, Trask is the only survivor of the four. He visits each of the victims' families to pay his condolences and possibly put some matters right. Then he learns from one of the family members the importance of putting his own life back together.

This isn't a particularly big-budget film - it's in black and white; some of these actors were under contract to Fox; others are not huge names with the exception of Davis. Her role is short but worth the entire film, though all the performances are very good and the stories heartfelt. The attorney's family story is heavy drama, with the son believing his mother drove his father away. The performer's family story is the comic relief as the mother-in-law right out of hell gets her comeuppance. And the tear-jerker is the scene with the salesman's wife. Davis is often criticized for being overblown and mannered, and yet she was always capable of giving a restrained performance as she does here and also did in "All This and Heaven Too" and "Watch on the Rhine." There are other treats as well. Shelley Winters is pretty and vivacious in a wonderful role for her, Keenan Wynn is excellent as the loud salesman, and as the attorney, Rennie is an appropriately sad and reflective figure. Gary Merrill is very likable as Trask. Though he never really made it to big star status, he was a dependable actor, very handsome and masculine. Of course he and Davis had sparks in "All About Eve" - so much so that they got married in real life - and there's a nice chemistry between them here as well. It's nice to see them when they were happy together. They also did a very good British film together, "Another Man's Poison." My only complaint is the at times overpowering musical score.

Very entertaining and highly recommended, especially for Davis fans.

Phone Call From A Stranger casts Gary Merrill, Shelley Winters, Michael Rennie and Keenan Wynn as four complete strangers who bond during a cross country flight that ends in tragedy. Of the four Merrill survives the plane crash and feels it his duty to call on the survivors that the three others left. In the process he works out a few issues for himself.

Michael Rennie was a prominent doctor who became a whole lot less prominent after he got out of a vehicular homicide charge by throwing the blame on the other man in the car. Merrill calls on wife Beatrice Straight and son Ted Donaldson who've been living with an alcoholic for many years.

Shelley Winters had left her husband Craig Stevens and his domineering mother Evelyn Varden to seek some fame and fortune on the stage. She was returning home in defeat. Varden is one truly hateful woman, a kind of Sophie Tucker like entertainer on steroids. Merrill conceives it his duty to give Varden a temporary comeuppance of sorts.

The most poignant tale is that of Keenan Wynn. Wynn is a traveling salesman, one of those characters who is constantly 'on'. Keenan borrowed a bit from his borscht belt comedian character from The Hucksters for this role. He carries a picture of his wife Bette Davis from her pinup girl days in a Betty Grable poise in a bathing suit. The Davis that Merrill meets is quite a bit different than what Wynn showed the others. In fact Davis when she recites her own story paints a picture of Wynn as a person of real character that you would never suspect in meeting him casually. This role may have been Keenan Wynn's best screen performance, at least I think so.

The Davis/Wynn story is the best, but the others aren't bad either. The writing by Nunnally Johnson from an I.A.R. Wylie story is just superb and Jean Negulesco gets great performances from his cast. Phone Call From A Stranger is a soap opera, but an intelligent and moving one that may wring a tear from a few hardened hearts.

Gary Merrill's plane is delayed by weather, and he waits in a small airport terminal with three strangers: Shelley Winters, Michael Rennie, and Keenan Wynn. All four have complex pasts, and, over the course of the night, they become friends and share secrets. A tragic crash leaves only one of the four alive, Gary Merrill, which is no spoiler because the advertising blurb reveals that plot point. Thus, Gary makes the "Phone Call from a Stranger" to the families of the three friends who died. Although a clever and engaging story device, the disparate stories tidy up a bit too quickly and neatly. However, the cast is entertaining, and the film is engaging throughout its 96-minute running time.

Merrill is solid as David Trask, a lawyer with his own issues, who links the stories. Shelley Winters shines as Binky Gay, an entertainer who never quite made the big time and lives in the shadow of her celebrity husband and mother-in-law. Winters's role is showy, and she plays both her character and Trask's enhanced version of her character with panache. Keenan Wynn is the perpetual clown, who grows tiresome to his friends and eventually to the audience. Beyond the four central characters, even the small parts are big in this film. A young Beatrice Straight plays Michael Rennie's wife; Evelyn Varden is Sally Carr, an aging nightclub headliner; and Bette Davis appears near the end to show her then husband, Merrill, how to face his own character's crisis.

"Phone Call from a Stranger" is not a classic, but rather a solid programmer from the early 1950's with an above-average cast and some good performances. While the film does not merit repeat viewings, except perhaps to appreciate a little known Bette Davis role, the story is told with a good pace, and any time spent in the company of these fine actors is well spent.

Phone Call From A Stranger will be worth the watch for any Shelley Winters or Bette Davis fans. I watched the old, 1952 black and white movie on a drizzling afternoon and surprisingly, the flick made me feel real good. Why, you ask? On back of the movie packet it tells you that "A plane crash puts an end to the sufferings of three ill-fated passengers ..." With that alone, one would assume that it's a totally 'down' movie. However, it is not. It's like that old saying that my grandmother used to make, "In everyone's life a little rain must fall". Well, I guess she was right if one is to enjoy the sunny days. Which, Phone Call From A Stranger turns out to be: a sunny day after much rain.

This movie will make you feel good about yourself. I promise. I think that's what so great about older movies; no special effects to disturb the real meaning of movies: the actors and actresses.

A must-see for classic movie fans.

Various passengers (Shelley Winters , Gary Merrill , Keenan Wynn, Michael Rennie) meet at an airport and all of them make friendship. Having survived an air crash , one of the survivors visits the bereaved families of three fellow passengers with whom he had become friendly during the fateful flight . Five great stars in a masterpiece of bold and beloved emotions !

An interesting and decent but hardly ever outstanding dramatic compendium , dealing with a simple and plain plot about a survivor after a plane accident visits the families of three of the victims whom he met during the flight , being paced in good sense , sensibility and with plenty of emotion . Maudlin and adorable film with emotion , deep feeling and and intense drama . Compellingly performed by a nice main cast as Gary Merrill , Shelley Winters , Michael Rennie and Keenan Wynn .These great stars being well accompanied by a good support cast , such as : Evelyn Varden , Warren Stevens, Beatrice Straight , Craig Stevens , John Doucette , Nestor Paiva and Helen Westcott . Brief appearance by George Nader as a pilot and Bette Davis , then Gary Merrill's wife, shows up in a subordinate role as Keenan Wynn's spouse and moves things up a gear or two .

Being well written and produced by Nunnally Johnson. Displaying a stirring and memorable musical score by classic composer Franz Waxman . Equally , an atmospheric and evocative cinematography by Milton R. Krasner. This agreeable and sentimental weepie was competently directed by Jean Negulesco . This classy Hollywood director Jean Negulesco was an elegant and brilliant filmmaker who made notorious films with penchant for Musical, Comedy and Drama, such as : The invincible six, The best everything, Daddy long legs, Three coins in the fountain, How to marry a millionaire, Titanic, Phone call from a stranger, A woman's world, Three came home , Road house, Humoresque, among others. And of course his successful Belinda with the Oscarized Jane Wyman. Phone Call from a Stranger (1952) rating : 7.5/10. Better than average.

"Phone Call from a Stranger" tells the tale of four passengers (Merrill, Rennie, Wynn, and Winters) on a cross-country airplane trip. The four become friends and share personal thoughts before the plane crashes, killing all except Merrill, who sets out to contact the relatives of his dead friends. He finds that each family has a very different story to tell, and each has its own issues arising from the deaths of their relatives.

Extremely well-acted, directed and scripted film also has harrowing airplane footage and a very good ending. Merrill is top form, as is Winters and especially Rennie, who is haunted by an accident in which a colleague was killed years earlier. Unlike many modern movies, this one really leaves you with a profound message--the void that is left behind when someone suddenly dies.

Try to see it if you can, my AMC tape is several years old and I've enjoyed this film many times. Just be warned--people scared of flying may cringe at the nighttime approach to the Vega airport.

Fairly interesting story of stranded passengers on an airliner recalling incidents from their past as they await connection to another plane. Nicely directed by Jean Negulesco, it's only problem is the uneven pace of the stories which are blended together rather smoothly.

Foremost among the passengers are MICHAEL RENNIE, GARY MERRILL, SHELLEY WINTERS and KEENYN WYNN (in one of his most obnoxious roles). Rennie recalls his unhappy marriage involving an auto accident he was responsible for while drinking--in which he lied about not having been behind the wheel. Wynn is a clownish fool who shows everyone a photo of his attractive wife in a bathing suit pose (BETTE DAVIS, whose later appearance in the film is after an accident has made her a cripple). Merrill is a seasoned traveler who calms the frazzled nerves of stripper Winters when the plane goes through storm turbulence.

Shelley gives her usual breezy and brash performance; Merrill is low-key and charming as a lawyer who doesn't drink too much; and Rennie is interesting in a key role.

The story gains interest after the plane crash when Merrill takes it upon himself to visit the victims' families, the most poignant part of the story involving his confrontation with BETTE DAVIS who is no longer the image of the glamor photo Wynn showed to the other passengers.

Told in typical '40s style with flashbacks serving as background filler, it holds the interest thanks to the excellent performances of a fine cast. BETTE DAVIS makes the most of small but interesting character role and BEATRICE STRAIGHT is touching as Michael Rennie's loyal wife. The EVELYN VARDEN/CRAIG STEVENS flashback with Varden painting herself as a saintly mother-in-law of Shelley Winters is a howl.

Major fault: the story seems too contrived and Merrill's motivations for seeing and getting involved with the families is a bit hard to swallow.

Surviving a plane crash and then going on to meet the families of those who did not. What an intriguing idea! How morbid, to say the least; but yet this is a well-done film mostly because of a fine ensemble cast.

Shelley Winters is one of the passengers who did not make it. Following a difficult life and breakup, she is one of the passengers who interacted with the survivor.

What do you say to the families at a time like this? How does one feel? Why did they survive the crash and the others did not? We face serious questions of ethics and moral values in this film.

Surprisingly, Bette Davis took a supporting role in this film. She is quite effective as the bedridden wife of one of the victims. No matter how large or small the part, Miss Davis always could figure it out!

(Slight Spoilers) Leaving his wife and two young daughters attorney David Trask, Gary Merrill,takes a plane to L.A to run away from his family but on the flight meets three passengers who are going back to theirs. Getting to know salesman Eddie Hoke, Keenan Wynn, David is a bit taken by his overly friendly attitude and in your face antics. David as well as the two other passengers that he get's to know on the flight night-club singer Binky Carr, Shelly Winters, and physician Robert Fortness, Michael Rennie, all form a kind of support group for each other that in the end will turn David's life around.

After his wife Jane, Helen Westott, admitted having an affair with another man David just couldn't live with her anymore and made the decision to leave her and start a new life on the west coast. With the plane taking off from Vaga Utah after a long delay it ended up crashing in the desert with only three of the 21 passengers surviving one of them being David Trask.

Feeling guilty because he lived while other's, in David's opinion, who had much more to live for perished David took it upon himself to contact the families of the three persons who were killed, that he met on the plane, and help them in their grief. As fate would have it it was David more then the families of the crash victims that would be helped by his heart-felt feelings of sympathy for them. David get's to know the demons that were plaguing Dr. Fortness for some five years. The fact that he and his wife Claire, Betrice Straight, had kept the truth from their teen-age son Jerry, Ted Donaldson, that had led him to almost destroy his life. David also got to know the suffering that show girl Binky Carr was going through with her mother-in-law, Sallie Carr,Evelyn Varden, and how she was out to destroy Binky's marriage with her husband singer Mike Carr, Craig Stevens.

Despite the very intense and nerve-wrecking problems that both Dr. Fortness and Binky Carr were going through they both were ready to get back and confront and overcome them unlike David who's running away from his. David in his own way got to get both Mrs. Fortness and her son Jerry, who was running away from home, together when he told Jerry the truth about his dad. Which his mom didn't have the heart to do. How his dad was now willing to face the music for the damage that he did but it was his tragic death that has kept that from happening. Jerry realizing the truth that was kept from him all these years now also realized that his mother was really looking after his well being, not ignoring him, and sob-fully came back home this time to stay.

It was the same thing that happened when David came to see Binky's mother-in-law Sallie and her son, Binky's husband, Mike who at the time didn't know that Binky was killed in a plane crash. Unknown to Mrs. Carr Binky was very instrumental in getting Sallie a once in a lifetime role in a major Broadway play that jump started her almost non-existence show biz career. All this time Sallie thought that Binky was only after her and her son's money. The fact that she wasn't and only wanted Sallie to love her like she was her own daughter devastated both her and Mike who later found out not only what happened to Binky but what a heel he was in trying to sere divorce papers on her.

It was really David's talk with Eddie Hoke's widow Marie, Bette Davis, that shown him the light and what a great hurt he was doing to both his wife Jane and his two young daughters by leaving them. Marie was a beautiful woman who was also cheating behind Eddie's back with Marty, Warren Stevens. When Marty left her after she suffered a sever diving accident ,that left Marie paralyzed from the waist down, Eddie never once thought of what Marie did to but came right back to her helping Marie overcome both the psychical and mental trauma that she was going through.

That last visit with Marie showed David that he was acting against his own, as well as his families, best interests. It was his being influenced by the talkative and somewhat goofy Eddie Hoke on that fateful plane ride that turned his life completely around and for the better. David gets on the phone and frantically calling a very concerned and worried Jane to tell her almost in tears that he's coming back to stay. You can see the look on Marie's face, as the movie comes to an end, knowing that her late and wonderful husband Eddie had not only saved her from a life of hurt and depression but David's as well. Eddie's jolly honest and good natured conversation together with what she told David about him saved David and his family from the same sorry fate that Marie was once facing, That made David see that there's no absolutes in life since life like the lives of him and the people that he both met and got to know on the plane is anything but perfect.

Phone Call from a Stranger is directed by Jean Negulesco and adapted to screenplay by Nunnally Johnson from a story by I.A.R. Wylie. It stars Shelley Winters, Gary Merrill, Michael Rennie, Keenan Wynn, Evelyn Varden, Warren Stevens, Beatrice Straight, Ted Donaldson, Craig Stevens, Helen Westcott and Bette Davis. Music is by Franz Waxman and cinematography by Milton Krasner.

Lawyer David Trask (Merrill), leaving his family troubles behind, survives a plane crash and decides to call on the families of the people he made friends with during the trip...

Utterly lovely drama, a film that boasts quality across the board. How great to see a picture that affords characters time to breath and impact on the story, impact that becomes four fold come the wonderfully humanistic finale. Story is structured as a two play piece, first act lets us into David Trask's pain and builds three characters around him as the so called "Four Musketeers" become friends during a troubled aeroplane journey. We get to know them and wonder what their home life is like, their secrets and tribulations, and then the walls come tumbling down and the story shifts into sombre tones to lead us down paths adorned with thoughtfulness and intelligence.

There's a hint of contrivance and some moral grey areas, yet this rises well above the minor quibbles to become a film of dramatic emotional strength. Beautifully performed by the principal players, it forces us to question that things may not always be as they first appear. It also has meditations on grief, second chances and that out of pain can come good, the human interest value here extraordinarily high. Yes! This is a most under seen and under appreciated bit of classic era cinema, its rewards just waiting to be discovered by more film loving fans. Go on, seek it out, come the finale you will feel better for it. 8/10

Phone Call from a Stranger (1952)

Well, the studio system is crumbling, and the great Golden Age stars like Bette Davis are finding new kinds of roles, but veteran directors like Jean Negulesco are still able to use all the great talents of Hollywood to put together what is a classic kind of movie. It's not a great movie at all, but it's tightly constructed, filled with twists, is dramatic and poignant in turns (and funny, too), and all in all makes for an entertaining and interesting movie.

Not mind-blowing adjectives, I know, but appropriate.

The key player here is a strong and silent type, Gary Merrill, a really steady and impressive actor every time I've seen him, though he usually plays secondary roles. But he calmly holds together a series of stories (there are four main threads here, with a unifying link that is quite a surprise). All the other actors have brief roles, as the movie is really broken into sections a little like A Letter to Three Wives from three years earlier (a better movie, but sharing a nice sense of interweaving stories). But this means Bette Davis, whose name appears in big letters as a star, appears fairly briefly. But she's fabulous, even in this limited role.

There a some odd flaws, like an odd shift to soft focus on an actress for some close-ups of but not others. And the story for all its strengths feels a little forced, too, which you just go along with. But if you are glass half full person you'll see the strengths of acting and filming here (cinematographer Milton Krasner is among the best) as well as the music (Franz Waxman), and you'll really enjoy it start to finish.

This is an interesting story with a great cast. The survivor of a plane crash meets the other people in the lives of those he met on the plane before the crash. This framework provides a fascinating study in conscience and human nature.

Co-written by the talented writer Nunnally Johnson, "Phone Call from a Stranger" attempts to make a statement about the human condition by intertwining the lives of four travelers who meet randomly via a flight to Los Angeles on, if you can believe, Grand Canyon Airlines. Unfortunately Johnson and his co-writer, I.A.R. Wylie, "borrowed" the idea from the 1927 novel by Thornton Wilder, "The Bridge of San Luis Rey." Otherwise, the theme of the film would be more intriguing than what it is.

Four passengers visit with one another as their flight is delayed because of inclement weather. One, Eddie Hoke (Keenan Wynn), is a prankster who travels for a novelty company. Another, Binky Gay (Shelley Winters), is a stripper with a winning personality. Then there's a physician, Dr. Robert Fortness (Michael Rennie), who has a horrible secret he hides. The fourth is a lawyer, David L. Trask (Gary Merrill), who has walked out on his wife following her confession that she has just ended an affair.

Good-time Eddie calls the circle of acquaintances, the Four Musketeers. The names and addresses of the four are written down by the group in case something unforeseen happens in flight. The four companions become very talkative about their lives. Binky is somewhat of a character analyst and proceeds to dissect each member of the troupe. Eddie surprises everyone by passing around a picture of his gorgeous wife. Being somewhat of a plain-looking buffoon with an obnoxious personality, Eddie catches their attention with the photograph. In private Dr. Fortness informs Trask of his situation, hiring Trask to be his attorney.

Not wanting to give away the twists and turns of the story for those who watch "Phone Call from a Stranger" for the first time, just let me say that the lives are explored in more detail as a result of what happens to the four while in route to Los Angeles. There is some clever humor along the way provided by Binky's family. And it may be the only place to hear Craig Stevens as Binky's husband, Mike Carr, croon a tune. Another attempt at levity is using puns for the names of motel bars, such as Meander Inn, Hop Inn, Jump Inn, etc. The final scene with Bette Davis as Eddie's curvaceous wife is the high point of the picture, giving the viewer a perspective on life worth pondering.

Davis steals the show with her brief appearance, but Shelley Winters nearly matches her acting skill in a well-written part. Noteworthy too is the magnificent performance of Keenan Wynn, a highly underrated actor from the era. Even Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont) shines in a bit part, showing the audience that he had great Thespian potential before being typecast on TV.

This episodic film has some great moments but falters in some parts, particularly in the melodramatic soap opera sequence concerning Dr. Fortness' runaway son, Jerry (Ted Donaldson), the weakest section of the movie. Why director Jean Negulesco drags this out for so long is unclear. Also, the special effects concerning the plane are weak by today's standards. Overall, however, the film has more successes than failures, making it worthwhile, especially for Bette Davis fans.

Gary Merrill is front and centre here as David L. Trask, a lawyer who leaves his wife & family one stormy night. While waiting for a flight to L.A., he makes the acquaintance of three other travellers: entertainer Binky Gay (Shelley Winters), novelty salesman Eddie Hoke (Keenan Wynn), and doctor Robert Fortness (Michael Rennie). They get to know each other pretty well that night, through a series of extended conversations. In fact, the bond is strong enough that Hoke not-so-jokingly dubs them "The Four Musketeers". When Trask is the only survivor of a later plane crash, he feels motivated to seek out his new acquaintances' surviving family members and offer his condolences. In so doing, he learns some more about his new friends, and is able to see his own situation more clearly.

"Phone Call from a Stranger", based on a story by I.A.R. Wylie (and scripted by producer Nunnally Johnson), is good material that does deliver some interesting flashbacks. It's a fairly moving examination of love, loyalty, and loss, and gives us main characters who are either flawed in some way or have made some fateful decision. That way, they come across as human and relatable.

Merrill is the glue to hold all of this together, showing that he could easily have headlined more films of this kind. (Although, technically, Winters is top-billed.) He gets to share scenes with special guest star Bette Davis (who plays Hoke's widow), his real-life wife at the time, and it's a treat to see them together in those final scenes. But the whole cast is excellent, with Beatrice Straight (as Fortness' widow), Evelyn Varden (as Binky's formidable mother-in-law), Warren Stevens (as Marie Hoke's lover), Ted Donaldson (as Fortness' troubled young son), Craig Stevens (as Binky's husband), and Helen Westcott (as Trasks' wife) adding to the overall emotional impact. Wynn adds all the comedy relief as the obnoxious, life-of-the-party type Hoke. His initial entrance is pretty damn silly, but it fits his characters' line of work.

With sensitive direction by Jean Negulesco, and some visual touches added to the flashbacks, this rates as agreeable entertainment, and a film that still has resonance in any day and age.

Seven out of 10.

Well-written "what-if" type story which consists of several varying vignettes and families that are affected by a plane crash.

Gary Merrill is excellent as usual. Soul-searching and perplexed, he learns the life stories of a few passengers and ultimately is the only survivor.

Michael Rennie was the cheating spouse. His wife is well-portrayed by Beatrice Straight. Then Keenan Wynn as the obnoxious passenger, hoping for redemption. A standout scene involves Evelyn Varden (the plump Mrs. Breedlove from "The Bad Seed"). A truly superb character actress who runs Carr nightclub, and regards Merrill with disdain and contempt as she felt her daughter in law (Shelley Winters) was after the Carr name. The sequence is amusing as it portrays the callousness, innate in some people. There are some truly memorable nightclub scenes.

The final vignette involves Ms. Bette Davis herself, and the story connected to her loss. She steals the finale.

I believe a remake was with Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez, entitled "Survivor". This older version is superior and real in so many aspects. Do not miss. 9/10.

What a Great Film with an outstanding cast, Bette Davis and Husband G. Merrill shine in this drama. Merrill visits three families with a message from the dead. Each story has its own lesson and yet all are about love. The story about Davis and her husband in the film tells what love really means not what today's X-rated world thinks it is. This film should be shown more often. Come on AMC

This is a great film. Not in the same sense that Bridge on the River Kwai, or 2001. This film delivers a great message in a very palatable form with only the last minute or two being a little over the top. Betty Davis had only a small part in this film, but what a part her character was the most flawed and learned the most, the hard way.

This centers on unironic notions of coming to grips with guilt.

Merrill berates the distraught boy to stop his 'whining' about Rennie's death. Old-style real men in action, here.

The crashing model plane and car crash must have been impressive on the big screen.

The storytelling itself, despite the flashback sequences, plays it straight -- all the narrators are trusted by us (regardless of the 'truth' or 'untruth' of the dialogue), so there's no game with the viewer about narrative structure. This would become a rough template for future retellings, such as "Fearless".

So all we're left with is individual performance, and at that level, it's best for Wynn's bantering, a virtual one-man show.