Walk Softly, Stranger
| Walk Softly, Stranger | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | Robert Sparks |
| Screenplay by | Frank Fenton |
| Story by | Manny Seff Paul Yawitz |
| Starring |
Joseph Cotten Alida Valli Spring Byington Paul Stewart Jack Paar |
| Music by | Frederick Hollander |
| Cinematography | Harry J. Wild |
| Edited by | Frederic Knudtson |
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Production
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| Distributed by | RKO Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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81 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Walk Softly, Stranger is a 1950 film starring Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli, directed by Robert Stevenson. It tells the story of a small-time crook on the run who later becomes reformed by the love of a crippled woman.
This would be the last RKO credit for famed producer Dore Schary, who would leave the studio soon after the film's completion. Privately, Schary did not see eye to eye with RKO owner Howard Hughes.
Filming ended in June 1948, but Hughes later shelved the film. It would not see the light of day until its premiere in October 1950, more than two years after production had wrapped. Hughes likely intended to release the film and capitalize off the success of Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949), which also starred Cotten and Valli.
When a man calling himself Chris Hale arrives at the doorstep of her Ashton, Ohio house, asking to see his childhood home, widow Mrs. Brentman gladly invites him in. The unemployed Chris then accepts Mrs. Brentman's offer of a room and takes a job in the shipping department of the Corelli shoe factory. One night, Chris wanders into the Ashton country club and meets Elaine Corelli, his boss's beautiful but paralyzed daughter. Speaking of the days when he used to deliver newspapers to her door and adored her from afar, Chris amuses and fascinates the once-vibrant Elaine. The next day, Chris is called in to see Elaine's father A. J., who tells him that Elaine was so taken with him that she asked that he be given a better job in sales. Chris declines the offer, but assures Corelli, who is devoted to his daughter, that he will explain his decision to Elaine. As promised, Chris, a confessed gambler and drifter, shows up at the Corelli home to talk with Elaine. Although Chris's explanations are vague, his self-deprecating humor relaxes Elaine, who is finally able to joke about the skiing accident that left her paralyzed.
The next morning, Chris flies to another city for a rendezvous with petty criminal Whitey Lake, who calls him "Steve." Chris and Whitey then rob gambling house owner Bowen of $200,000 in cash, knowing that the crime will never be reported. After advising Whitey to "disappear," Chris returns to Ashton and accepts an invitation for a double date from co-worker Ray Healy. When he then runs into Elaine, however, Chris breaks the date and takes the reluctant heiress to a working class nightclub. Chris's jilted date, Gwen, is also at the club and denounces him in front of Elaine. Although Chris wins a joking bet with Elaine that he can get Gwen to dance with him, Elaine grows despondent watching her would-be rival dance. Sure that Chris will come to resent her paralysis, Elaine leaves suddenly for Florida. When she returns at Christmas, however, Chris resumes his pursuit, and by New Year's Eve, the two are deeply in love. Chris's newfound happiness is short-lived, however, as Whitey shows up, broke and scared. Chris insists that Whitey, who is being chased by Bowen, stay locked up in Mrs. Brentman's house until he can figure out an escape plan. Whitey's nerves are soon frayed, and he begins tearing apart Chris's room in search of Bowen's money.
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