Commentary
I don’t usually review movies released after 1954. That’s why I was initially hesitant to watch and write about “Not as a Stranger” (1955). However, it’s a highly-acclaimed film because of its prestigious cast, adaptation of an award-winning play, and direction from first-time director Stanley Kramer.
Both for entertainment and reviewing purposes, I generally stay within the 20-year Code or, more accurately, Breen Era, 1934 to 1954. During this time, all movies were self-regulated by the Production Code Administration (PCA), which carefully enforced the guidelines of the Motion Picture Production Code under Joseph I. Breen’s leadership. The result was a golden age of family-friendly films, which were clean, patriotic, uplifting, clever, and entertaining. It might seem a bit restrictive to limit oneself to a 20-year period, but, thankfully, thousands of movies were made during those two decades….