THE STRANGER

Mr. Wilson, an agent of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, is hunting for Franz Kindler, a Nazi fugitive and war criminal. Having erased all evidence that might identify him, Kindler is only known to the UNWCC for his nearly maniacal passion for clocks.

Wilson releases Kindler's former associate Konrad Meinike, hoping the man will lead him to Kindler. He follows Meinike to the small town of Harper, Connecticut, but Meinike knocks him out cold before meeting Kindler. Kindler has assumed a new identity as "Charles Rankin", a teacher at a local prep school. He is about to marry Mary Longstreet, daughter of Supreme Court Justice Adam Longstreet, and is involved in repairing a 400-year-old Habrecht-style clock mechanism with religious automata that crowns the belfry of a church in the town square. Repentant and having become a Christian, Meinike begs Kindler to confess his own crimes. Fearing he might be exposed, Kindler strangles Meinike and buries him in the woods.

Recovering from his injury, Wilson begins investigating newcomers to Harper. While initially not suspecting Rankin, he comes to realize that Rankin must be Kindler when the latter states offhandedly that since Karl Marx was a Jew, he could not be a German. Even so, not having witnessed the meeting with Meinike, Wilson still requires proof, and only Mary knows about the meeting. To secure her admission, Wilson attempts to convince her that her husband is a criminal before Kindler decides to eliminate the threat by killing her. Kindler's facade begins to unravel when Red, the family dog, discovers Meinike's body. To further protect his secret, Kindler poisons Red.

Meanwhile, Mary grows suspicious of her husband. Kindler admits to killing Meinike and Red, but claims Meinike was in town to blackmail her and her father. Wilson shows Mary graphic footage of Nazi concentration camps and explains how Kindler developed the idea of genocide. Mary, seeking to protect Kindler, lies about Meinike but remains torn between her love and her desire for the truth. Kindler tries to arrange a fatal "accident" for Mary, but she discovers the plot. Finally accepting that Rankin is Kindler, she dares her husband to kill her to his face. Kindler's attempt is prevented by the arrival of Wilson and Mary's brother, and he escapes from the house.

Kindler flees into the church belfry, followed by Mary and then Wilson. Meanwhile the residents of Harper, hearing the repaired clock bell, arrive outside the building. At the top of the tower, Kindler pulls a gun and a struggle ensues. Mary ends up with the gun and shoots Kindler. He staggers outside to the belfry's clock face, is impaled by the sword of one of the moving clock figures, and falls to his death.

Kindler is exposed and, after a struggle in the church belfry, is shot by Mary and fatally impaled on the clock's sword mechanism.

The climax literalizes the film’s clock motif, with Kindler meeting his end on the very instrument of his obsession. Justice is delivered not only by the authorities but also by those he deceived, reinforcing noir’s fatalistic worldview. The ending brings narrative closure and poetic justice by tying Kindler’s fate to the symbolic centerpiece of his new life.