Discussion of "Not as a Stranger"

Not as a Stranger (1955), which marked the directorial debut of Stanley Kramer, centers on Lucas Marsh, a brilliant but cold and fiercely ambitious medical student who views the profession of medicine with a near-religious fervor. Lacking the funds to finish his schooling, Lucas enters into a calculated, loveless marriage with Kristina Hedvigson, an older, dedicated nurse who has saved enough money to subsidize his education. While Kristina is genuinely devoted to Lucas and his dreams, he views her primarily as a means to an end, remaining emotionally distant and intolerant of any human frailty—both in his personal life and in the medical field.

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