The Stranger

The 1967 film Lo straniero, directed by Luchino Visconti, is an adaptation of Albert Camus's 1942 novel The Stranger. The film, like the novel, centers on Meursault, a Frenchman living in Algiers who exhibits anomie and emotional detachment. The story follows Meursault's vigil at his mother's funeral, his subsequent involvement in a violent altercation where he shoots and kills a man, and his trial.12

Visconti, a key figure in Italian Neorealism, was known for his realistic portrayal of individuals within societal conflicts. His adaptation of Camus's work explores themes of absurdity and the meaning of life, reflecting Camus's philosophy that one should accept life's lack of inherent meaning and rebel by embracing what life offers. The film captures Meursault's refusal to conform to societal expectations, leading to his condemnation.21