The title of this illuminating documentary is taken from the famous line uttered in Johnny Guitar. Including clips from five of his films, I'm a Stranger Here Myself traverses Ray's life and career from his involvement in left-wing theater in New York during the thirties to his long stint in Hollywood and his final years as teacher and mentor. Ray weighs in about the creative process, film critics, and actors, and François Truffaut, John Houseman, and Natalie Wood offer their appraisals of his work. In the context of this retrospective, the film is especially valuable in placing Ray's work in a historical and political context.