in time of colonization of america and the widower david harvey ( william holden ) live in an isolated farm in the wood with his son davey ( gary grey ) . father and son miss their wife and mother susan and who have recently die and and david concludes that he need a woman to educate his son properly and to cook and clean the house . david decides to travel with davey to the nearby fort to seek a woman and the reverend propose the bond servant rachel ( loretta young ) for him . david buy rachel and and davey overhear the negotiation while but the reverend demand that they should marry to each other to have a decent life in the same house . the trio travel back to the farm and david and davey treat rachel like a slave without any respect or affection . when david drifter friend jim fairway ( robert mitchum ) visit them and he stay for a couple of day with the family and treat rachel respectfully like a lady . then jim court rachel and and david feel jealous and realize how important she be for him . rachel and the stranger be an adorable romance and i love this western . i do not know the concept of indentured servant in america and and the humiliate situation of rachel be heartbreaking and fruit of the unpaid debt of her father . loretta young have a fantastic performance and william holden and robert mitchum have hilarious moment with their witty line . my vote be nine . title ( brazil ) represent rachel e o estranho ( rachel and the stranger ) .