There are several strengths to this short drama that put it among the better movies of its time and genre. The story is interesting, and it features a couple of poignant moments. The cinematography features a creative technique that is used at a couple of key points, and that works well. Finally, Marc McDermott's leading performance is a good one, believably portraying his character at several different stages of his life.
The setting is a bachelor dinner to which "The Passer-By" (played by McDermott) is invited at the last minute. As McDermott's character begins to tell the sad story of his life, the camera pulls towards him until the frame is in close-up, and then there is a jump cut to the same character as a much younger man; then the camera slowly pulls back to show a very similar setting. The same basic process is repeated later in the movie. It works very well in pulling the viewer into the life of the character, and while similar techniques may be film-making staples today, Oscar Apfel and his crew deserve considerable credit for imagining it and for carrying it off so well.
MacDermott helps makes the story itself work pretty well. His understated yet credible portrayal of his character keeps the rather heavy story believable. By the time the character reaches the end of his narrative, the finale seems almost inevitable, yet it still works well enough, as does the movie as a whole.