Farley Granger

Ruth Roman

Robert Walker

Leo G. Carroll

Patricia Hitchcock

Kasey Rogers

Marion Lorne

Jonathan Hale

Howard St. John

John Brown

Norma Varden

Robert Gist

Brooks Benedict

John Doucette

Harry Hines

Alfred Hitchcock

Paul McGuire

Oliver Cross

Tom Ferrandini

Stuart Hall

Whitfield Cook

William H. Ziegler

Patricia Highsmith

Czenzi Ormonde

Gordon Bau

Dimitri Tiomkin

Robert Burks

Ted Haworth

Raymond Chandler

George James Hopkins

Hans F. Koenekamp

Dolph Thomas

Leah Rhodes

Ray Heindorf

Barbara Keon

Crime

Thriller

Strangers on a Train

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

Français

English

infidelity

island

based on novel or book

perfect crime

psychopath

obsession

detective

suspicion

theory

carousel 

lighter

gay interest

film noir

stalking

black and white

train

strangulation

double cross

amusement park

husband wife estrangement

chance meeting

cocktail party

fiancée

perfect murder

penn station

storm drain

tennis match

tennis pro

trains

murder swap

The "strangers on a train" are Guy, a successful athlete in an unhappy marriage, and Bruno, an amoral playboy.  Bruno suggests a perfect crime whereby Guy can get rid of his wife without being suspected, and he convinces himself that Guy has agreed to it.

Bruno is obviously evil, but what about Guy?  Is he is respectable as he claims?   Is his wife that bad, or is Guy really a social climber who wants to be rid of his unfashionable spouse in order to acquire a trophy wife?   Does he send mix signals to Bruno because he really wants Bruno's plot to succeed?  The notion of hidden, shadowy evil is what gives this thriller its power.

CinemaSerf

Tennis pro "Haines" (Farley Granger) is quietly travelling in the club car of a train when his neighbour "Bruno" (Robert Walker) strikes up a conversation. It all seems innocuous enough, the former man is an accomplished player and it seems to him that this is a fan, of sorts, who just wants some company as he drowns his journey in Scotch. What quickly becomes clear from this chat is that both have people in their lives they'd rather be without. "Haines" is married to "Miriam" (Kasey Rogers) but would far sooner be married to senator's daughter "Anne" (Ruth Roman) whilst "Bruno" desperately wants shot of his overbearing father (Jonathan Hale). How about these two complete strangers carry out a cunningly planned murder each that will solve the other's problem? The athlete is having none of this, but when "Bruno" takes matters into his own hands a bit of menacing blackmail rears it's ugly head before the suspicious police start sniffing around and "Haines" finds himself in quite a spot. This is one of Raymond Chandler's better structured stories with quite an intricate series of layers to it - each more perilous for the hapless, lovestruck and out of his depth "Haines". There develops a palpable chemistry between the on-form Walker and Granger who both manage to keep this story compelling as director Alfred Hitchcock turns the screws gently but firmly on both of these characters. It all comes to an head in a fairground where the dazzling lights, highly pitched music and accumulating sense of panic complete a tautly presented and powerfully scored (by Dimitri Tiomkin) drama that looks at human vice, betrayal and temerity. Trains always provide well as conduits for crime thrillers, and with strong, if sparing, support from the likes of Marion Lorne, Leo G. Carroll, Hitch's own daughter Patricia as the meddling "Barbara" and a short cameo from Norma Varden (before she discovered large, ugly, hats) to add some richness - and diversion - to the machinations, then it might just make you very wary of striking up any conversation with any stranger ever again!

Strangers on a Train( 1951)

It starts with a shriek of a train whistle... and ends with shrieking excitement!

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A review by CharlesTheBold

Written by CharlesTheBold on Sun Mar 12 2017

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