Strangers on a Train
Composite Score: 86.77
Starring: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock, Kasey Rogers, Marion Lorne, Jonathan Hale, and Howard St. John
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde, and Whitfield Cook
Genres: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG for some violence and tension
Box Office: $50,415 worldwide
My take on Watching This Film:
Strangers on a Train is the film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel of the same name from Alfred Hitchcock about two men who have never met before whose encounter on a train draws them into each other’s lives and into a world of crime and punishment. One, Bruno Antony (Robert Walker), is a spoiled, psychopathic heir to a wealthy family who fears being cut off from his inheritance by his overbearing father. The other, Guy Haines (Farley Granger), is a middlingly successful tennis star who is seeking a divorce from his promiscuous wife so that he can marry Anne Morton (Ruth Roman) the daughter of a U.S. Senator. Their similarly situated inconvenient predicaments spark the idea for “the perfect crime” in Bruno’s twisted mind, leading him to pitch swapping murders to Guy, who is clearly uncomfortable with the idea but entertains the notion to keep Bruno from spiraling. Bruno’s insistence on perpetuating the crimes or incriminating Guy should he refuse forms the remainder of the film, and it’s a fairly engrossing tale to watch unfold. The film also received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography and is noteworthy for some truly fascinating sequences.
Like most Hitchcock films, the thrills and intrigue come to a dramatic head in Strangers on a Train’s third act in a loud series of revelations and suspense. Though it avoids some of the director’s more cliched plot twists, it still features a wild sequence involving a carousel that takes the film out of the realm of cerebral crime film about human nature and into something closer to a prototypical popcorn film. While the majority of the film deals quite engagingly with themes of marriage, sexuality, morality, psychopathy, and societal norms and expectations, the final act diverts from those more intellectually stimulating concepts into a pure crime thriller/action film. While I do think it’s quite possible to blend those genres well and in satisfying fashion, I personally find the shift from the first two acts into the third of Strangers on a Train to be a bit more off-putting than well-executed. This is not to say that the story itself and its themes aren’t deeply engaging and entertaining; it’s just that the film suffers from a tonal shift in the third act, reminiscent of many of Hitchcock’s films, that could easily feel odd or out of place to a modern audience. Both Walker and Granger give strong showings as their respective characters, and the social commentary that they allow the film to portray makes for a solid film. It just could have been even better with a slightly less over-the-top conclusion.
Like so many of Hitchcock’s films, a shift comes in the third act that might not sit perfectly with the modern audience, but a rich tapestry of social themes and strong performances from the film’s leading men make it a film worth watching and one worthy of a place among the greats. It probably won’t end up being your favorite Hitchcock, but it might surprise you too. Who’s to say? You can currently stream this film for free with ads on Tubi or rent it on most other streaming services if you’d care to check it out in the near future.
