Strangers on a Train (1951)

A psychotic socialite confronts a pro tennis star with a theory on how two complete strangers can get away with murder...a theory that he plans to implement.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Raymond Chandler (screen play), Czenzi Ormonde (screen play),

Stars:

Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Robert Walker

Top 250 #140 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Farley Granger	...	Guy Haines
Ruth Roman	...	Anne Morton
Robert Walker	...	Bruno Antony
Leo G. Carroll	...	Sen. Morton
Patricia Hitchcock	...	Barbara Morton
Kasey Rogers	...	Miriam Joyce Haines (as Laura Elliott)
Marion Lorne	...	Mrs. Antony
Jonathan Hale	...	Mr. Antony
Howard St. John	...	Police Capt. Turley
John Brown	...	Prof. Collins
Norma Varden	...	Mrs. Cunningham
Robert Gist	...	Det. Leslie Hennessey

Storyline

Bruno Anthony thinks he has the perfect plot to rid himself of his hated father and when he meets tennis player Guy Haines on a train, he thinks he's found the partner he needs to pull it off. His plan is relatively simple. Two strangers each agree to kill someone the other person wants disposed of. For example, Guy could kill his father and he could get rid of Guy's wife Miriam, freeing him to marry Anne Morton, the beautiful daughter of a U.S. Senator. Guy dismisses it all out of hand but but Bruno goes ahead with his half of the 'bargain' and disposes of Miriam. When Guy balks, Bruno makes it quite clear that he will plant evidence to implicate Guy in her murder if he doesn't get rid of his father. Guy had also made some unfortunate statements about Miriam after she had refused him a divorce. It all leads the police to believe Guy is responsible for the murder, forcing him to deal with Bruno's mad ravings.

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Plot Keywords:

tennis | stranger | murder | train | divorce | 

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Taglines:

Now a very special Alfred Hitchcock event! A hundred and one breathless minutes of matchless suspense!

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some violence and tension

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

30 June 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train'

Filming Locations:

Penn Station, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£23,764 (UK) (13 August 1999)

Gross:

£23,764 (UK) (13 August 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 96 min (cut) 103 min (preview)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the last full feature for Robert Walker who died eight months after filming finished from an allergic reaction to a drug.

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Goofs

When Guy goes to the Morton house after being interrogated by the police, Barbara's placement on the couch varies.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bruno Anthony: I beg your pardon, but aren't you Guy Haines?

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Connections

Referenced in The Last Days of Cinerama (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Bill Grogan's Goat"
(uncredited)
Traditional children's song
Sung by John Brown on the train

User Reviews

The Movie Is A Major Improvement Over The Book

Usually, it is the other way around, but in this case, the movie is a major improvement over the original book.

I had seen this wonderful movie at least a dozen times, before I managed to find a copy of the book it was taken from....the book has the same title and was written by Patricia Highsmith.

I scoured the used bookstores for years, before I finally found a copy, and because the movie was SO good, I could not wait to begin reading the story in its original version.

I was never so disappointed!

Not because the book is unreadable...but because Hitchcock made such vast improvements over the book that the book simply does not come close to measuring up to the movie version.

That said, let me now comment on Robert Walker's amazing performance as Bruno Antony.

This was Robert Walker's last completed performance...he died while shooting his final film, "My Son John," in August, 1951.

This role as Bruno was the performance of his career!

Perfect in every way.

The movie has been around now for nearly half a century. I see it every time it is shown on television, and I also watch the tape I have of it occasionally.

Robert Walker's performance only seems to improve with each new viewing.

I can not recommend this movie highly enough.

If Hitchcock and Robert Walker can read me, up there in heaven, let me congratulate them both on an absolutely superlative job!