IMDb RATING
7.9/10
135K
YOUR RATING
A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder.A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder.A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
135K
YOUR RATING
- Writers
- Raymond Chandler(screen play)
- Czenzi Ormonde(screen play)
- Whitfield Cook(adaptation)
- Stars
- Writers
- Raymond Chandler(screen play)
- Czenzi Ormonde(screen play)
- Whitfield Cook(adaptation)
- Stars
Kasey Rogers
- Miriam Joyce Haines
- (as Laura Elliott)
Joel Allen
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Murray Alper
- Boatman
- (uncredited)
Monya Andre
- Dowager
- (uncredited)
Benjie Bancroft
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
Harry Baum
- Tennis Match Spectator
- (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict
- Tennis Umpire
- (uncredited)
- Writers
- Raymond Chandler(screen play)
- Czenzi Ormonde(screen play)
- Whitfield Cook(adaptation)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe final scene of the so-called "American" version of this movie had Barbara and Anne Morton waiting for Guy to call on the telephone. Sir Alfred Hitchcock wanted the phone in the foreground to dominate the shot, emphasizing the importance of the call, but the limited depth-of-field of contemporary movie camera lenses made it difficult to get both phone and women in focus. So Hitchcock had an oversized phone constructed and placed in the foreground. Anne reaches for the big phone, but actually answers a regular one. Hitchcock explained that "I did that on one take, by moving in on Anne so that the big phone went out of the frame as she reached for it. Then a grip put a normal-sized phone on the table, where she picked it up."
- GoofsWhen Bruno drops the lighter down the sewer, he tells the bystanders, he needs help retrieving his cigarette CASE. Perhaps Bruno thought it would sound more important if he said he'd dropped a case rather than a mere lighter.
- Quotes
Senator Morton: Dreadful. Dreadful business. Poor unfortunate girl.
Barbara Morton: She was a tramp.
Senator Morton: She was a human being. Let me remind you that even the most unworthy of us has a right to life and the pursuit of happiness.
Barbara Morton: From what I hear she pursued it in all directions.
- Alternate versionsThere are several differences in the British version of the film, including:
- The first encounter between Bruno and Guy on the train is longer, and features a more obvious homoerotic flirtation by Bruno;
- In the scene where Guy sneaks out of his apartment to go to Bruno's house, a shot of him opening a drawer to get the map Bruno sketched is added;
- The very last scene in the US version, which involves a clergyman, was deleted.
- ConnectionsEdited into My Son John (1952)
- SoundtracksThe Band Played On
(1895) (uncredited)
Music by Chas. B. Ward
Lyrics by John F. Palmer
Sung by Kasey Rogers, Tommy Farrell, Roland Morris and Robert Walker while riding the merry-go-round
Played often throughout the picture
Review
Featured review
It's 'all change' for the final act.
Strangers on a Train boasts a neat central idea (the 'swapping' of murders), several classic Hitchcockian moments, and a fine performance from Robert Walker as psychotic socialite Bruno; but despite these admirable qualities the film fails to qualify as a complete success thanks to a severely flawed final act that makes one wonder what the hell Hitch was thinking.
Farley Granger's tennis-pro Guy Haines being coerced into discussing murder by charismatic lunatic Bruno—all well and good. The nutter carrying out his side of the plan as discussed—great stuff. Haines afraid to go to the police for fear of being implicated in a murderous pact with a clearly deranged Bruno—hey, why not? People don't always make the wisest of decisions when under pressure.
The whole ridiculous fairground finale, however, cannot be so easily brushed aside. Bruno develops telescopic arms, the police act like bumbling trigger-happy fools, and a merry-go-round achieves warp-speed before a toothless old guy confuses a self-destruct lever for the brake. It's like something out of a fever-dream—illogical, perplexing and utterly deranged—a dreadful way to end what was proving to be a very enjoyable thriller.
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.
Farley Granger's tennis-pro Guy Haines being coerced into discussing murder by charismatic lunatic Bruno—all well and good. The nutter carrying out his side of the plan as discussed—great stuff. Haines afraid to go to the police for fear of being implicated in a murderous pact with a clearly deranged Bruno—hey, why not? People don't always make the wisest of decisions when under pressure.
The whole ridiculous fairground finale, however, cannot be so easily brushed aside. Bruno develops telescopic arms, the police act like bumbling trigger-happy fools, and a merry-go-round achieves warp-speed before a toothless old guy confuses a self-destruct lever for the brake. It's like something out of a fever-dream—illogical, perplexing and utterly deranged—a dreadful way to end what was proving to be a very enjoyable thriller.
6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.
helpful•4914
- BA_Harrison
- Aug 25, 2013
Details
Box office
- 1 hour 41 minutes
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