Tennis star Guy Haines (Granger) has a problem... his wife, Miriam Hains (Rogers) is a floozy, who won't sign divorce papers. He is in love with Anne Morton (Roman), the daughter of a senator, and wants to start a respectable life with her. On the train trip to talk sense into Miriam, he meets Bruno Anthony (Walker) who has an intriguing prospect: they exchange murders. Bruno will get rid of Miriam, allowing Guy to marry Anne without a scandal. Then Guy will kill Bruno's domineering father.
A few days later, Bruno goes to the Haines hometown and strangles Miriam, taking her glasses as a souvenir. But Guy is not impressed or pleased, and he refuses to discuss his end of the bargain. Soon Bruno is appearing everywhere: at Guy's practice tennis matches, at lunch with Anne's friends, at a dinner party hosted by Senator Morton (Carroll), and send maps and plans to Guy's apartment...
This is what good thrillers look like, Hollywood directors take note.
Definitely a peak in Hitchcock's filmography, this film has it all. The story and premise have been done in countless films, but somehow it feels fresh here. Then there are the memorable sequences, the little touches splayed throughout to remind the audience who is in charge. From the opening shots, focusing on the shoes of the two men, it is clear that your eyes will be in for a treat! Then there is carnival scene where Bruno follows Miriam... he is always just a few steps behind, and she is always look over her shoulder to make sure he can keep up and eventually catch her, and the way the murder is eventually shown - I'm not condoning the act, but the interesting way it was filmed... and countless other sequences that just work perfectly.
Overall the casting is also good. Robert Walker and Farley Granger (from Hitchcock's Rope) standout in the lead roles... but they are practically upstaged by Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, as Anne's sister Barbara. She has spunk and gets funny lines. Too bad she did not continue acting. The only sour note is Ruth Roman as Anne. The character never really comes alive. Maybe it is Roman's fault, maybe it is the character, maybe it is her chemistry with the rest of the cast... I don't know, but she just isn't on par with the rest.
A precursor to Hitchcock's famous films.... you won't be disappointed!
Strangers on a Train (1951) 101 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Farley Granger as Guy Haines
Ruth Roman as Anne Morton
Robert Walker as Bruno Anthony
Leo G. Carroll as Senator Morton
Patricia Hitchcock as Barbara Morton
Kasey Rogers as Miriam Joyce Haines
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