Strangers on a Train

This 1951 Hitchcock movie is fantastic. In the late fifties Jimmy Stewart became the go to guy for many of the Hitchcock movies but this movie, being earlier, in the decade had no one in the cast I had ever heard of.

No matter, one thing I have learned from watching Alf red's movies is that they are all fantastic and this movie is nothing short of that.

Centering on a chance meeting between a young tennis pro named Guy Haines. Played by Farley Granger, Haines is married to a crass, adulterous, woman and wants a divorce so that he too can marry the daughter of a Senator he has been dating. As a slightly famous person Haines is not shocked to be recognized on the the train he is traveling by a man named Bruno Anthony. Played brilliantly by Robert Walker Bruno is forward and loud. He discusses the items currently appearing in the gossip columns about Haines wife and his own lovelife.

Guy is uncomfortable with the conversation but allows himself to be drawn in. He is shocked however as the conversation extends to hear Bruno say that the perfect murder would be for two people who do not know each other to swap murders to commit. His reasoning is that with no ties to the victims both crimes would be unsolvable. Haines cuts the conversation short, realizing that the man might well be unbalanced.

We, as the audience, know what is going to happen and we are not disappointed. We see it happen. Soon enough as Haines returns home one night Bruno is waiting for him to tell him that he has completed his half of the deal. Haines shocked and surprised to see Bruno again does not believe Bruno's claims but when the phone rings inside and Bruno tells him that will undoubtedly be the police he realizes what he is caught up in.

What does Guy do? Does he go to the police and confess what he has got caught up in. Or does he get sucked into the murder plot further and actually commit the unspeakable act.

With some great scenes set around an amusement park Hitchcock again brings all the moving parts together to an exciting ending. He was perhaps the greatest filmmaker of his time and it is surprising in a way how little he is referenced as one of the greats. Perhaps thrillers are not considered as worthy of the great epics such as the works of David Leen. More likely in our now is better culture we revere the works of Spielberg and Malick, both great directors, and forget who came before.

This is a wonderful movie.