A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person... Read allA psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person.A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total
- Miriam Joyce Haines
- (as Laura Elliott)
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
- Boatman
- (uncredited)
- Dowager
- (uncredited)
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
- Tennis Match Spectator
- (uncredited)
- Tennis Umpire
- (uncredited)
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
Strangers is a truly involving film, one that takes you on a ride you won't forget anytime soon, it has one of the best examples of buildup you could find on film, and as soon as it ends the film takes you on a journey that entertains and terrifies and even makes you laugh. This is a truly brilliant example of film-making, every shot is drenched in suspense, every cut is masterful, every detail important, every second exciting, it never lets go till the very end, and what an ending that is, a delicious bit of humor that is perfectly in tone with the rest of this delightful masterpiece.
Some have criticized Farley Granger's performance as Guy Haines, but it really is quite perfect; he delivered all his lines well and makes us feel honestly sympathetic towards him. Robert Walker is simply genius as Bruno Anthony, a great character that wouldn't have been nearly as memorable without Robert Walker's devilishly evil portrayal of him. The supporting cast are good, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Kasey Rogers, Howard St. John and Patricia Hitchcock all deliver good performances that enhance what was already a good film and make it a great film. Alfred Hitchcock's direction is, as always, sublime.
What makes "Strangers" so good is the simple plot. It isn't a complicated story, two strangers meet on a train, and one comes up with a crazy plot: "You do my murder, I do yours." One takes it as a joke and shrugs it off, but the other takes himself seriously and goes on to commit the murder he offered to, getting the 'good guy' into huge trouble. The script is adapted superbly well by Whitfield Cook from a novel by Patricia Highsmith.
This is really one of Hitchcock's most interesting films from a technical perspective while also providing more than enough laughs, suspense, and thrills to keep just about anybody engaged.
10/10
- ametaphysicalshark
- Aug 15, 2006
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train'
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $26,597
- Gross worldwide
- $31,384
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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![Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, and Robert Walker in Strangers on a Train (1951)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWJjOGM4NmEtNDE2YS00OGEyLTkwZWItMGM4YzdhZDZhMzNhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDI2NDg0NQ@@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,1,90,133_.jpg)