Review of Strangers on a Train (1951) by Millo T — 13 May 2011
Suspenseful and interesting, with a clever plot that is somewhat realistic save the ending where things just get silly. The movie is very well done, both visually and structurally, and the acting from the guy who plays the crazier of the two "conspirators" is great. Shame that actor died so young; he really could have been something.
The first 2/3rds of this film are some of Hitchcock's best, with some classic, beautifully shot and composed moments. The scene where our main character is looking toward the bleachers during a tennis match and everyone in the audience save one is following the movement of the ball is as beautiful as it is unnerving. And I loved the scene where the crazy man demonstrates at a party how to properly commit a murder. Brilliant.
The scariest part about it is how plausible the scenario presented in this movie is. And it's so simple. And almost foolproof in some ways. Or at least it was back then.
Unfortunately the movie loses it's way in the last third, culminating in a silly, yet tense and beautifully shot, action scene involving a renegade merry-go-round. The resolution just didn't do it for me. I wished something more had happened, or that ***SPOILERS** the crazy guy hadn't ended up dying the way he died. ***END SPOILERS**.
Still, it's a very good film, extremely suspenseful, and unique. Watch!
This review of Strangers on a Train (1951) was written by Millo T on 13 May 2011.
Strangers on a Train has generally received very positive reviews.
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