Review of Strangers on a Train (1951) by Daniel P — 05 Apr 2011
An astounding masterpiece, made better by the preview cut discovered in 1991 which builds on the homoerotic subtext between Guy and Bruno (who at one point I kept expecting to make out - though this is undoubtedly more to do with my own deviant imagination).
The story is recognisably the work of Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr Ripley) whilst the suspense, visuals and dénouement are pure Hitchcock, and it's a fantastic combination. Acting across the board - Farley Granger, Robert Walker and even Hitchcock's own daughter, Patricia, is wonderful and the twists and turns are hugely satisfying.
The two most memorable sequences are a tennis match cut together with Bruno's attempt to retrieve a significant items from a drain, and a "chase" on a carousel on full speed - a scene which by the way is all the more exciting for a surprising amount of (implied) violence.
This review of Strangers on a Train (1951) was written by Daniel P on 05 Apr 2011.
Strangers on a Train has generally received very positive reviews.
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