Review of Strangers on a Train (1951) by Michael C — 19 Jul 2009

While Hitchcock rarely (if ever) disappoints, this is one of those films showing him at the top of his game, creating a suspenseful yarn that jumps right into the central plot immediately and makes the audience hold on with anticipation and suspense til the conclusion.

Why this film isn't held in the same regard as Vertigo or Psycho is beyond me, and an act of blasphemy. This tale of a swap of murders that is lightly and amusingly discussed on a train among two strangers becomes rather chilling when one of the two men have the audacity to act on it.

Farley Granger is a likeable everyman in the role as a tennis star whom is trapped after a stranger murders his ex-wife, but Robert Walker is even more of a delight as Bruno Antony, a madman who is pampered by his mother and is determined to make his criminal plan unfold perfectly.

Technically (and mind you, Hitchcock is one of the masters in this area), this is one of Hitchcock's most accomplished films. The classic scene of the haywire carousel, the shot from the reflection in the glasses when the murder is taking place, and close-ups that tell more about character than any line make this a wonderful film to dissect visually, and truly this is a film that can reward one after repeated viewings as Hitchcock crammed a lot into this 101 minute masterwork.

I would suggest this to anyone looking for an introduction to Hitchcock or someone who is an established fan, as it might just be the film from his body of work I enjoy most.