Class Act/Thriller
Strangers On A Train
Click here to buy now: Strangers on a Train (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Distributed By: Warner Home Video
Reviewed by Justine Manzano
Sometimes, I find, we are so busy with the day to day of our lives that we never
get the chance to enjoy some of the good things we weren’t there for. For
instance, I am far too young to have ever watched an Alfred Hitchcock movie upon
it’s initial release. After that, who has time to play catch up and try to find
everything you have missed? There is so much great material to wade through,
trying can be daunting. That’s the beautiful thing about film class. It’s a
guided tour through wonderfully made films that have made an impact on the
industry. This time, Film 101 led me to one of Hitchcock’s timeless greats,
Strangers On A Train.
The story follows talented tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) who happens to bump into Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) on a train. Bruno immediately begins to recite a million and one things about Guy that he has learned through the press and Guy is obviously hesitant about talking to this fellow, as it seems that he is just a tad obsessed with him. It doesn’t take Bruno long to reveal what he really wants from Guy. Bruno, who is currently very unhappy with his father’s supposed mistreatment of him, has heard that Guy is also unhappy. Guy is having some difficulty obtaining a divorce from his estranged wife, Miriam Joyce Haines (Laura Elliott), which he needs, if he is going to move forward in his relationship with Ruth Roman (Anne Morton), a senator’s daughter. Bruno suggests that he get rid of Guy’s wife, and in return, Guy could get rid of his father. At first, Guy plays along, believing that Bruno is joking. They comment on how it would be the perfect crime, as they are complete strangers and there is no way that anyone could possibly draw a connection between them.
To Guy, the conversation is a forgettable joke,
shared by him and this good-natured, albeit odd, stranger. But when his wife
turns up dead after a particularly public argument between them, Guy realizes he
is in trouble. He knows he didn’t do it, so Bruno is the only likely suspect.
Now, Guy owes Bruno a murder—and though Guy will try, Bruno has no intention of
letting him out of his debt.
The acting in this movie is amazing. Granger is so good at playing fear, you sweat for him as every inch of his body looks seriously tense from the moment he discovers that his wife has been murdered. But despite Granger’s excellent performance, Walker steals the show. His Bruno somehow manages to be endearing and psychotic at the same time. It is a strange feet to watch him as he grows increasingly insane as the scenes go on and eventually, his insanity is there for plain view. Anyone can see it. This takes a great deal of acting skill to portray, and Walker manages it.
After watching this movie, I certainly understand the hype about Hitchcock. For one thing, the story is brilliant, taking you through several twists and turns as you watch Guy try to prove his innocence while trying to avoid Bruno, who is hounding him for reciprocation. There is a motif of paths crossing, achieved by using intercutting to show how both men are going through certain events, that raises tensions and makes this movie gripping. Such intercutting is most evident during the single most exciting tennis match I’ve ever seen, in which Guy struggles to quickly finish the game and slip past the police while Bruno attempts to plant evidence at the crime scene that would point to Guy. It is also used in the gripping and alarming final scene of the movie.
This movie is a film student’s dream, but it can also be yours. We love it because everything we have learned about film is utilized in a uniquely interesting way. Non-film students can also appreciate the pulse-pounding story and the way the movie just sucks you right in and you are in for the ride. I’ve come to a conclusion. Sometimes, it’s hard for some to get past how dated something looks, but one thing is for sure—in most cases, there is a reason why a classic is a classic. This is definitely one time I can say that I understand the hype. Strangers On A Train, deserves to be a classic and so, obviously, does Hitchcock.
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