Strangers on a Train Reviews

• Widescreen vs. 35mm for Strangers on a Train

  
  By A35UNON2GI8C0R on 2000-01-22
  It's important to note two things about this edition of "Strangers on a Train." First off, the description on Amazon.com's page is incorrect. This DVD is not in widescreen. The second thing is, to you widescreen buffs out there (including myself) -- Relax! This film was never shot in widescreen. In fact, prior to 1953 (The Robe), there was never anything bigger than 35mm! This is why this film (and you'll be surprised to hear), many, many classic films will never be produced in widescreen. They don't exist. You should buy this DVD because of the video quality and the extra "goodies." Gone with the Wind in widescreen? Nope, never was, even though it was blown up to 70mm and cropped horribly in the 1968 re-issue. What's out there on DVD on Gone with the Wind is standard 35mm "TV semi-square" framing, because that's the way it was shot. Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane? Nope, never shot in anything greater than 35mm. It's a Wonderful Life? No again. Widescreen is limited to theatrical films issued for the most part, after 1953, when competition with television forced studios to come up with the "panoramic" gimmicks to bring people back into the theaters. This is period (1953-1963) when Cinemascope, Todd-AO, VistaVision, Super Panavision 70 and other widescreen formats were born -- and the most extreme example was Cinerama, which used three cameras and is used to best effect in the DVD version of How the West Was Won. So don't fret, this DVD is good, crisp and clean and formatted as Alfred Hitchcock intended! Tomorrow's movies will be in IMAX (see Fantasia 2000, in selected theaters now).
  
  

• Hitchcock on the right track

  
  By A35J4XGRWXVZ00 on 2000-07-11
  "Strangers on a Train" is that rarity, an Alfred Hitchcock film concerning which one talks about an actor's performance almost as much as the director's. The actor, of course, is Robert Walker, presenting his remarkable portrayal of Bruno Anthony, the rich, unstable man who offers the hero Guy Haines a deadly proposition: he'll kill Guy's wife Miriam (played by the interesting Laura Elliott) if Guy will kill Bruno's father. Because they are strangers on a train who do not know their intended victims, there will be no motives, therefore perfect alibis. Guy doesn't take Bruno seriously, which turns out to be a fatal mistake. Bruno is a complicated part. Although he is obssessed with his own superiority, he can be incredibly petty (popping a little boy's balloon just for the meanness of it), not to mention prissy ("I'm afraid I don't know what a `smoocher' is!"). The character seems to overshadow the entire movie, which is appropriate, because Bruno casts a shadow over the easy, affluent world in which he lives. When he crashes the senator's cocktail party, it's like Satan has arrived, striding through polite society. And, no, Walker was not nominated for an Oscar. Neither was Joseph Cotten for "Shadow of a Doubt". Neither was Anthony Perkins for "Psycho". The Academy evidently had difficulty with Hitchcock's anti-heroes. Hitchcock originally wanted William Holden for the role of Guy Haines, but I think Holden was so savvy and macho, it would have been difficult to accept him as a psycopath's pawn. Farley Granger is atheletic enough to be convincing as a tennis champ, but he has a boyishness which makes the vulnerable aspects of the character believable. The film is filled with the touches one associates with Hitchcock. Some are obvious, like Miriam's strangulation reflected in her eyeglasses. Others are more subtle: After the murder, Bruno approaches Guy outside Guy's apartment house. At first Guy cannot tell who is calling his name in the dark. Bruno is standing near a large gate with wrought-iron bars; and, as Guy comes near him, he steps behind the gate -- in other words, he's behind bars. Then, after he has told Guy about Miriam's death and Guy is absorbing the shock, a police car pulls up in front of Guy's apartment house and Guy himself ducks behind the gate. Now they're BOTH behind bars. Hitchcock was a genius, no doubt about it.I wonder how many viewers have noticed the odd discrepency near the end. Bruno has stepped off the train at Metcalf, holding the incriminating cigarette lighter he hopes to plant on the amusement park island, thus framing Guy. A pedestrian brushes by him and the lighter falls into a storm drain in the street. Bruno, frantic, tries to enlist the aid of passersby. However, he says (not once but twice) "I dropped my cigarette CASE in the drain!" Walker, of course, was in the process of drinking himself to death; but the mistake could easily have been corrected with a little dubbing. It's bothered me for years why it wasn't.Director of Photography Robert Burks began his long association with Hitchcock on this picture. He must have worked night and day to satisfy Hitchcock's demands, but his loveliest effect is the amusement park's neon lights against a glowing black-and-white sunset.The film's mood is enhanced by Dimitri Tiomkin's romantically mysterious score. It's particularly striking in the movie's"coda" when Guy is trying desperately to finish a tennis game (allegro) and Bruno is desperately trying to reach that damn lighter (adagio). Hitchcock and Tiomkin worked a couple of more times together but never more effectively than in thisdazzling masterpiece.
  
  

• Hitchcock's Best!

  
  By A1LGJ0NMLQ7OH9 on 1999-08-14
  "Strangers On A Train" should be rated as Hitchcock's absolute best.

  To begin with, it features a perfect performance by Robert Walker, an actor who would be dead within a year after making this great movie.

  Walker had previously played some wonderful roles, but he astounded the world with his acting ability once "Strangers On A Train" was released.

  Aside from Walker's amazing performance, "Strangers On A Train" is full of half-hidden meanings which relate to the dual personality each of us possesses.

  Hitchcock was a true genius, who not only understood both the dark and the bright sides of the human psyche, but who also knew how to depict that understanding by way of film.

  I have watched "Strangers On A Train" a dozen or more times, and never tire of watching it yet again, each time finding something new that I had not noticed the time I watched it before.

  But, the main reason I watch this film so often is to enjoy the exceptional , perfect performance by Robert Walker. Walker was only in his 30s when he died. He was a tragic figure in real life. He died much too soon, and we are very fortunate to be able to observe his wonderful talent, preserved in this movie, almost fifty years after his passing.
  
  

• Hitch's first in a stream of classic films

  
  By AQP1VPK16SVWM on 2004-09-11
  Although there's no doubt that Hitchcock directed a number of classic films before "Strangers on a Train", it seemed as if this film somehow liberated him in some way. After "Strangers" he directed a string of classic films which have rarely been surpassed. The themes that always sprinkled his best work come to the fore in this terrific film. Although the narrative and the film has some minor flaws, they're easy to overlook given the power of this marvelous motion picture.
  
  Guy Haines (Farley Granger)a tennis pro wants a divorce from his gold digging wife Miriam(Laura Elliot aka Kasey Rogers). Turns out she doesn't want a divorce anymore now that Guy has a socialite girlfriend (Ruth Roman)who is the daughter of a prominent senator. Miriam (curiously, also the name of Janet Leigh's character in "Psycho")is pregnant with another man's child and wants as much as possible from Guy. On the train back to Washington D.C. guy meets Bruno Antony (the marvelous Robert Walker)a psychopathic killer in the making. Bruno engages Guy in conversation and Guy tells him about his wife. Bruno suggests that he can come up with the perfect murder; they swap murders and, since they don't really know each other, the police will not be able to connect the murders to them. Guy humors Bruno thinking nothing of it. Until Bruno follows through on his part of the "bargain" in a brilliant, stunning sequence reflected in the glasses of the victim. Now Bruno is stalking Guy insisting that he complete his part of the bargain.
  
  This deluxe two disc edition improves on the previous single disc dual sided edition of a couple of years ago. This set includes both the theatrical release and the preview release (mistakenly referred to as the "British" release on the previous edition). We also get a number of terrific extras on this two disc set including 4 short documentaries and an extra carried over from the previous edition of Hitchcock promoting "Strangers on a Train" with some local performers dressed in colonial costumes. Although this section has no sound and has no titles explain the action (it is explained on the previous edition however), it's a fascinating glimpse into the past. We hear about the Hitchcocks from their daughter and granddaughters. We also hear about the making of the film from Robert Walker's son, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell, film critic Richard Schickel and others. The only short I felt was a waste of time was comments from director M. Night Shyamalan who sounds a bit like a drolling film student here. That would be OK but he doesn't make any observations that amount to anything.
  
  The first disc contains the original theatrical version with a commentary track by "Psycho" and "The Outer Limits" screenwriter Josephn Stefano, director Peter Bogdanovich, Patricia Highsmith biographer Andrew Wilson, various cast family members and Hitchcock himself from an interview. The film has never looked so great before on DVD. The previous edition looked good but had signficant grain problems, analog artifacts and had a picture that tended on the soft side. The picture here is sharper with better clarity and richer blacks, whites and grays than the single disc edition.
  
  Disc two contains all the extras plus the preview version which has a couple of minutes that were cut from the final version. In this version there's a bit more interplay between Bruno and Guy "suggesting" that Bruno is gay. Again, the picture here is a marked improvement for similar reasons. Evidently when Jack Warner saw Hitchcock's preview version, he agreed with the original ending that Hitchcock had in mind.
  
  A great movie just got greater and the fact that this is in a plastic amray case vs. the cardboard snapcases is a marked improvement. Highly recommended for both Hitchcock fans and those interested in learning about the master of suspense.
  
  

• One of the Greatest Thrillers of All Time: Hitchcock Presents Highsmith!

  
  By A2GYX971VETQBV on 2005-10-16
  STRANGERS ON A TRAIN is a wonderful thriller. I am always amazed at the amount of suspense and tension that Hitchcock is able to create in each of his movies. What passes for "thrillers" these days has none of the heart or excitement of his films and this picture is one of his best. Moreover, if you enjoy Patricia Highsmith's novels (or the films that have been made from them), you will love this film. Highsmith seems to have a flair for giving us extremely creepy, psychopathic murderers. Yet, at the same time, she manages to breathe life into Bruno Anthony (played by Robert Walker). Of course, he is an amoral, calculating murderer (as many of her villains are), yet we come to sympathize with him in strange ways. Regarding the "homoerotic" content of his performance, I agree with other reviewers who say that it is so subtle as to be completely negligible: one could either chalk up his behavior to homoerotic feelings he has for Guy, or you could simply pass it off as the deranged actions of a mad man. In any case, while it may add depth to his character, it is certainly not necessary for delving into this film (or enjoying it).
  
  The plot is rather simple: two strangers meet on a train and one of them casually proposes that they each "swap" murders. Neither of them would have a motive for killing each other's "nuisance" and it would solve both of their problems. The only trouble is, only one of the strangers is a psychopath with any murderous intentions. When Bruno completes his end of the "bargain," he leaves Guy in a tough spot: since Guy is the only one with a motive it appears that Guy himself is guilty of the crime. The rest of the film is a game of cat & mouse between Bruno and Guy and the storytelling is absolutely phenomenal.
  
  As always, Hitchcock is at the top of his game. I found myself just marveling at the angles and the composition in this film. His use of lighting (and, of course, the absence of lighting) is absolutely perfect. Hitchcock could tell an entire story just with his choice of lighting and shadows. There is also the famous "tennis" shot, in which the entire audience is flipping their heads back and forth, keeping up with the game. All of the heads, that is, except for one: Bruno's. His steady gaze is fixed upon Guy's position, burning a hole in his chest. It is absolutely perfect.
  
  As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of Hitchcock. But even if you are not a huge fan, I think you owe it to yourself to see STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It is widely regarded as one of his best films and it should have a broad appeal. One word to the wise: make sure you buy a good transfer of this film (such as this set). Many of Hitchcock's films have been horribly transferred onto cheaper DVD's (and it shows).
  
  
• Hitchcock at his best!
  By A11LPSBOVN03VS on 1999-08-07
  One of my favorite Hitchcock flicks! I first saw this film in a theatre about 20 years ago- and I was astounded. The glorious black and white cinematography, Warner Brothers trademark bombastic bass sound, Tiompkin's thrilling soundtrack music- it just knocked my socks off. Upon successive viewings I found more and more nuggets of meaning buried in the movie. The theme of doubles is everywhere, represented as either opposites or "twins":

  Bruno and Guy / Bruno's wife and girlfriend / Bruno's father and Guy's future father-in-law / Tennis racket and cigarette lighter / Guy's wife and look-alike Pat Hitchcock / The two pairs of shoes at the beginning / The sets of railroad tracks / The pairs of glasses / Guy's fiance and Bruno's mother /

  There are so many different "romances"/fascinations presented in this movie that one wonders if any of the characters is truly well-adjusted (with the exception of Leo G. Carroll). Consider:

  Bruno and his mother: Oedipal / Bruno and Guy: Love/hate / Bruno and "Dear old Dad": Definitely hate / Bruno and Pat Hitchcock: ? / Guy and his wife / Guy and his fiance: Masochistic (just kidding) / Bruno's short "courtship" of Guy's wife /

  Dark humor lurks everwhere:

  The lobster on Bruno's tie / The title's of the carousel songs playing in the background / The name on the side of Bruno's boat at the park / Constant references to the "appetite" Guy's wife has (on her "last night out") / Bruno's comments to the judge (at the party)

  This is a film that should be required viewing for anyone who considers themself a serious student of the art of film. If you haven't seen "Strangers On A Train", do yourself a favor and rent it now! Be prepared to watch it several times to catch everything that's happening "behind the scenes". "Bruno is a very clever fellow." Indeed!
  
  

• Ruth Roman is GORGEOUS!
  By A2NU8YF1SL1UVJ on 2001-10-23
  When people talk about Hitchcock's beautiful leading ladies, you often hear the names Tippi Hedren, Grace Kelly, Ingred Bergman, etc...and no wonder! But perhaps the most overlooked beauty of all time has got to be Ruth Roman, who plays Guy's fiance in this movie. Hubba Hubba!!!

  Not a lot of "chemistry" between her and Farley Granger, though. I wonder why...

  Robert Walker is excellent, of course. Did you notice the song "Babyface" playing in the amusement park? A joking reference to Walker's personal appearance?

  Laura Elliot is fantastic as Miriam!!! She's truly one of the most dispicable characters Hitchcock ever put to film...certainly more villainous than Bruno. I mean, come on, weren't you sorta HOPING Bruno would kill her?!? Though Elliot is probably an attractive lady under normal circumstances, the thick glasses were an excellent touch, giving her a beady-eyed, rodenty appearance.

  Pat Hitchcock was great in this, too. Very likable as she was in "Psycho," and she really does a great job of putting across the terror she feels when Bruno is playing the "strangling game."

  Two main problems with this flick, though: First is the tennis match. Could it go on just a little longer (sarcasm)? It does work really well when cutting back and forth to the lighter-dropped-in-drain sequence, but there's way too much tennis prior to that. This is a suspense thriller, not a sports reel! The other problem is the often mentioned gun shot into the carousel. It was ridiculous that the cop would shoot in the first place, and then REALLY ridiculous that the lever apparently had a "super dangerous" speed setting!!! So dangerous, in fact, that turning it off again would cause the whole thing to come crashing down!!! It is a really suspenseful sequence, but it takes a lot of disbelief suspension.
  
  

• Great to have both endings !
  By on 1999-07-08
  Since I've read reviews on this movie, I had always wanted to see both endings, the original American and the British. By putting both versions on one disc, Warners has shown the genius and the experimentation Hitchcock showed in this case. One minor complaint I have is that there is no letterboxed version. Oh well. The black and white is incredible, and, as he demonstrates in Psycho, very nerve-wracking. This film would be more mundane if it was in color.
  
  
• HITCHCOCK NO STRANGER TO STELLAR SUSPENSE
  By A1M9DQDGE07Q0U on 2004-08-29
  "Strangers on a Train" (1951) is often credited as beginning Hitchcock's second renaissance in Hollywood film making. After terminating his relationship with formidable producer, David O. Selznick, Hitch drifted into several undistinguished independent productions and a series of thrillers that, although solid box office, in hindsight seemed to lack in originality or staying power. "Strangers" was the exception to this tenure, launching the master of suspense on an uninterupted string of chilling cinema classics. It's a diabolical struggle of wills between the seemingly congenial tennis pro, Guy Haines (Farley Granger) and his sycophantic admirer, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). When the two accidentally meet on a west bound train they exchange intriguing ideas on how to commit the perfect murder. Just one problem; Bruno takes the game seriously, murdering Guy's pregnant wife, Miriam (Kasey Rogers) in what is perhaps Hitchcock's most terrifying cinematic example of strangulation. After flirting with Miriam (a woman of easy virtue) Bruno lures her to a secluded island at an amusement park. The reflection of Miriam's silent demise is captured in a reflection inside her horn-rimmed glasses. As pay back, Bruno instructs Guy to kill his father. The suggestion does not go over well. However, trapped by the fact that Guy's new girlfriend, Anne Morton (Ruth Roman) and her family have met Bruno and believe him to be a close friend, the plot slowly spirals into a delicate web of deception, wherein both Anne and her sister, Barbara (Patricia Hitchcock) slowly begin to suspect that perhaps Guy is not nearly as innocent as he pretends to be. This is decidedly a high water mark in Hitchcock's tenure, capped off by a visceral climax aboard a careening carousel.
  
  Previously this film was made available as a flipper disc containing both the U.S. and British versions of the film. Warner's new 2-disc edition contains both versions, both digitally remastered for improved picture quality, plus a host of extra features. The gray scale is impeccably balanced with deep, rich and solid blacks and very clean whites. While the previously issued disc contained moments where the image appeared to suffer from an overly soft characteristic, this newly minted DVD exhibits a very sharp image throughout. Fine detail is fully realized. There's a complete lack of age related artifacts or digital anomalies for a picture that will surely NOT disappoint! The audio is mono but equally impressive and very nicely restored. A very comprehensive documentary accompanies this disc as well as several news reel items and the theatrical trailer.
  
  
  
  
• A highlight among recent Hitchcock DVDs
  By A3GRN6J64F2C3X on 2004-09-17
  A razor-sharp image and ample extras make this DVD a terrific way to experience this top-tier Hitchcock title. A personal tip, though: if you never saw the film before, experience it first by watching the slightly shorter theatrical cut, rather than the alternate "preview" cut also included. The final theatrical cut is tighter and better paced, and contains a much more creative and satisfying ending, appropriately set on a train, that is entirely missing from the preview cut. It's funny, though... for a film that is often noted for its supposed homosexual subtext, such a theme isn't mentioned once in the ample documentary materials. I guess the current official line is that it's up to the viewer to decide what is and isn't there regarding Guy and Bruno's relationship. In any event, this is a first-class DVD treatment of a great film.
  
  
• This movie was shot in 4:3 not widescreen
  By A1DF63P46AT5FW on 2000-01-10
  This movie is great and the two versions on one disc is a great bonus. However they made a mistake on the description of this movie it is not and never will be a widescreen film. So relax SRGRANGER its okay you have the movie in it's original form.
  
  
• Criss-Cross
  By A2ZSC81MXLBELX on 2004-01-02
  This review refers to the Warner Bros. DVD edition of "Strangers On a Train".....

  Had I only been reviewing the film alone, there is no doubt I would go 5 stars for this great film. Five stars hardly covers it for this cinematic work of art, that defines the genius of Alfred Hitchcock. But alas, the transfer to DVD will be a big disapointment to Hitch fans, as it was not given the attention this treasure deserved.

  First the story... Even if you didn't know this was a Hitch film, you will immediatley recognize this as a work from the master of suspense. All the tell-tale trademarks are there. As the film opens, the camera work brillantly shows everything in pairs. Two pairs of shoes, from what are obviously two very different styles of dress,two pairs of railroad tracks criss-crossing, and finally the two very different men that fill the shoes... have a chance meeting. Guy Haines,professional tennis player and an upright kind of guy, and Bruno Antony, a mysterious,slick fellow have a conversation. Guy, it seems has an unfaithful wife, who won't divorce him, so he can be with the woman he loves. Bruno has a deep resentment for his father.It is then we learn how really psychotic Bruno is. His idea...a "Criss-Cross"."I'll do your murder"..he tells Guy "and you do mine".Guy sluffs off this very chilling notion, but soon learns that Bruno is not going to let it go. Soon Guy finds himself as a murder suspect and must prove his innocence.

  The story, with the screenplay by Raymond Chandler and Czenzi Ormonde, is suspensed filled and as in all Hitchcock films, we feel the need to warn the hero, but can only sit and watch with our hearts in our throats.The shadows, light, and expert camera work all add to the thrill of it all.Hitch as usual picks the perfect cast. Farley Granger as Guy has you in his corner all the way. Robert Walker couldn't be any more chilling. Rounding out the cast with wonderful performances are Ruth Roman, Patricia Hitchcock, Leo G Carroll, who appears in many of Hitch's films and always immaculate, and for a real treat look for Marion Lorne, the beloved 'Aunt Clara" from "Bewitched".The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is masterfully chilling as well.

  Looking for Hitch....You won't have to wait long..about ten minutes in..more double trouble as Hitch boards a train with his 'double' bass fiddle.

  Now for the DVD transfer. There's good news and bad news. The good news is that this disc contains the recently discovered British pre-release. This version has been edited differently in some places as Hitch felt certain scenes would play better in England, and some better in the states.You'll find some production notes included explaining the reasons. There is also an old publicity newsreel of Hitch promoting his film, and although there is no sound it is still fun to watch. There are subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and may be viewed in French as well.The bad news..as mentioned above the transfer itself. The black and white images, seemed dingy. Jump to almost any scene and you will see signs of age. It is scratchy and grainey. The sound is in DD1.0. Some enhancement would be a welcome addition(we want to hear every sound that Hitch intended).It really pains me to go three stars for this treasure..but I can only recommend the film and not the DVD.

  This was a pretty intense film way back in 1951 and still is today! Unless you are as crazy for Hitch as I am(and feel an intense need to have everything every filmed by him), you may want to wait and hope for a better release(Warner Bros..are you listening?).If by some chance, you have not seen it though, and love a great film-noir..rent it, borrow it, do whatever it takes to see this classic.

  It's a geat ride....Laurie
  
  

• Hitchcock's creepiest of all
  By A3H6MNSBAZDRJF on 2005-11-06
  Ironically, it was in the Hays Code era, when all overt sexuality had to be stamped out, that gave us some of the most memorable gay characters onscreen. Captain Renault in Casablanca, Plato in Rebel Without a Cause, and perhaps the most compelling of all, Bruno Anthony in Strangers on a Train.
  The story, like most Hitchcock, starts out simply. A handsome tennis star Guy (Farley Granger) is approached on a train by an overeager fan, Bruno Anthony (the sublime Robert Walker). Bruno seems just a touch too eager to converse with Guy. He knows way too much about Guy's personal life (including the fact that Guy is involved in a messy divorce and is currently seeing a senator's daughter). The conversation turns weirder, however, when Bruno proposes a "criss-cross" murder -- Bruno will whack Guy's troublesome wife, and Guy will whack Bruno's hated father. Guy is shocked, but pretends to play along, perhaps to get rid of Bruno. Guy gets off the train, and really thinks nothing of the conversation.
  However, as Guy goes home, he gets into a bitter argument with his wife Miriam, who is pregnant with another man's child. His wife refuses to divorce him. They have a very public loud argument. Later that night, Miriam goes to a carnival with two male "friends" (Hitchcock implies that she's headed for a threeway), and she's stalked by Bruno, who's keeping up his end of the bargain. Miriam is quietly strangled to death as the carnival music plays. And now Bruno expects Guy to keep up *his* end of the bargain, which is to kill Bruno's hated father.
  Strangers on a Train is about a lot of things, but mostly I found it to be a study of moral ambiguity, and the capacity to murder in all of us. Guy hates his wife, and if pressed he would probably admit he wanted her dead. When she actually turns up dead, he feels a mixture of guilt and unwilling complicity. In one scene, Bruno chats it up with some elderly society ladies, and they gleefully begin to fantasize about how to kill their husbands. All in good fun, of course, but it's chilling to see how imaginative they become.
  This movie is also about frustrated homosexuality. Bruno is gay -- there's little doubt about that. His father wants him sent away to an institution, no doubt to be "cured." His conversations with Guy are extremely homoerotic -- in his own twisted way, he's trying to get Guy's love. Robert Walker is masterful in this role -- he's handsome, overtly friendly, yet wonderful at expressing Bruno's psychotic nature. The final scene in the carousel is a study in sublimated sex -- watch the way Bruno and Guy tumble around, and Bruno repeatedly kicks Guy.
  As usual, this Hitchcock film is loaded with imagery, particularly of "crisscrossing." The first is at the very beginning of the movie, when shoes "crisscross" on the train. The lighter which becomes the incriminating evidence in Miriam's murder also has a crisscross engraving. Bruno's bathrobe has criss-crossed print patterns. This is an incredibly well-made film, with not a minute wasted. This is perhaps Hitchcock's darkest film of all -- he plumbs the depths of evil, and not just in Bruno the murderer, but in everybody.
  
  
• Great edition of fine film
  By on 2000-01-12
  Hitchcock was coming off a string of failures when he made this movie. His undertainty about commercial success (always a worry of his) caused him to make an uncharacteristic move: multiple edits and two different endings. If you've never seen the "British" version, this one is very revealing. Quality of the DVD is pretty good, but not perfect (still saw film flaws from time to time).
  
  
• Careening Carousel
  By A1GHUN5HXMHZ89 on 2004-10-05
  Some of Hitchcock's early works are hit or miss. But at least four including "Strangers on a Train" are excellent. Who hasn't played what if I murdered this person? Most friends have sat around discussing murder scenarios. Now imagine you think you are playing that game on a train with a stranger, but they aren't playing. They really mean it.
  
  When they really kill the person you thought they were pretending to plot against, they expect you to do the same for them. Any fan of classic movies must see this, and for fans of Hitchcock it is a must have. Some great scenes with a strangulation and a carousel out of control put this one over the top of suspended believe, but then that is his style (see North by Northwest). If you plan to collect the best of Hitchcock, add this to your collection.
  
  
• High-smith; low-to-middlin' Hitch
  By on 2000-04-11
  OK, we all know Hitchcock was the filmmaker of the century- that's a given. But this movie dates very badly to my eye, and I'm not convinced it was one of his better pieces to begin with. Granted, I'm biased from having read the more subtle and sinister original novel by Patricia Highsmith, one of my favorite authors (it's out of print in the U.S., but worth reading if you can find a British import copy, as I did).

  You could have dressed a chunk of firewood in a little outfit and gotten more convincing acting than Farley Granger's. Or Ruth Roman's, for that matter. Even Robert Walker seems quaint, with his mannered Latent Homosexual Creep (ooo, scary!)

  It would spoil both movie and book to detail the ways in which Hitch and his writers watered down Highsmith to make the story more conventional and crowd-pleasing. I'll just say that the much-ballyhooed merry-go-round climax embodies every smart writer's fear of what Hollywood will do to their work.

  Don't get me wrong, this is fairly entertaining: gorgeous B&W cinematography, a premise that's a humdinger (I liked Pat Hitchcock's performance, too). But if you're talking about something genuinely gripping and unsettling, you're talking about Highsmith. I'm not one of those stuck-up types who think adaptations have to stick faithfully to the originals- I just think the changes have to be the right ones.
  
  

• The original mother fixation!
  By AB8J1LJTCJ8LI on 2000-12-31
  Before Norman Bates ever graced the scene, Hitchcock gave us Bruno Anthony with a very real mother fixation! However, unlike PSYCHO, it is not the central theme of the movie. I finally got around to watching this movie last night; I'm still wondering what took me so long to watch this masterpiece! Everyone is wonderful in their roles, especially Robert Walker, and, although she only has a few scenes, a very funny Marion Lorne as his mother. After a slightly slow start, the film becomes very intense. The first scene at the carnival, with Bruno stalking Miriam Haines (who's flattered by what she perceives to be a potential suitor?) is fantastic. Classic Hitchcock touches are all through this movie. The way Hitch singles out Bruno in the crowd at the tennis match is brilliant! This movie is a must, for no other reason than to see the nail-biting climax on the carousel!
  
  
• An over looked masterpiece.
  By A1DTCJV6KOMJOA on 2001-06-09
  Strangers on the train is one of those films that not everyone has scene but once you have it just sticks to your memory. Hitchcock is in top form ...the elements of intrigue and suspense are heightened leaving the viewer with a sense of tourture as you await the film's climax. The plot is as dark and unsettling too! Two guys meet (Walker and Granger) and plan to bump off each others intended victims so they get away with the crimes but only one guy takes this seriously and in doing so the film picks up the pace... Walker plays Bruno a rich playboy who seems to have mental problems as the film develops. Granger plays Guy a tennis star who wants to divorce his wife so he can marry a senator's daughter. So one night Bruno does the deed of killing Guy's wife at a state fair in hopes of Guy killing off Bruno's controlling father. Bruno strangles Guy's wife with such bravado taht her glasses fall off her face and crack in half!When Guy does not return the favor Bruno, stalks and haunts Guy with such a fever and eerie calm that it leaves chills down your spine! The last twenty minutes is a nail biter! The movie seems to be building from the begining with a weird sexual tension between the two male leads. This is a usual occurence in Hitchcock flicks but it adds another level of perversion to the already heart pounding climax! The question at the end becomes did Bruno murder Guy's wife so that Guy would return the favor or did he do in hopes of winning over Guy's affections? You be the Judge.
  
  
• I was laughing at all the plot holes
  By on 2001-06-27
  Can't believe most people loved this thing. Here are a few random questions some of which may be spoilers: 1. No one but a drunk man saw him on the train? What about the ticket taker? After all, he is relatively famous. Hard to believe. 2. Why go thru the long-drawn out episode of him creeping into the father's house and bedroom? Why not just knock on the front door? Hard to believe 3. He is encouraged to keep playing tennis after his wife is murdered or people will find that suspicious. Hardly!! Your wife is murdered and people would expect you to take time off to grieve. This was bad writing. 4. The cop just kind of blindly fires into the Merry go round. Yeah right. What cop is going to do that with all those kids? 5. Bruno's long drawn out reach into the sewer to get his cigarette lighter. It's shown as if time is of the essence. He reaches and squeezes for 5 agonizing minutes and when he finally gets it--POP his arm just comes right out without being stuck then he goes and sits on a park bench for awhile.. . . Don't bother with this movie. See something with intelligence like Notorious.
  
  
• Seen 5 Times or More and Always Find It Superb
  By AW3VZ5O895LRK on 2001-08-27
  This may be Alfred Hithcock's masterwork. It is seamlessly perfect from start to finish. The brilliant character actor Robert Walker, who specialized in villainous roles before his own early death, played Bruno Antony, the villain of this piece. I've read that it is the villain that makes a movie like this work and that is certainly true here. His is the loose cannon of a character throughout the film. One question that is never answered that is worth thinking about is whether Bruno has arranged to meet Guy Haines (Farley Granger), the tennis star, on the train or whether it is the coincidence that it appears to be. The more times I've seen it, the more I'm convinced that Bruno set it up. I don't think anything just happens with Bruno. The two men meet on the train and Bruno proposes that each of them kill the problem person in the other's life. In Guy's case, this is his wife so he can go forward and marry a US senator's daughter and in Bruno's case this is his wealthy father who would like to institutionalize him. Guy "sort of" turns Bruno's proposal down but there may be a Freudian desire to accept Bruno that he also communicates. It is clear that Bruno would also like to propose more to Guy, that he is homoerotically attracted to Guy. Guy, in turn, may be attracted to Bruno too but his homoerotic tendencies are more ruthlessly sublimated and repressed by him (yet watch him tenderly straighten Bruno's tie and jacket after Bruno passes out at a party). Certainly Bruno is a more fascinating, mesmerizing person than either Guy's sluttish wife or vapid girlfriend. Bruno proceeds to cement their "deal" and Guy finds himself with Bruno on his hands as a nightmare that only keeps escalating. There are so many great scenes in this movie, so many great bit parts, that a viewer could get dizzy listing all of them. Suffice to say that some fabulous moments include the following. (1) Bruno's viewing his mother's "outsider" painting and equating it to his father, when she sees St. Francis as the subject(it is clear that the acorn did not fall far from the tree in this family); (2) the carousel scene which is the climax of the movie, including the old duffer who crawls underneath it to stop it; (3) The woman whose car is taken over by the police to chase Guy, who rather than being frightened is absolutely thrilled to be chasing a desperate man. (4) The little boy who comes up to pester Bruno at the amusement park who Bruno sets down instead by puncturing his balloon with his cigar. I could keep going, the scenes are that good. Notice the use of hands throughout this film too, from the strangulation they use as a killing method to lighting cigarettes with the crucial lighter to playing tennis to pulling valuables out of grates. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you are missing one of the all time great film thrillers. That it contained the novelistic skills of Patricia Highsmith, the screenwriting skills of Raymond Chandler and the directing/storytelling skills of Alfred Hitchcock virtually guaranteed its becoming an instant classic.
  
  
• Don't talk to strangers!
  By A2BZWG2LTJZGBQ on 2003-10-31
  Farley Granger appeared in only two Hitchcock films. He was the nerve racked killer in Rope who ended up not being able to handle the reality of his crime and gave up in the end, and he is the ill-fated tennis star who happens upon a total stranger during a train ride in this film, Strangers on a Train. Too bad. Granger is talented in this role, evoking sympathy from the audience even when he was guilty as sin in Rope. In this movie, it's hard to really blame him for the events that transpire.

  Two men meet and strike up a conversation based on Bruno's (Robert Walker in a chilling performance) ability to recognize Guy Haines (Granger) from the tennis court. During the conversation, it is discovered that Bruno hates his father and wants him dead, and that Guy has a wife who is causing trouble for him. Guy wants to marry the daughter of a senator, but needs his current wife out of the picture.

  Bruno has the answer. We swap murders, and then there is no motive. Guy laughs it off, but he stops laughing quick when Bruno actually kills Guy's wife and expects him to murder his father in return. By the way, the murder of the wife is some of Hitch's best camera work ever, as he shows the choking in the reflection of the woman's eyeglasses.

  Guy has no credible alibi, so he is suspect number one. Bruno keeps on him the whole time, threatening to frame him (Bruno has Guy's lighter that he can plant at the scene), so it becomes a race for Guy to prove his innocence. The scene on the merry go round is a classic, even if a bit unrealistic.

  The characters are great, the story strong and the direction superb. You simply can't go wrong with this one. The great suspense films of today owe a debt of gratitude to Strangers on a Train.
  
  

• Homoerotic behavior in the British version?
  By A2HBTAIE66KLB2 on 2005-09-05
  Enough has been written about this film in these pages that there's no need to add another review...except for one thing. I first saw this movie about twenty years ago on television, and I don't recall any homoerotic behavior between the characters Bruno and Guy. Then again, what I saw was the "Hollywood" version that had been sanitized for the American viewer. Having just watched the British version on DVD, I have a question about the "startling" homoerotic scenes in this film: Where are they?
  
  Either I must be totally blind, or what passed for homoerotic behavior in the fifties is a hell of a lot different that it is today. In every single scene, I kept looking for things that would confirm that Bruno was gay and that he had a thing for Guy.
  
  Yes, Bruno is very friendly to Guy. He tries hard, too hard in fact, to gain his friendship. Then again, he does so because he wants to be trusted and he wants Guy to kill his father. And yes, Bruno's behavior is very eccentric and a bit creepy. But since when does being eccentric and a bit creepy make someone gay?
  
  If Hitchcock had intended to pass Bruno off as a homosexual, why didn't he give us a bit more to work with? Was it his intention to make the subject matter so subtle that it kept viewers guessing? Maybe so, but if you're expecting to see some overtly homoerotic scenes in the British version of this film you're going to be disappointed.
  
  
• Hitchcock at his best!!
  By AOTNDTYNW2QDS on 1998-10-03
  This is Hitchcock at his very best. The British version is better with respect to continuity of story line. Robert Walker is fantastic as Bruno: scary, extremely verbose, and weirdly hypnotic. The black and white transfer on this DVD is razor sharp. END
  
  
• Robert Walker Is Astonishing
  By A1345VRK5MYG7 on 2003-07-13
  The first time I watched this film a number of years ago, I recall not being particularly impressed. I recently watched the film again, and maybe because my expectations were quite low, I was really impressed by it. Not sure why I didn't like it the first time!!

  Farley Granger stars as a tennis pro trying to get out of a bad marriage so he can marry a senator's daughter, Ruth Roman. Robert Walker is an odd character he meets on the train who hates his father and wants him dead. Unwittingly, Granger ends up in a deal in which Walker will kill Granger's wife in exchange for Granger murdering Walker's father. And when Walker goes through with his part of the bargain, Granger finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being a murder suspect and owing Walker a murder as well.

  Walker is astonishingly good in his role, walking away with the film with a performance that should have been rewarded back then and better remembered today. He's one of Hitchcock's great villains. Neither Granger or Roman registers with much of an impact, while Marion Lorne as Walker's protective mother has a couple of very strong scenes. Patricia Hitchcock, the director's daughter, is very amusing as Roman's sister.

  Pretty much all of the memorable scenes in the film involve Walker. The film's climax is really well done and a lot of fun to watch. There are a few holes in the story, but they can be overlooked when it has so much else going for it. There as some great shots (typical for Hitchcock) with some interesting symbolism.

  I'm really glad I watched the film for a second time!
  
  

• One of the Masters great films
  By A1YN02LEKPJIUO on 2004-09-25
  To start off, I should first state that, for the most part, most of Alfred Hitchcocks films are uniformly excellent by any standards. What sets Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, North By Northwest and say, perhaps, Shadow Of A Doubt apart from the rest of his films is best described in one word, cleaverness. In fact the phrase, "He was a cleaver fellow" is mentioned in another very cleaver film, Strangers On A Train. An early 50's masterpiece that has stood the test of time and continues to enthrall viewers. The final carney sequence is probably studied by more film schoolers than any scene from any well constucted film. The real genius here is how the story builds starting with a chance meeting between two strangers. Bruno Anthony (with robust flair deceptive motivation) is played by Robert Walker. He meets up with top seated tennis player, Guy Haines (Farley Granger).Both of them have the same problems in common; there are people in their lives that must die. Now, in todays day in age of murder and mayhem in film, a simple clean strangulation like the one perpetrated by_____, may not come off as satisfying enough to the blood thirsy viewer. However, Hitchcock uses the camera lens and inventive ways of showing the process of murder. Unlike Sam Peckinpah who would make sure you felt every aspect of the killing, Hitch uses shadow and light, with the help of a pair of bifocals.

  The acting is great. Pat Hitchcock has her greatest screen role in this one and does a good job. Along with Psycho, this is one of only two films in which Alfred's daughter had a part. The part she plays here is a supporting role that is more prominent than the one in Psycho where she plays Marion Cranes co-worker at the bank.

  From the very interesting concept used in the opening of the film to the spectacular ending, this is a film not to be missed.
  The re-release version includes the full length British release version included in the original SOAT dvd. The commentary is great and the transfer itself is excellent. I appreciated a bit of the film grain included in the original Warner Brothers version as old B&W movies that look too perfect, end up looking too different than we remembered them.

  I would rate Strangers On A Train as one of the top 8 Alfred Hitchcock films. Can you say "MCguffin".
  
  

• one of Hitchcock's best......
  By ADS5APY1NKTL4 on 2005-01-23
  I first saw this as a young, junior high film study student. This was presented to us as part of a Hitchcock unit. We saw this along with "Psycho" (one of his most well-known movies), "Rear Window," "Vertigo," and "The Birds." Even then, I knew this was an extraordinary film. The camera angles (juxtapositions, tricks and double-entendre) are fascinating and chilling. You ask yourself, "Did I really just see that?" STRANGERS has black humor, and psychologically manipulates the audience.
  
  Guy (Farley Granger), is a handsome, charismatic tennis star who has a chance meeting with Bruno (Robert Walker), a creepy, manipulative man who meets on--what else?---a train. Bruno drags Guy into a "trading murders" scheme where he will murder the tennis star's unfaithful wife, while, in exchange, he will kill Guy's father.
  
  As the story unfolds, you will be hooked to the end. And, no, I won't ruin it for you. You'll just have to see it for one of the most well-known climaxes ever brought to the screen by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock.
  
  
• Criss Cross
  By A3A03ETOTJRR0T on 2005-03-26
  In "Strangers on a Train," tennis pro Guy Haines (Farley Granger) has a chance meeting with dandified, obsequious Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) on a train where Anthony springs a "criss cross" scheme of swapped murders. Anthony, knowing Haines from the society pages, could rid Haines of his wife Miriam (Kasey Rogers) so that he could marry the senator's daughter, Anne Morton (Ruth Roman) and further his own political career, and Haines could rid Anthony of his domineering father (Jonathan Hale). Haines takes this oddball chance encounter with a grain of salt and says, "Sure, Bruno, whatever you say" which later comes back to haunt him. Anthony murders Miriam and thereafter, insinuates himself into Haines' life, looking for Haines' side of the pact to be fulfilled.
  
  Seeing this film on the big screen, as I have recently, really illuminated Hitchcock's brilliance; much of the cinematography and camera shots are just wonderful: the bit with the shadows converging in the Tunnel of Love, the murder reflected in Miriam's glasses, the motiffs of "spinning wheels" with Miriam (records, carousels), the crossed tennis rackets. It is indeed the work of a master, but it's not without imperfections, as others have mentioned. Farley Granger is handsome and his look is well-suited to that of a tennis star, but he is also rather wooden, although that quality in itself almost works; it's a good contrast against the very florid Walker -- the stiff and formal vs. oddball and flamboyant, predictable vs. unknown.
  
  Walker, however, really carries the show; his delicious performance is the core. In fact, he has so much charisma and malicious irony that when he breaks a little boy's balloon with his cigarette and throws another kid off a merry-go-round horse during a fight, the audience in my screening clapped. The flaws include the police shooting into a spinning carousel (say what?); yes, how is it that no one on that train recognized Haines beyond the drunkard when he's a famous tennis star; and perhaps the coolness in the relationship between Morton and Haines. Anne Morton is beautiful, but Miriam oddly has more sensuality, even with the coke-bottle glasses; I never could help but root for the "slatternly" girls in these films since they seemed as doomed by class as by any real moral transgression. Pat Hitchcock, the director's daughter, also does a good job as Morton's prim little sister who unfortunately resembles Miriam in the killer's eyes.
  
  
  
  
• A very entertaining Hitchcock psychological thriller!
  By A315K47GRB024C on 2005-09-07
  This review is for the 2004 Two-Disc Special Edition Warner Brothers DVD.
  
  'Strangers on a Train' is Alfred Hitchcock's first American movie and certainly one of his better ones. The storyline involves a young tennis player named Guy Haines (Farley Granger), who sits with another man named Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) on a several hour train ride. Guy is somewhat of a celebrity and Bruno seems to know a lot about his turbulent personal life. At one point Bruno proposes a scheme where he could murder Guy's estranged wife in exchange for murdering Bruno's tyrannical and wealthy father. The plot appears foolproof since the each murderer in theory would be nearly impossible to track down. Guy is greatly disturbed by this proposal, yet through Bruno's distorted perspective, he seems convinced that the agreement to this devious plot is mutual. Not too long after this meeting, Bruno tracks down Guy's separated wife and murders her and reveals his so called end of the bargain to Guy. This sets up the remainder of the movie where Guy is put in a very precarious position by not only the police who view him as the primary suspect, but from Bruno who expects Guy to perform his end of the deal.
  
  This movie is a lot of fun, mainly because Robert Walker does such an outstanding job as this devious sociopathic killer. His performance as the cool and calculated murderer masked by his wealthy, refined and well-educated appearance is extraordinary. His persistence of involving himself by in effect blackmailing and stalking his pseudo partner is also well done. Another fine performance is by Marion Lorne who plays Bruno's mother. Her naiveté and constant denial of her son's clear psychological problems is a real treasure to watch. There is also some terrific camera work in this movie, clearly due to the creative genius of Alfred Hitchcock. I was slightly unimpressed with the ending, but overall, its a very entertaining movie.
  
  The DVD quality is a pristine full screen B&W transfer. The contrast and sharpness are superb for a movie this old. The DVD comes with plenty of bonuses including a second "preview" version of the film and lots of commentaries and documentaries.
  
  
  Movie: A-
  
  DVD Quality: A
  
  
• Another Classic By The Master of Suspense
  By A3M2WW0PO34B94 on 2006-07-05
  There is an old saying in Hollywood. Even a bad Hitchcock film is better than most films. But when his films are great, they are far superior to other films. Narrative, acting, pacing, technical work all excel in Hitchcock's films and "Strangers on A Train", made in 1951, is one of his best effects. Less an icon than "Vertigo", "Rear Window" or "Psycho", "Strangers" is a rare combination of brilliant character study, moody atmospheric story and advanced technical achievement (at least for the period).
  
  Guy Haines (Farley Granger), a rising star on the tennis scene, takes a train to Metcalf, New York. On the train, he meets Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) who recognizes Guy and begins a conversation, inviting the tennis player to lunch. Bruno soon reveals he knows a lot about Guy's life, including the story of his wife, Miriam (Kasey Rogers), who still lives in Metcalf and refuses to divorce Guy so he can marry Anne Morton (Ruth Roman), the daughter of a Senator (Leo G. Carroll). Bruno is an unhappy man and would love nothing more than to have his father killed. But of course, he can't kill his father, he would be put away for life. But if a stranger committed the murder, the problem would be solved. Bruno offers to kill Miriam if Guy will kill his father. Neither has a connection to their victims, they would never be found out. Thinking his companion unhinged, Guy laughs off the suggestion and leaves to meet Miriam. However, Miriam soon ends up murdered on an island in the middle of an amusement park and Bruno begins to get testy that Guy is not holding up his end of the bargain.
  
  So begins Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train", based loosely on a book by Patricia Highsmith, who would go on to write "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and it's many sequels. Hitchcock based many of his films on books, taking intriguing ideas and changing them to meet his cinematic needs and making them memorable. I doubt many would remember the book "Psycho" without the memorable film.
  
  "Strangers" is classic Hitchcock featuring many of his trademark touches. Shot in black and white, the film begins with the now classic sequence showing two separate pairs of shoes traveling through a train station from different directions. As they finally meet, in the lounge car of the train, the camera shifts up and we see the faces of the two main characters for the first time. Bruno quickly proves to be the living embodiment of every gossip columnist, reciting every detail about Guy's life, revealing he is the tennis star's number one fan. What is so brilliant about this relationship is the hint of a threat. Even as Bruno details the plan to the disbelieving Guy, we know Bruno will carry through with the plot, but Guy doesn't. This is classic Hitchcock. From his earliest films, Hitchcock has created suspense by telling the audience more than the central characters. If we know they are walking into a trap, we want to yell at the screen "Watch out!', but of course, they can't hear us and walk blissfully into danger. Throughout their conversation, Bruno talks about various theories and plans he has, giving Guy the impression that he is crazy. Bruno talks about taking a trip to the moon (remember, its 1951) and other crazy ideas, leading Guy to believe Bruno's plans for them to switch murders is just crazy talk. As he leaves Bruno's compartment, he says "Sure, Bruno. Sure," completely discounting the sociopathic tendencies of his new friend.
  
  Of course, Bruno is serious and sets off to fulfill his end of the bargain. He travels out to Metcalf and quickly finds Miriam, follows her and two boyfriends, as they travel to the local carnival. As Miriam flirts with her two friends, her thick glasses quickly spot the following Bruno and she begins to size him up. Could he be a better suitor than the other two? He follows them throughout and Miriam can't take her eyes off of him. As the threesome make their way out to an island in the middle of the carnival, a "sordid place. A sort of lover's lane" as the Senator (Carroll) later comments, Bruno quickly confronts Miriam. Sensing that he is just making a move, she is caught completely off guard as he begins to strangle her, her thick glasses falling to the ground, showing us the murder in the reflection of the eyewear.
  
  After Guy learns the news, he becomes horrified, but he finds he can't turn to many people. A rising tennis star and his relationship with Anne, a Senator's daughter, already make him the focus of the gossip columns, he eventually enlists the aid of Anne and her sister, to help prove his innocence. Two police officers begin to tail Guy, throwing a wrench into the works. Guy soon realizes he will have to do something as he spots Bruno sitting in the stands at a Tennis match, staring at him, as the rest of the spectators are turning right and left watching the ball. The sociopath begins to further insinuate his way into Guy's life, introducing himself to friends, showing up at a party and more.
  
  As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent the police will soon just pull Guy in, preventing him from exposing Bruno. He has to take action, but if he doesn't show up for a tennis match, he will raise everyone's suspicions. As Guy rushes to finish the match and race to Metcalf, Bruno rushes to get to Metcalf and plant a piece of incriminating evidence. They eventually meet at the carnival and the police, still suspecting Guy, put their lives and the lives of many others in peril during the exciting climax.
  
  If you are even just slightly familiar with Hitchcock's films, you will probably recognize some of the many themes prevalent in his works. The wrong man accused of the crime, the two men chasing each other, the veiled relationship fraught with sexual intrigue and more. "Strangers" is worthy of discussion in any conversation about "Vertigo", "Rear Window" or "Psycho". It has all of the same elements, touches and style of these later acknowledged classics.
  
  Warner Bros. has given the film the deluxe DVD treatment is deserves. The two disc set contains two different versions of the film; the "American" version and the "preview" or "British" version. The "American" version is the film we have all come to know and love. A few years ago, a preview version of the film was discovered and screened at the British Film Theater. Living in London at the time, I sped to the South bank and watched the film. It was not entirely different, but the extra few minutes of screen time allowed for a couple of significant moments. Many of the more veiled allusions to the homosexual nature of the friendship between Bruno and Guy are just slightly more overt, sometimes laughably so, but it gives the film a deeper feeling. Hitchcock was a powerful force in Hollywood and had ways of getting around the censors. But even he had his limits. In "Rope", based on the story of Leopold and Loeb, a gay couple murders a fellow student for the thrill of it, we barely ever see any mention of the couple's relationship. Three years later, in 1951, America still wasn't ready for "Brokeback Mountain", so Hitchcock resorts to veiled comments and moments. In the `Preview' version, these are just slightly more overt. The ending is also a little different, and less satisfying. The "American" version trimmed these moments down, to appease the censors. The difference between the two films is noticeable and interesting.
  
  As with most Hitchcock DVDs, the obligatory "Making Of..." documentary is a cut above the rest; the studios really went all out for these DVD releases. Featuring interviews with Farley Granger (who also appeared in "Rope"), Robert Walker's son, Pat Hitchcock O'Connell (the director's daughter and an actress in many of his films), Peter Bogdanovich and others, we get a more complete view of what went into the making of this classic. Using new interviews, clips, production photos, deleted scenes and behind the scenes footage, this documentary walks us step by step through the production of the film.
  
  Perhaps most interesting is a documentary called "The Hitchcocks on Hitch". Pat Hitchcock O'Connell relates stories of her childhood and working with her father on this film. There are also interviews with Pat's three daughters, Hitch's granddaughters, who talk about life with their famous grandfather. Naturally, these stories occur many years after "Strangers", but they are still interesting. As they talk about their grandparents, we see family photos and home movies, giving us a glimpse into the life of the director.
  
  There is also a short interview with director M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable") who talks about how great the film is and how it influenced his career. This curio offers little except the opportunity to see some clips from the film.
  
  There is also a new interview with Kasey Rogers, who played Miriam Haynes, Bruno's victim. During the interview, she describes what it was like to work with Hitchcock, describes how the studio system worked for a young actress and talks about her career after the film.
  
  "Strangers on a Train" is a Hitchcock classic, worthy of being mentioned in the same conversations as the director's more widely recognized classics. It has everything from interesting performances to intriguing killers, from intriguing set pieces to interesting locations.
  
  This DVD is a must have for any collection.
  
  
  
• The Original "What about Bob"
  By A281NPSIMI1C2R on 2006-09-06
  The insanity in this movie reminded me very much of the "What about Bob" obsessive desire to manipulate the will of another human being to suit your own intentions. Yet, in Strangers on a Train, things are slightly stranger and more ominous.
  
  Instead of playful, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) takes on a more intellectual and forward approach to his plans for a better life. Instead of staying at home, he has a determination to leave the confines of his environment and pursue his goals relentlessly.
  
  Guy Haines (Farley Granger) comes across as especially naïve and more of a hopeless romantic. He meets Bruno Anthony on a train and the story unfolds in the cleverest of ways. Hitchcock traps his characters behind their flaws and unveils their deepest desires, which then become a reality.
  
  When reality starts to become too vivid, Guy Haines panics and tries to stop the process. This only leads to one of the most terrifying carousel rides I've ever seen in a movie and it is sheer brilliance in the making. The way in which they capture the playful nature of the child riding the horses with glee as they spin about wildly and the terrified women is such a delicious contrast. I can't explain why, but the carousel makes the movie. It is like every terrifying thing you expect happens all at once.
  
  Throughout the film, you may feel less connection with the characters and more of a subtle fascination with what they might try next. An enjoyable thriller that won't leave you biting your fingernails. Still it is especially intellectually enjoyable.
  
  ~The Rebecca Review
  
  
  

• Dial M for Murder
• North By Northwest
• Shadow of a Doubt
• Rope
• Rear Window (Universal Legacy Series)