Strangers On A Train (1951)

Strangers On A Train is radically different from what we have come to associate with the masterful Alfred Hitchcock's work. After fate matches a courteous tennis player named Guy (Farley Granger) with his secretly psychotic admirer called Bruno (Robert Walker) they begin to delve into a wicked subject that ends there immediate meeting; the topic of murder. Bruno devises a plan to 'swap' murders as both share a hatred for somebody, Bruno despises his father whilst Guy hates his vulgar wife that he cannot divorce. This plan is swiftly dismissed by Guy however, but when Bruno goes ahead with the plan anyway it becomes a struggle for Guy to prove his innocence and finally rid himself of this insanity within.

Now in many respects this is an intense psychological thriller, but Hitchcock also deploys a comedic spin which invigorates this movie into a emotionally relatable and charming experience. Robert Walker's performance is excellent and he absolutely succeeds in creating the atmosphere which we feel in every scene he takes place in. From his more malevolent actions to his surprising yet laughable appearances in proximity of Guy makes him a memorable and dynamic character. The cinematography work is also perfect in capturing character and the tennis match in particular seems very advanced for this films 1951 release. It is a shame that this film was just short of the coloured picture era as some scenes would have had even more stunning visuals such as the climactic round-about scene, yes you heard me right.

An intense round-about scene is just a taste of the hectic and wacky plot of this film. Tension is often intertwined with humour which can often undermine the effect of some scenes and although tension is Hitchcock's signature style, some scenes are quite disorienting. Try getting the sound of the amusement parks out of your head, you will be trying for hours to rid yourself of this audio pollution. It is also quite disappointing that the female cast members do not have a larger role in this film. Guys wife who is called Miriam (Laura Elliott as well as his new lover Anne (Ruth Roman) are both stripped of any narrative drive and seem like they have little purpose in the plot at times.

Strangers On A Train may not be some of Alfred Hitchcock's finest or famous work, but it is definitely worth a viewing as it is curiously and strangely delightful for anybody to enjoy with only minor drawbacks presenting it from being a classic.