Finally decided to open up on of the Turner Classic Movie four packs of DVDs I bought a few months ago. I dove into Strangers on a Train with a little bit of prior knowledge of the film. Watching Hitchcock movies reminds me of the first time I tried cake. I’d heard how good it was, but once I tried it I couldn’t get enough. I give Strangers on a Train the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy rating.
Strangers on a Train was intense
Guy Haines (Farley Granger) is a pro tennis player who meets Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) on a train. Bruno knows all about Guy from the papers and offers a suggestion that will solve their respective problems. The idea is that two complete strangers can get away with murder if they do each others dirty work. A plan that Bruno intends on going through with.
As I’ve spent much of my year expanding my film credentials, I’ve really yet to dive into film noir. I’ve purchased several and plan on getting into them while I finish up the 366. IMDb lists this as a film noir, and I can definitely see why. An innocent conversation on a train with a stranger turns into Guy’s worst nightmare. This definitely raises the idea of paranoia and instills a level of fear in the audience. A chance meeting with a friendly socialite leads to the murder of his would be ex-wife.
Miriam Joyce Haines (Kasey Rogers) doesn’t really fit the femme fatale archetype. However, she does lure Guy to the city to take his money under the pretense of meeting a divorce lawyer. She then double crosses him and says there won’t be a divorce as his new found fame made her want him again. Her character definitely doesn’t warrant too much sympathy when Bruno enacts his plan. She was vicious and cruel to Guy, who seems like a fairly decent guy.
There are some amazing shots in this film. I love the sequence Bruno murders Miriam which we see in the reflection of her glasses that were knocked to the ground. Then the final fight takes place on an out of control carousel. It seems to symbolize the plot as a nice ride on a train spirals out of control ending in someone’s death. The last shot in the film echoes the message of not talking to strangers. Guy and Anne (Ruth Roman) sit on a train when a new strangers asks if he’s the tennis player. Guy begins to respond and thinks better of it. The two get up and walk away leaving the inquiring gentleman slightly baffled at the rude behavior.
Watching Hitchcock feels like a master class in filmmaking. There are so many things to observe him do. From blocking, shot selection, visual storytelling, and funny cameos, it is great to watch. I’m not sure why I didn’t get into his movies before. Yet, it is fun to discover such a great thing even if everyone already told you it was great.
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