Winds up with a scene in which a merry-go-round goes wild, spins like a pin wheel, and crashes in a gaudy blaze of explosions that no earthly carrousel could touch off. The movie itself is the same way: implausible but intriguing and great fun to ride.
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:39
Fresh:38
Rotten:1
Average Rating:8.7/10
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, quickly became one of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful thrillers and remains one of his most popular films. En route from Washington,... STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, quickly became one of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful thrillers and remains one of his most popular films. En route from Washington, D.C., champion tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets pushy playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). What begins as a chance encounter turns into a series of morbid confrontations, as Bruno manipulates his way into Guy's life. Bruno is eager to kill his father and knows Guy wants to marry a senator's daughter (Ruth Roman) but cannot get a divorce from his wife, Miriam (Laura Elliot). So Bruno suggests the men swap murders, which would leave no traceable clues or possible motives. Though Guy refuses, it will not be so easy to rid himself of the psychopathic Bruno. The film is tightly paced and disturbing from beginning to end, an effect heightened by Hitchcock's inventive camera work, including a terrifying sequence shot through a pair of eyeglasses that have been knocked to the ground. [More]
Starring: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll
Starring: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock, Laura Elliot, Marion Lorne, Jonathan Hale
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Alfred Hitchcock
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin
Get This Movie
Reviews for Strangers on a Train
the work most necessary for a deeper appreciation of Hitchcock's late masterpieces.
Hitchcock's handling of the suspense is deadly effective and a quality cast breathe life into some delicious dialogue.
Hitchcock erects a web of guilt around Granger, who 'agreed' to his wife's murder, a murder that suits him very well, and structures his film around a series of set pieces, ending with a paroxysm of violence on a circus carousel.
Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" is about weakness crisscrossing with evil, with evil pushing hard for the upper hand. Nobody comes away unscathed.
worthy vehicle that displays Hitchcock's narrative ability and explores some of his favorite themes
Most of the film is a journey through pure Hitchcockian irony and suspense, and well worth the trip.
Patricia Highsmith's malicious writing seems perfectly suited to Alfred Hitchcock.
Walker's creepy performance ranks among the best found in any Hitchcock film.
To ignore the subtext during the runaway carousel climax is to be absolutely blind.
Two men, a problem, and a crime is an old theme, but the list of works that exploit it perfectly is a short one. Strangers on a Train belongs on it.
Hitchcock was above all the master of great visual set pieces, and there are several famous sequences in Strangers on a Train.
Latest News for Strangers on a Train
February 04, 2010:
Five Favourite Films with Anika Noni Rose
It's been a busy few years for Anika Noni Rose. After starting her career in the Broadway musical Footloose, she snagged a role as part of the starry ensemble in 2004's... More...
June 21, 2007:
Frank Miller and Clive Owen to Do Some Old-School Film Noir
Now here's a project that sounds pretty damn cool: Frank Miller directing Clive Owen in an adaptation of a Raymond Chandler story -- and it'll probably be the first in a series! More...
April 12, 2005:
Two New "Strangers" to Meet On DreamWorks' "Train"
Variety lets us know that DreamWorks is currently mounting a new interpretation of Patricia Highsmith's novel "Strangers on a Train." Originally turned into a classic... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 40% 40% | Surrogates |
| 83% 83% | Whip It |
| 29% 29% | Gamer |
| 97% 97% | The Hurt Locker |
| 81% 81% | Michael Jackson's This… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 87% 87% | A Serious Man |
| 37% 37% | The Time Traveler's Wife |
| 78% 78% | Bronson |
| 11% 11% | The Stepfather |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Strangers on a Train at Rotten Tomatoes
- Strangers on a Train at IGN
Fresh Links
Featured

Check out PopEater's collection of childhood photos of celebs, from Tom Cruise to Kim Kardashian.

TIME's Richard Corliss pores over the Oscar noms for the major awards and offers his take on who will win.

For a different take, the AV Club delves into why awards season is terrible.

Moviefone has put together a list of the actors with the most Razzie noms ever.

Hollywood.com makes a case for a big screen adaptation of popular game Mass Effect.
Promos

Download it from iTunes and get Tomatometer scores straight to your iPhone!



Top Critic
