Movie Cosmos - Strangers on a Train

Description:

Having met on a train, a smooth-talking psychotic socialite shares his theory on how two complete strangers can get away with murder to an amateur tennis player — a theory he plans to test out.

Top Cast >

Farley Granger

As Guy Haines

Ruth Roman

As Anne Morton

Robert Walker

As Bruno Antony

Leo G. Carroll

As Sen. Morton

Patricia Hitchcock

As Barbara Morton

Kasey Rogers

As Miriam Haines

Marion Lorne

As Mrs. Antony

Jonathan Hale

As Mr. Antony

Howard St. John

As Police Capt. Turley

John Brown

As Prof. Collins

Norma Varden

As Mrs. Cunningham

Robert Gist

As Det. Leslie Hennessey

Brooks Benedict

As Tennis Umpire (uncredited)

John Doucette

As Det. Hammond (uncredited)

Harry Hines

As Man Under Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)

Alfred Hitchcock

As Man Boarding Train Carrying a Double Bass (uncredited)

Paul McGuire

As Train Passenger (uncredited)

Oliver Cross

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Tom Ferrandini

As Linesman (uncredited)

Stuart Hall

As Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)

Joel Allen

As Policeman (uncredited)

Murray Alper

As Boatman (uncredited)

Monya Andre

As Dowager (uncredited)

Benjie Bancroft

As Police Officer (uncredited)

Harry Baum

As Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)

Al Bridge

As Tennis Judge (uncredited)

Joe Brooks

As Carnival Patron (uncredited)

John Butler

As Blind Man (uncredited)

Leonard Carey

As Anthonys' Butler (uncredited)

Edward Clark

As Miriam's Boss (uncredited)

Jack Cushingham

As Fred Reynolds (uncredited)

John Daheim

As Detective at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)

Marilyn Dialon

As Girl on Carousel (uncredited)

Jay Eaton

As General - Party Guest (uncredited)

Roy Engel

As Policeman (uncredited)

Herbert Evans

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Tommy Farrell

As Miriam's Boyfriend (uncredited)

Sam Flint

As Train Passenger Requesting Light (uncredited)

Kay Garrett

As Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)

Robert Haines

As Bus Driver (uncredited)

Sam Harris

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Edward Hearn

As Lt. Campbell (uncredited)

Al Hill

As Carnival Game Proprietor (uncredited)

Mary Alan Hokanson

As Secretary (uncredited)

Edna Holland

As Mrs. Joyce (uncredited)

J. Louis Johnson

As Mortons' Butler (uncredited)

Fred Kelsey

As Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited)

Mike Lally

As Detective at Carnival (uncredited)

Perc Launders

As Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

Louis Lettieri

As Boy with Balloon (uncredited)

George Magrill

As Policeman at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)

Charles Marsh

As Bystander at Drain (uncredited)

Thomas Martin

As Party Guest (uncredited)

David McMahon

As Bystander at Drain (uncredited)

Charles Meredith

As Judge Donahue (uncredited)

Ralph Moody

As Seedy Man at Carnival (uncredited)

Mike Morelli

As Boatman (uncredited)

Roland Morris

As Miriam's Boyfriend (uncredited)

Odette Myrtil

As Madame Darville (uncredited)

Richard Neill

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Barry Norton

As Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)

Spec O'Donnell

As Carnival Patron (uncredited)

Paul Panzer

As Bystander at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)

Minna Phillips

As Dowager (uncredited)

Anthony Redondo

As Train Passenger (uncredited)

Georges Renavent

As Monsieur Darville (uncredited)

Suzanne Ridgway

As Bystander at Merry-Go-Round (uncredited)

Dick Ryan

As Minister (uncredited)

Charles Sherlock

As Cop (uncredited)

Janet Stewart

As Girl (uncredited)

Brick Sullivan

As Carnival Patron (uncredited)

Shirley Tegge

As Girl (uncredited)

Laura Treadwell

As Mrs. Anderson (uncredited)

Joe Warfield

As Soda Jerk (uncredited)

Howard Washington

As Waiter on Train (uncredited)

Dick Wessel

As Bill (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

As Carnival Patron (uncredited)

Robert B. Williams

As Bystander at Drain (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Alfred Hitchcock

Director, Producer

Czenzi Ormonde

Screenplay

George James Hopkins

Set Decoration

Robert Burks

Director of Photography

Gordon Bau

Makeup Artist

Whitfield Cook

Adaptation

Ted Haworth

Art Direction

Patricia Highsmith

Novel

Raymond Chandler

Screenplay

William H. Ziegler

Editor

Dimitri Tiomkin

Original Music Composer

Hans F. Koenekamp

Special Effects

Leah Rhodes

Costume Design

Dolph Thomas

Sound

Ray Heindorf

Music Director

Ben Hecht

Additional Writing

Bill Phillips

Makeup Artist

Myrl Stoltz

Hairdresser

Mel Dellar

Assistant Director

C. Carter Gibson

Second Assistant Director

Mentor Huebner

Production Illustrator

Armor Marlowe

Props

Paul Baxley

Stunts

John Daheim

Stunts

Durward Graybill

Still Photographer

Norman C. McClay

Best Boy Electric

Harold Noyes

Grip

Charles O'Bannon

Gaffer

William Schurr

Second Assistant Camera

Leonard J. South

Assistant Camera

Robert O'Dell

Wardrobe Master

William Guthrie

Location Manager

Rita Michaels

Script Supervisor

Barbara Keon

Production Assistant

Reviews:

CharlesTheBold

The "strangers on a train" are Guy, a successful athlete in an unhappy marriage, and Bruno, an amoral playboy. Bruno suggests a perfect crime whereby Guy can get rid of his wife without being suspected, and he convinces himself that Guy has agreed to it.

Bruno is obviously evil, but what about Guy? Is he is respectable as he claims? Is his wife that bad, or is Guy really a social climber who wants to be rid of his unfashionable spouse in order to acquire a trophy wife? Does he send mix signals to Bruno because he really wants Bruno's plot to succeed? The notion of hidden, shadowy evil is what gives this thriller its power.

2017-03-12

CinemaSerf (7/10)

Tennis pro "Haines" (Farley Granger) is quietly travelling in the club car of a train when his neighbour "Bruno" (Robert Walker) strikes up a conversation. It all seems innocuous enough, the former man is an accomplished player and it seems to him that this is a fan, of sorts, who just wants some company as he drowns his journey in Scotch. What quickly becomes clear from this chat is that both have people in their lives they'd rather be without. "Haines" is married to "Miriam" (Kasey Rogers) but would far sooner be married to senator's daughter "Anne" (Ruth Roman) whilst "Bruno" desperately wants shot of his overbearing father (Jonathan Hale). How about these two complete strangers carry out a cunningly planned murder each that will solve the other's problem? The athlete is having none of this, but when "Bruno" takes matters into his own hands a bit of menacing blackmail rears it's ugly head before the suspicious police start sniffing around and "Haines" finds himself in quite a spot. This is one of Raymond Chandler's better structured stories with quite an intricate series of layers to it - each more perilous for the hapless, lovestruck and out of his depth "Haines". There develops a palpable chemistry between the on-form Walker and Granger who both manage to keep this story compelling as director Alfred Hitchcock turns the screws gently but firmly on both of these characters. It all comes to an head in a fairground where the dazzling lights, highly pitched music and accumulating sense of panic complete a tautly presented and powerfully scored (by Dimitri Tiomkin) drama that looks at human vice, betrayal and temerity. Trains always provide well as conduits for crime thrillers, and with strong, if sparing, support from the likes of Marion Lorne, Leo G. Carroll, Hitch's own daughter Patricia as the meddling "Barbara" and a short cameo from Norma Varden (before she discovered large, ugly, hats) to add some richness - and diversion - to the machinations, then it might just make you very wary of striking up any conversation with any stranger ever again!

2024-08-22