Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchock, 1951): USA

Alfred Hitchcock never ceases to amaze. Even if you have seen all of his masterpieces (Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho), you would be surprised by just how good his other sixty films are. Strangers on a Train is one the sixty other, but it ranks high among all of Hitchcock’s pictures, at least in my book.

A mother’s boy Bruno Anthony meets famous tennis professional Guy Haines on a train. Guy is awaiting the divorce from his wife, a promiscuous queen who wears rimmed glasses. Bruno wants to kill his father but knows he will be caught because he has a motive. Bruno dreams up a crazy scheme in which he and Guy exchange murders. Guy takes this as a joke, but Bruno takes things into his own hands.

The film moves very thoroughly, Hitchcock pushes the audiences into suspense by seeing what will happen to Guy next. While Bruno is probably one of the scariest Hitchcock character next to Norman Bates, a loose canon, unpredictable, and psychotic. Hitchcock excites amazing performances from the entire cast.

Hitchcock is the greatest director to have ever lived. If you don’t believe me see the film for yourself and pay particular attention to the scene at the carnival. It’s a scene that stands out because there is almost no dialogue in it. I won’t ruin the story, but it’s just incredible how well the man tells a story; weaving suspense, excitement and even humor into the storytelling.


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