Customer Reviews

Strangers on a Train (Hollywood Version) [VHS]

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2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Strangers on a Train" is that rarity, an Alfred Hitchcock film concerning which one talks about an actor's performance almost as much as the director's. The actor, of course, is Robert Walker, presenting his remarkable portrayal of Bruno Anthony, the rich, unstable man who offers the hero Guy Haines a deadly proposition: he'll kill Guy's wife Miriam (played by the interesting Laura Elliott) if Guy will kill Bruno's father. Because they are strangers on a train who do not know their intended victims, there will be no motives, therefore perfect alibis. Guy doesn't take Bruno seriously, which turns out to be a fatal mistake. Bruno is a complicated part. Although he is obssessed with his own superiority, he can be incredibly petty (popping a little boy's balloon just for the meanness of it), not to mention prissy ("I'm afraid I don't know what a `smoocher' is!"). The character seems to overshadow the entire movie, which is appropriate, because Bruno casts a shadow over the easy, affluent world in which he lives. When he crashes the senator's cocktail party, it's like Satan has arrived, striding through polite society. And, no, Walker was not nominated for an Oscar. Neither was Joseph Cotten for "Shadow of a Doubt". Neither was Anthony Perkins for "Psycho". The Academy evidently had difficulty with Hitchcock's anti-heroes. Hitchcock originally wanted William Holden for the role of Guy Haines, but I think Holden was so savvy and macho, it would have been difficult to accept him as a psycopath's pawn. Farley Granger is atheletic enough to be convincing as a tennis champ, but he has a boyishness which makes the vulnerable aspects of the character believable. The film is filled with the touches one associates with Hitchcock. Some are obvious, like Miriam's strangulation reflected in her eyeglasses. Others are more subtle: After the murder, Bruno approaches Guy outside Guy's apartment house. At first Guy cannot tell who is calling his name in the dark. Bruno is standing near a large gate with wrought-iron bars; and, as Guy comes near him, he steps behind the gate -- in other words, he's behind bars. Then, after he has told Guy about Miriam's death and Guy is absorbing the shock, a police car pulls up in front of Guy's apartment house and Guy himself ducks behind the gate. Now they're BOTH behind bars. Hitchcock was a genius, no doubt about it.I wonder how many viewers have noticed the odd discrepency near the end. Bruno has stepped off the train at Metcalf, holding the incriminating cigarette lighter he hopes to plant on the amusement park island, thus framing Guy. A pedestrian brushes by him and the lighter falls into a storm drain in the street. Bruno, frantic, tries to enlist the aid of passersby. However, he says (not once but twice) "I dropped my cigarette CASE in the drain!" Walker, of course, was in the process of drinking himself to death; but the mistake could easily have been corrected with a little dubbing. It's bothered me for years why it wasn't.Director of Photography Robert Burks began his long association with Hitchcock on this picture. He must have worked night and day to satisfy Hitchcock's demands, but his loveliest effect is the amusement park's neon lights against a glowing black-and-white sunset.The film's mood is enhanced by Dimitri Tiomkin's romantically mysterious score. It's particularly striking in the movie's"coda" when Guy is trying desperately to finish a tennis game (allegro) and Bruno is desperately trying to reach that damn lighter (adagio). Hitchcock and Tiomkin worked a couple of more times together but never more effectively than in thisdazzling masterpiece.

It's important to note two things about this edition of "Strangers on a Train." First off, the description on Amazon.com's page is incorrect. This DVD is not in widescreen. The second thing is, to you widescreen buffs out there (including myself) -- Relax! This film was never shot in widescreen. In fact, prior to 1953 (The Robe), there was never anything bigger than 35mm! This is why this film (and you'll be surprised to hear), many, many classic films will never be produced in widescreen. They don't exist. You should buy this DVD because of the video quality and the extra "goodies." Gone with the Wind in widescreen? Nope, never was, even though it was blown up to 70mm and cropped horribly in the 1968 re-issue. What's out there on DVD on Gone with the Wind is standard 35mm "TV semi-square" framing, because that's the way it was shot. Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane? Nope, never shot in anything greater than 35mm. It's a Wonderful Life? No again. Widescreen is limited to theatrical films issued for the most part, after 1953, when competition with television forced studios to come up with the "panoramic" gimmicks to bring people back into the theaters. This is period (1953-1963) when Cinemascope, Todd-AO, VistaVision, Super Panavision 70 and other widescreen formats were born -- and the most extreme example was Cinerama, which used three cameras and is used to best effect in the DVD version of How the West Was Won. So don't fret, this DVD is good, crisp and clean and formatted as Alfred Hitchcock intended! Tomorrow's movies will be in IMAX (see Fantasia 2000, in selected theaters now).

"Strangers On A Train" should be rated as Hitchcock's absolute best.

To begin with, it features a perfect performance by Robert Walker, an actor who would be dead within a year after making this great movie.

Walker had previously played some wonderful roles, but he astounded the world with his acting ability once "Strangers On A Train" was released.

Aside from Walker's amazing performance, "Strangers On A Train" is full of half-hidden meanings which relate to the dual personality each of us possesses.

Hitchcock was a true genius, who not only understood both the dark and the bright sides of the human psyche, but who also knew how to depict that understanding by way of film.

I have watched "Strangers On A Train" a dozen or more times, and never tire of watching it yet again, each time finding something new that I had not noticed the time I watched it before.

But, the main reason I watch this film so often is to enjoy the exceptional , perfect performance by Robert Walker. Walker was only in his 30s when he died. He was a tragic figure in real life. He died much too soon, and we are very fortunate to be able to observe his wonderful talent, preserved in this movie, almost fifty years after his passing.

This review refers to the Warner Bros. DVD edition of "Strangers On a Train".....

Had I only been reviewing the film alone, there is no doubt I would go 5 stars for this great film. Five stars hardly covers it for this cinematic work of art, that defines the genius of Alfred Hitchcock. But alas, the transfer to DVD will be a big disappointment to Hitch fans, as it was not given the attention this treasure deserved.

First the story... Even if you didn't know this was a Hitch film, you will immediatley recognize this as a work from the master of suspense. All the tell-tale trademarks are there. As the film opens, the camera work brillantly shows everything in pairs. Two pairs of shoes, from what are obviously two very different styles of dress,two pairs of railroad tracks criss-crossing, and finally the two very different men that fill the shoes... have a chance meeting. Guy Haines,professional tennis player and an upright kind of guy, and Bruno Antony, a mysterious,slick fellow have a conversation. Guy, it seems has an unfaithful wife, who won't divorce him, so he can be with the woman he loves. Bruno has a deep resentment for his father.It is then we learn how really psychotic Bruno is. His idea...a "Criss-Cross"."I'll do your murder"..he tells Guy "and you do mine".Guy sluffs off this very chilling notion, but soon learns that Bruno is not going to let it go. Soon Guy finds himself as a murder suspect and must prove his innocence.

The story, with the screenplay by Raymond Chandler and Czenzi Ormonde, is suspensed filled and as in all Hitchcock films, we feel the need to warn the hero, but can only sit and watch with our hearts in our throats.The shadows, light, and expert camera work all add to the thrill of it all.Hitch as usual picks the perfect cast. Farley Granger as Guy has you in his corner all the way. Robert Walker couldn't be any more chilling. Rounding out the cast with wonderful performances are Ruth Roman, Patricia Hitchcock, Leo G Carroll, who appears in many of Hitch's films and always immaculate, and for a real treat look for Marion Lorne, the beloved 'Aunt Clara" from "Bewitched".The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is masterfully chilling as well.

Looking for Hitch....You won't have to wait long..about ten minutes in..more double trouble as Hitch boards a train with his 'double' bass fiddle.

Now for the DVD transfer. There's good news and bad news. The good news is that this disc contains the recently discovered British pre-release. This version has been edited differently in some places as Hitch felt certain scenes would play better in England, and some better in the states.You'll find some production notes included explaining the reasons. There is also an old publicity newsreel of Hitch promoting his film, and although there is no sound it is still fun to watch. There are subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and may be viewed in French as well.The bad news..as mentioned above the transfer itself. The black and white images, seemed dingy. Jump to almost any scene and you will see signs of age. It is scratchy and grainey. The sound is in DD1.0. Some enhancement would be a welcome addition(we want to hear every sound that Hitch intended).It really pains me to go three stars for this treasure..but I can only recommend the film and not the DVD.

This was a pretty intense film way back in 1951 and still is today! Unless you are as crazy for Hitch as I am(and feel an intense need to have everything every filmed by him), you may want to wait and hope for a better release(Warner Bros..are you listening?).If by some chance, you have not seen it though, and love a great film-noir..rent it, borrow it, do whatever it takes to see this classic.

It's a geat ride....Laurie

also recommended:
Best Picture Collection - Epic Dramas (Casablanca/Gone With the Wind/Ben-Hur)
Hitchcock's Notebooks: An Authorized and Illustrated Look Inside the C

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN is a wonderful thriller. I am always amazed at the amount of suspense and tension that Hitchcock is able to create in each of his movies. What passes for "thrillers" these days has none of the heart or excitement of his films and this picture is one of his best. Moreover, if you enjoy Patricia Highsmith's novels (or the films that have been made from them), you will love this film. Highsmith seems to have a flair for giving us extremely creepy, psychopathic murderers. Yet, at the same time, she manages to breathe life into Bruno Anthony (played by Robert Walker). Of course, he is an amoral, calculating murderer (as many of her villains are), yet we come to sympathize with him in strange ways. Regarding the "homoerotic" content of his performance, I agree with other reviewers who say that it is so subtle as to be completely negligible: one could either chalk up his behavior to homoerotic feelings he has for Guy, or you could simply pass it off as the deranged actions of a mad man. In any case, while it may add depth to his character, it is certainly not necessary for delving into this film (or enjoying it).

The plot is rather simple: two strangers meet on a train and one of them casually proposes that they each "swap" murders. Neither of them would have a motive for killing each other's "nuisance" and it would solve both of their problems. The only trouble is, only one of the strangers is a psychopath with any murderous intentions. When Bruno completes his end of the "bargain," he leaves Guy in a tough spot: since Guy is the only one with a motive it appears that Guy himself is guilty of the crime. The rest of the film is a game of cat & mouse between Bruno and Guy and the storytelling is absolutely phenomenal.

As always, Hitchcock is at the top of his game. I found myself just marveling at the angles and the composition in this film. His use of lighting (and, of course, the absence of lighting) is absolutely perfect. Hitchcock could tell an entire story just with his choice of lighting and shadows. There is also the famous "tennis" shot, in which the entire audience is flipping their heads back and forth, keeping up with the game. All of the heads, that is, except for one: Bruno's. His steady gaze is fixed upon Guy's position, burning a hole in his chest. It is absolutely perfect.

As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of Hitchcock. But even if you are not a huge fan, I think you owe it to yourself to see STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It is widely regarded as one of his best films and it should have a broad appeal. One word to the wise: make sure you buy a good transfer of this film (such as this set). Many of Hitchcock's films have been horribly transferred onto cheaper DVD's (and it shows).

Although there's no doubt that Hitchcock directed a number of classic films before "Strangers on a Train", it seemed as if this film somehow liberated him in some way. After "Strangers" he directed a string of classic films which have rarely been surpassed. The themes that always sprinkled his best work come to the fore in this terrific film. Although the narrative and the film has some minor flaws, they're easy to overlook given the power of this marvelous motion picture.

Guy Haines (Farley Granger)a tennis pro wants a divorce from his gold digging wife Miriam(Laura Elliot aka Kasey Rogers). Turns out she doesn't want a divorce anymore now that Guy has a socialite girlfriend (Ruth Roman)who is the daughter of a prominent senator. Miriam (curiously, also the name of Janet Leigh's character in "Psycho")is pregnant with another man's child and wants as much as possible from Guy. On the train back to Washington D.C. guy meets Bruno Antony (the marvelous Robert Walker)a psychopathic killer in the making. Bruno engages Guy in conversation and Guy tells him about his wife. Bruno suggests that he can come up with the perfect murder; they swap murders and, since they don't really know each other, the police will not be able to connect the murders to them. Guy humors Bruno thinking nothing of it. Until Bruno follows through on his part of the "bargain" in a brilliant, stunning sequence reflected in the glasses of the victim. Now Bruno is stalking Guy insisting that he complete his part of the bargain.

This deluxe two disc edition improves on the previous single disc dual sided edition of a couple of years ago. This set includes both the theatrical release and the preview release (mistakenly referred to as the "British" release on the previous edition). We also get a number of terrific extras on this two disc set including 4 short documentaries and an extra carried over from the previous edition of Hitchcock promoting "Strangers on a Train" with some local performers dressed in colonial costumes. Although this section has no sound and has no titles explain the action (it is explained on the previous edition however), it's a fascinating glimpse into the past. We hear about the Hitchcocks from their daughter and granddaughters. We also hear about the making of the film from Robert Walker's son, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell, film critic Richard Schickel and others. The only short I felt was a waste of time was comments from director M. Night Shyamalan who sounds a bit like a drolling film student here. That would be OK but he doesn't make any observations that amount to anything.

The first disc contains the original theatrical version with a commentary track by "Psycho" and "The Outer Limits" screenwriter Josephn Stefano, director Peter Bogdanovich, Patricia Highsmith biographer Andrew Wilson, various cast family members and Hitchcock himself from an interview. The film has never looked so great before on DVD. The previous edition looked good but had signficant grain problems, analog artifacts and had a picture that tended on the soft side. The picture here is sharper with better clarity and richer blacks, whites and grays than the single disc edition.

Disc two contains all the extras plus the preview version which has a couple of minutes that were cut from the final version. In this version there's a bit more interplay between Bruno and Guy "suggesting" that Bruno is gay. Again, the picture here is a marked improvement for similar reasons. Evidently when Jack Warner saw Hitchcock's preview version, he agreed with the original ending that Hitchcock had in mind.

A great movie just got greater and the fact that this is in a plastic amray case vs. the cardboard snapcases is a marked improvement. Highly recommended for both Hitchcock fans and those interested in learning about the master of suspense.

"Strangers on a Train" (1951) is often credited as beginning Hitchcock's second renaissance in Hollywood film making. After terminating his relationship with formidable producer, David O. Selznick, Hitch drifted into several undistinguished independent productions and a series of thrillers that, although solid box office, in hindsight seemed to lack in originality or staying power. "Strangers" was the exception to this tenure, launching the master of suspense on an uninterupted string of chilling cinema classics. It's a diabolical struggle of wills between the seemingly congenial tennis pro, Guy Haines (Farley Granger) and his sycophantic admirer, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). When the two accidentally meet on a west bound train they exchange intriguing ideas on how to commit the perfect murder. Just one problem; Bruno takes the game seriously, murdering Guy's pregnant wife, Miriam (Kasey Rogers) in what is perhaps Hitchcock's most terrifying cinematic example of strangulation. After flirting with Miriam (a woman of easy virtue) Bruno lures her to a secluded island at an amusement park. The reflection of Miriam's silent demise is captured in a reflection inside her horn-rimmed glasses. As pay back, Bruno instructs Guy to kill his father. The suggestion does not go over well. However, trapped by the fact that Guy's new girlfriend, Anne Morton (Ruth Roman) and her family have met Bruno and believe him to be a close friend, the plot slowly spirals into a delicate web of deception, wherein both Anne and her sister, Barbara (Patricia Hitchcock) slowly begin to suspect that perhaps Guy is not nearly as innocent as he pretends to be. This is decidedly a high water mark in Hitchcock's tenure, capped off by a visceral climax aboard a careening carousel.

Previously this film was made available as a flipper disc containing both the U.S. and British versions of the film. Warner's new 2-disc edition contains both versions, both digitally remastered for improved picture quality, plus a host of extra features. The gray scale is impeccably balanced with deep, rich and solid blacks and very clean whites. While the previously issued disc contained moments where the image appeared to suffer from an overly soft characteristic, this newly minted DVD exhibits a very sharp image throughout. Fine detail is fully realized. There's a complete lack of age related artifacts or digital anomalies for a picture that will surely NOT disappoint! The audio is mono but equally impressive and very nicely restored. A very comprehensive documentary accompanies this disc as well as several news reel items and the theatrical trailer.

One of my favorite Hitchcock flicks! I first saw this film in a theatre about 20 years ago- and I was astounded. The glorious black and white cinematography, Warner Brothers trademark bombastic bass sound, Tiompkin's thrilling soundtrack music- it just knocked my socks off. Upon successive viewings I found more and more nuggets of meaning buried in the movie. The theme of doubles is everywhere, represented as either opposites or "twins":

Bruno and Guy / Bruno's wife and girlfriend / Bruno's father and Guy's future father-in-law / Tennis racket and cigarette lighter / Guy's wife and look-alike Pat Hitchcock / The two pairs of shoes at the beginning / The sets of railroad tracks / The pairs of glasses / Guy's fiance and Bruno's mother /

There are so many different "romances"/fascinations presented in this movie that one wonders if any of the characters is truly well-adjusted (with the exception of Leo G. Carroll). Consider:

Bruno and his mother: Oedipal / Bruno and Guy: Love/hate / Bruno and "Dear old Dad": Definitely hate / Bruno and Pat Hitchcock: ? / Guy and his wife / Guy and his fiance: Masochistic (just kidding) / Bruno's short "courtship" of Guy's wife /

Dark humor lurks everwhere:

The lobster on Bruno's tie / The title's of the carousel songs playing in the background / The name on the side of Bruno's boat at the park / Constant references to the "appetite" Guy's wife has (on her "last night out") / Bruno's comments to the judge (at the party)

This is a film that should be required viewing for anyone who considers themself a serious student of the art of film. If you haven't seen "Strangers On A Train", do yourself a favor and rent it now! Be prepared to watch it several times to catch everything that's happening "behind the scenes". "Bruno is a very clever fellow." Indeed!

This may be Alfred Hithcock's masterwork. It is seamlessly perfect from start to finish. The brilliant character actor Robert Walker, who specialized in villainous roles before his own early death, played Bruno Antony, the villain of this piece. I've read that it is the villain that makes a movie like this work and that is certainly true here. His is the loose cannon of a character throughout the film. One question that is never answered that is worth thinking about is whether Bruno has arranged to meet Guy Haines (Farley Granger), the tennis star, on the train or whether it is the coincidence that it appears to be. The more times I've seen it, the more I'm convinced that Bruno set it up. I don't think anything just happens with Bruno. The two men meet on the train and Bruno proposes that each of them kill the problem person in the other's life. In Guy's case, this is his wife so he can go forward and marry a US senator's daughter and in Bruno's case this is his wealthy father who would like to institutionalize him. Guy "sort of" turns Bruno's proposal down but there may be a Freudian desire to accept Bruno that he also communicates. It is clear that Bruno would also like to propose more to Guy, that he is homoerotically attracted to Guy. Guy, in turn, may be attracted to Bruno too but his homoerotic tendencies are more ruthlessly sublimated and repressed by him (yet watch him tenderly straighten Bruno's tie and jacket after Bruno passes out at a party). Certainly Bruno is a more fascinating, mesmerizing person than either Guy's sluttish wife or vapid girlfriend. Bruno proceeds to cement their "deal" and Guy finds himself with Bruno on his hands as a nightmare that only keeps escalating. There are so many great scenes in this movie, so many great bit parts, that a viewer could get dizzy listing all of them. Suffice to say that some fabulous moments include the following. (1) Bruno's viewing his mother's "outsider" painting and equating it to his father, when she sees St. Francis as the subject(it is clear that the acorn did not fall far from the tree in this family); (2) the carousel scene which is the climax of the movie, including the old duffer who crawls underneath it to stop it; (3) The woman whose car is taken over by the police to chase Guy, who rather than being frightened is absolutely thrilled to be chasing a desperate man. (4) The little boy who comes up to pester Bruno at the amusement park who Bruno sets down instead by puncturing his balloon with his cigar. I could keep going, the scenes are that good. Notice the use of hands throughout this film too, from the strangulation they use as a killing method to lighting cigarettes with the crucial lighter to playing tennis to pulling valuables out of grates. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you are missing one of the all time great film thrillers. That it contained the novelistic skills of Patricia Highsmith, the screenwriting skills of Raymond Chandler and the directing/storytelling skills of Alfred Hitchcock virtually guaranteed its becoming an instant classic.

This movie is great and the two versions on one disc is a great bonus. However they made a mistake on the description of this movie it is not and never will be a widescreen film. So relax SRGRANGER its okay you have the movie in it's original form.