The film has a highly intriguing premise, and for about half the film it works. However by the time it should really be getting interesting, elements slip in that defy credibility and work against any semblance of achieving a satisfying conclusion. Probably the most imposing of these is the resemblance of Anne Morton's (Ruth Roman) sister (portrayed by Hitchcock's daughter Patricia) to murder victim Miriam. It comes in handy for putting Bruno (Robert Walker) into a trance at the party as he recreates the strangling, but gee!, why didn't anyone figure out he was a nut case right then and there?
Anne Morton attempts to convince Mrs. Anthony that her son might be a murderer - did she really think she could make an impression with that argument? Same story when Bruno tells Anne he's going to place the cigarette lighter back at the scene of the crime. The criminal mastermind didn't really have to signal his intention, did he? And why was it so important to return it at night? The best though was when Bruno asked the amusement park guy "What time does it get dark around here?" It reminded me of a 'Candid Camera' situation where they asked people on the street 'What time is it?' and someone answered, 'I don't know, I'm not from around here.'
It's too bad Bruno didn't follow up with the tactic of planting a seed of doubt with Anne, by putting the finger on her boyfriend Guy (Robert Walker) as the killer. Had the film explored that avenue, I believe there could have been a more suspenseful resolution. Instead, we have an innocent bystander killed by the cops (the merry go round operator), and no one really seems to notice. It should be so easy in real life, a cigarette lighter falls from a dead man's hand and it lets the suspected murderer off the hook, no questions asked, just like that, amen.
At least Hitch himself isn't hard to spot in this one; he's getting on the train when Haines gets off. As for Robert Walker, I thought he had the perfect "Twilight Zone" face, it's too bad he passed away a year after the film came out.
I'd like to be more positive about "Strangers On A Train", but the story didn't really do it for me. Even as entertainment, I tend to view what's happening in a film with a critical eye to see if it passes a credibility test. This one didn't, and it's too bad, as it could have been a much more effective tune up for Hitchcock's later master work - "Psycho".
Anne Morton attempts to convince Mrs. Anthony that her son might be a murderer - did she really think she could make an impression with that argument? Same story when Bruno tells Anne he's going to place the cigarette lighter back at the scene of the crime. The criminal mastermind didn't really have to signal his intention, did he? And why was it so important to return it at night? The best though was when Bruno asked the amusement park guy "What time does it get dark around here?" It reminded me of a 'Candid Camera' situation where they asked people on the street 'What time is it?' and someone answered, 'I don't know, I'm not from around here.'
It's too bad Bruno didn't follow up with the tactic of planting a seed of doubt with Anne, by putting the finger on her boyfriend Guy (Robert Walker) as the killer. Had the film explored that avenue, I believe there could have been a more suspenseful resolution. Instead, we have an innocent bystander killed by the cops (the merry go round operator), and no one really seems to notice. It should be so easy in real life, a cigarette lighter falls from a dead man's hand and it lets the suspected murderer off the hook, no questions asked, just like that, amen.
At least Hitch himself isn't hard to spot in this one; he's getting on the train when Haines gets off. As for Robert Walker, I thought he had the perfect "Twilight Zone" face, it's too bad he passed away a year after the film came out.
I'd like to be more positive about "Strangers On A Train", but the story didn't really do it for me. Even as entertainment, I tend to view what's happening in a film with a critical eye to see if it passes a credibility test. This one didn't, and it's too bad, as it could have been a much more effective tune up for Hitchcock's later master work - "Psycho".