Alfred Hitchcock is my all time favourite director, his films are full of his fashioned touches and masterful technique, a vast majority of them are compelling from start to finish. Strangers on a Train is one of those compelling films, even though Hitchcock clashed with the script writer several times and was underwhelmed by Farley Granger's lead performance, it is still a gripping movie. For one thing it is very well made, the cinematography is crisp and beautiful and the setting is authentic. Also helping add to the nail-biting atmosphere is the outstanding music score, while sometimes romantic it is also haunting and tense. Then we have a very good screenplay, superb direction from Hitchcock and two particularly brilliant scenes at the fairground(the second being the better one in my opinion). The acting is stellar, while I found Farley Granger dull in Rope, this dullness works for his tennis-champion character and it was an understated performance I really liked. Ruth Roman and Patricia Hitchcock are alluring and convincing in their roles, and Leo G.Carroll is memorable as Senator Morton. Robert Walker is absolutely amazing as Bruno though, he is eccentric, cold-hearted, smooth-talking and very chilling. Overall, a splendid nail-biter, a definite winner from Hitch. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Strangers on a Train
