Don't get me wrong, I love and respect this film and it's among Alfred Hitchcock's best films. Yet, I still cannot see it as a perfect film because there is one glaring problem. Any NORMAL person would soon go to the police if they were in Farley Granger's situation...and not try to fix everything themselves or hope the problem would go away on its own. And, any suspense film that hinges on the idea off smart people temporarily acting dumb has got a knock against it--and surely doesn't deserve a 10. However, I do need to point out that aside from this, this is a great film. Robert Walker's performance is menacing and exciting to watch--and not typical of the usual film noir or suspense villain. He simply made the film. Also, aside from the brain lapse of the main character, the rest of the script is great--exciting, original and well worth seeing. A lovely film...but perhaps overrated within the Top 250 due to its plot difficulty.
By the way, a GREAT double-feature would be to see this and "My Son, John". That's because these were Walker's last two movies and the actor died before completing "My Son, John". So, to salvage the film, a few clips from "Strangers on a Train" were inserted into the second film. Views of DC were reused as well as the final death scene that was clipped and inserted in a vehicle at the end of "My Son, John". Fascinating viewing.
By the way, a GREAT double-feature would be to see this and "My Son, John". That's because these were Walker's last two movies and the actor died before completing "My Son, John". So, to salvage the film, a few clips from "Strangers on a Train" were inserted into the second film. Views of DC were reused as well as the final death scene that was clipped and inserted in a vehicle at the end of "My Son, John". Fascinating viewing.