Upon meeting a tennis pro, a fan proposes to murder the former's pesky wife in exchange for the pro killing the fan's father. Walker, who died at 32 a couple of months after the film was released, is chilling as a charming psychopath. Although he is now best remembered for this role, the performance was unexpected at the time in light of the genial characters he had played previously. Like Walker, Granger also has the role of his career and he acquits himself quite well as the weak tennis pro. Hitchcock masterfully builds up the suspense, leading to a frenetic finale that unfortunately is marred somewhat by a ridiculous scene on a merry-go- round. However, such lapses can be overlooked in an otherwise terrific thriller.
Review of Strangers on a Train
