Strangers on a Train

"It starts with a shriek of a train whistle... and ends with shrieking excitement!"

Jun 30 1951 PG 1h 41m
Crime, Film-Noir, Thriller

Having met on a train, a smooth-talking psychotic socialite shares his theory on how two complete strangers can get away with murder to an amateur tennis player — a theory he plans to test out.

Plot

Bruno Antony thinks he has the perfect plot to rid himself of his hated father, and when he meets tennis player Guy Haines on a train he thinks he's found the partner he needs to pull it off. His plan is relatively simple: Two strangers each agree to kill someone the other person wants gone. For example, Guy could kill his father and he could get rid of Guy's wife Miriam, freeing him to marry Anne Morton, the beautiful daughter of a U.S. Senator. Guy dismisses it all out of hand, but Bruno goes ahead with his half of the "bargain" and disposes of Miriam. When Guy balks, Bruno makes it clear that he will plant evidence to implicate Guy in her murder if he doesn't get rid of his father. Guy had also made some unfortunate statements about Miriam after she had refused to divorce him. It all leads the police to believe Guy is responsible for the murder, forcing him to deal with Bruno's mad ravings.

Written by

Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde, Whitfield Cook

Directed by

Alfred Hitchcock

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

Languages

English, Français

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 3 wins & 2 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
144,953
Average Rating
7.9 out of 10
Metascore
88
Popularity
NA