Psychopath Bruno Antony strikes up a conversation with tennis star Guy Haines during a train ride. The subject quickly turns to swapping murders - Guy's promiscuous wife for Bruno's bastard father. Thinking they've agreed, Bruno carries out his end of the bargain and expects Guy to do the same. When he doesn't, Bruno makes life uncomfortable for Guy, who must stop him from planting his cigarette lighter at the scene of the crime. They fight to the death on a haywire carousel at the amusement park where Guy is able to clear his name.
Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel, Strangers On A Train deals with the doppelgänger concept prevalent in several of Hitchcock's films. Farley Granger and Robert Walker deliver excellent performances. A spectacular climax aboard an out of control carousel done with miniatures and background projection is Hitchcock camera trickery at its finest. And thanks to Dramamine, I don't experience any Vertigo (1958) ;-) The movie has inspired several films, most notably Throw Momma from the Train (1987). A remake would be practically implausible today since everyone wears earphones and stare down at their phones.
Strangers On A Train was filmed in Danbury, CT, Forrest Hills and New York, NY, Washington DC and Chatsworth and Canoga Park, CA
Location: The Metcalf Train Station
Address: 120 White Street, Danbury, CT Danbury Railway Museum
The sewer scene was actually done on a soundstage with rear-projection screens...
Location: Miller's Music Store
Address: 181 Main Street, Danbury, CT
Location: The Tennis Tournament
Address: 1 Tennis Place, Forrest Hills, NY Forrest Hills Stadium
B-roll shots were filmed during the 1950 Davis Cup finals...
Locations Visited: December 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment