Strangers on a Train

3.5/5 stars

Something like Hitchcock-light. Not quite so shocking/gripping/Hitchcockian as other of his films, but good just the same.

The basic story is that two strangers meet on a train, Bruno has a problem with his father, Guy has a problem with his wife who won’t give him a divorce. Bruno proposes that they could trade murders, then neither murderer would have a motive, thus making it hard to solve. Guy half-heartedly agrees, more to get rid of Bruno than because he takes him seriously. A short while later, Guy’s wife has been murdered, and Bruno starts to push him to take care of his father.

One of my problems with the film was not Hitchcock’s fault. I kept picturing Danny Devito in Throw Mamma from the Train saying “criss cross”. Sigh. Never see a comedic re-make before you see the original.