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Strangers on a Train (film)

1951 film by Alfred Hitchcock

Strangers on a Train is a 1951 film about a tennis star, Guy Haines, who meets a stranger on a train, Bruno Anthony. The stranger offers to exchange murders and will kill Guy's estranged wife if Guy will kill Bruno's hated father. Guy does not take Bruno seriously, but he is not bluffing.

Theatrical poster for the film Strangers on a Train
Each fellow does the other fellow's murder. Then there is nothing to connect them. The one who had the motive isn't there. Each fellow murders a total stranger. Like you do my murder and I do yours.
But, Guy, you wanted it! We planned it on the train together, remember?
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Adapted by Whitfield Cook from the novel by Patricia Highsmith.
It begins with the shriek of a train whistle and ends with shrieking excitement! Taglines

Bruno Anthony

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  • I beg your pardon, but aren't you Guy Haines? ...I certainly admire people who do things. People who do things are important. Me, I never seem to do anything.

Barbara Morton

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  • I still think it would be wonderful to have a man love you so much he'd kill for you.

Dialogue

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Guy: Let's change the subject, Bruno, can't we?
Bruno: Okay, Guy. Want me to tell you one of my ideas for murdering my father?
Guy: [indicating the detective novels] You've been reading too many of these.
Bruno: You want to hear about the busted light socket in the bathroom, or the carbon monoxide in the garage?
Guy: No. I may be old fashioned, but I thought murder was against the law.
Bruno: But not against the law of nature. My theory is that everybody is a potential murderer. Didn't you ever want to kill somebody? Say one of those useless fellows Miriam was running around with?
Guy: You can't go around killing people just because you think they're useless.
Bruno: Oh, what's a life or two? Some people are better off dead, Guy. Take your -- wife and my father, for instance. It reminds me of a wonderful idea had once. I used to put myself to sleep at night -- figuring it out. Now, let's say you want to get rid of your wife.
Guy: Why?
Bruno: Let's say she refuses to give you a divorce -- [raises a finger and stops Guy's protest] Let's say. You'd be afraid to kill her because you'd get caught. And what would trip you up? Motive. Now here's the plan...
Guy: I'm afraid I haven't time to listen.
Bruno: It's so simple, too. A couple of fellows meet accidentally, like you and me. No connection between them at all. Never saw each other before. Each of them has somebody he'd like to get rid of, but he can't murder the person he wants to get rid of. He'll get caught. So they swap murders.
Guy: Swap murders?
Bruno: Each fellow does the other fellow's murder. Then there is nothing to connect them. The one who had the motive isn't there. Each fellow murders a total stranger. Like you do my murder and I do yours.
Guy: We're coming into my station.
Bruno: For example, your wife, my father. Criss-cross.
Bruno: Hello, Guy.
Guy: What are you doing here? At this time of night?
Bruno: You don't seem very pleased to see me, Guy. I brought you a little present.
Guy: What do you mean?
[Bruno hands Miriam's glasses to Guy.]
Guy: What's this all about?
Bruno: Recognize them?
[Guy looks at the glasses, then back at Bruno, horrified]
Bruno: It was very quick, Guy. She wasn't hurt in any way. It was all over in no time. I knew you'd be surprised. Nothing for us to worry about. Nobody saw me, only Miriam. I was very careful. Even when I dropped your lighter there, I went right back to pick it up. If It'd been found, it would have ruined our whole scheme, wouldn't it?
Guy: Are you trying to tell me you've -- Why, you maniac!
Bruno: But, Guy, you wanted it! We planned it on the train together, remember?
[Guy suddenly starts to go. Bruno grabs his arm.]
Bruno: Where are you going?
Guy: Where do you think I'm going? I'm going to call the police, of course.
Bruno: But you can't, Guy. We'd both be arrested for murder.
Guy: We'd both be arrested for murder?
Bruno: You're is much in it as I am. We planned it together. Criss-cross. I do your murder --
Guy: You crazy fool! You think you can get away with that?
Bruno: Oh, come now, Guy. Why should I go to Metcalf and kill a total stranger, unless it was part of the plan and you were in on it? You're the one that benefits, Guy. You're a free man. I didn't even know the girl.
[Guy makes a move to leave, but Bruno holds on tight.]
Guy: Let me go, Bruno. I had nothing to do with this and the police will believe me.
Bruno: If you go to the police now, you'll just be turning yourself in as in accessory. You see, you have the motive.
[sound of a telephone ringing]
Bruno: What is it?
Guy: My telephone.
Bruno: Someone has some news for you, Guy.
Bruno: You must be tired, Guy. I know I am. I've sure had a strenuous evening. Now look, Guy, about my father. I have the plans made. Two plans. A plan of the grounds and a plan of the house. I have in old Luger I bought at a pawn shop in San Francisco. My father --
[Guy turns to leave]
Bruno: Wait a minute, Guy. To have to talk. We have to arrange things.
Guy: Get away before I give you what you gave Miriam.
Bruno: You're not yourself, Guy. You're tired. When you think things over, you'll see I'm right. Tomorrow --
Guy: I don't know you. I never saw you before. I never want to see you again.
Mrs. Cunningham: Well, Mr. Anthony, you seem very interested in the subject of murder.
Bruno: No more than anyone else. No more than you, for instance.
Mrs. Cunningham: Me? I'm not interested in murder.
Bruno: Oh, come now, everyone's interested in that. Everyone would like to put someone out of the way. Now surely, Madame, you're not going to tell me that there hasn't been a time when you wanted to dispose of someone. Your husband, for instance.
Mrs. Cunningham: [laughing] Good heavens, no!
Bruno: Ah ah! Are you sure? Do you mean to tell me there wasn't a tiny moment - when you'd been made really angry? And what did you say?
Mrs. Cunningham: [giggling] Well...
Bruno: There you are, you see! There you are! All right, now you're going -- to do a murder. How are you going to do it? This is the fascinating part -- how are you going to do it...I didn't get your name?
Mrs. Cunningham: Mrs. Cunningham.
Bruno: Mrs. Cunningham, how are you going to do it?
Mrs. Cunningham: Well, I suppose I'll have to get a gun from somewhere.
Bruno: Tssk, tssk. Oh no, Mrs. Cunningham. Bang, bang, all over the place. Blood everywhere?
Mrs. Anderson: What about a little poison?
Bruno: Ah! That's better, that's better. Mrs.....?
Mrs. Anderson: Anderson.
Bruno: That's better, Mrs. Anderson. But Mrs. Cunningham is in a dreadful hurry. Poison could take...let's see...ten to twelve weeks, if poor Mr. Cunningham is to die from natural causes.
Mrs. Cunningham: I have a wonderful idea! I can tak him out in the car and when I get to a lonely spot, knock him on the head with a hammer, pour gasoline over him and over the car and start the whole thing ablaze.
Bruno: And then have to walk all that way home?
[Mrs. Anderson laughs.]
Bruno: No, I have the best way, and the best tools. [he holds out his hands] Simple, silent, and quick. The silent part being the most important. Let me show you what I mean. You don't mind if I borrow your neck for a moment do you?
Mrs. Cunningham: [giggling] Well, it's not for long.
Bruno: Oh! no. Now, when I nod my head, just see if you can cry out, and I bet you can't. Now with my two thumbs...you see that's where I'll be able to prevent any sound coming from you. Now, just wait for the nod of my head.
Mrs. Anderson: Mr. Anthony! Mr. Anthony!
Man: Stop him! Stop him!
Anne: How did you get him to do it, Guy?
Guy: I get him to do it?
Anne: He killed Miriam, didn't he? Tell me, Guy!
Guy: Yes. He's a maniac. I met him on the train going to Metcalf. He had a crazy scheme about exchanging murders. I do his murder and he do mine.
Anne: What do you mean -- your murder, Guy?
Guy: Well, he'd read about me in the paper. He knew about Miriam -- and about you. He suggested that if he got rid of Miriam for me, I should kill his father.
Anne: You must have realized he was talking a lot of nonsense!
Guy: Of course! I didn't give it another thought. And now a lunatic wants me to kill his father.
Anne: It's too fantastic!
Guy: Yes, isn't it?
Anne: You mean you've known about Miriam all this time?
Guy: Since the first night. He gave me her glasses.
Anne: Why didn't you call the police?
Guy: And have them say what you did -- "Mr. Haines, how did you get him to do it?" And Bruno would say we'd planed it together.
Anne: Oh, Guy -- what can we do?
Guy: I don't know, Anne...I don't know.
Guy: Mr. Anthony! Mr. Antony! Don't be alarmed -- but I must talk to you about your son. About Bruno. Mr. Antony!
[The figure on the bed turns on a light, revealing it to be Bruno]
Bruno: Yes, Mr. Haines? My father isn't home tonight, Mr. Haines. I was about to tell you that over the phone. But you came to such a sudden decision. I wondered why.
Guy: Since you sent me a key to your house, I decided to use it -- to make a little social call on your father. I thought he'd be interested to know he has a lunatic son.
Bruno: Then a I correct, Mr. Haines, in assuming that you have no intention of going ahead with our arrangement?
Guy: No intention whatsoever. I never had.
Bruno: I see. You won't have any further use for the key, then, Mr. Haines. Thank you very such.
Guy: [tossing the gun on the bed] Or this.
[Bruno picks up the gun]
Guy: Look, Bruno. You're terribly sick. I don't know whether it's possible for you to realize it or not. I don't know much about these things, Bruno. But why don't you go someplace where you can get some treatment? Not only for your own sake, Bruno, but you can't go on causing more and more destruction to anyone you happen to meet.
Bruno: I don't like to be double crossed. I have a murder on my conscience, but it's not my murder, Mr. Haines -- it's yours. And as you're the one to profit, I think you should be the one to pay for it.
Guy: Well, I guess it's no use, Bruno. We seem to have nothing further to discuss.
Bruno: Don't worry. I'm not going to shoot you, Mr. Haines. It might disturb mother. I'm a very clever follow. I'll think of something better than that. Much better.

Taglines

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  • It starts with a shriek of a train whistle...and ends with shrieking excitement!
  • A tennis star plays a match with murder!
  • You'll be in the grip of love's strangest trip!
  • It's off the beaten track!

Cast

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