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Strangers on a Train by Alfred Hitchcock Alfred Hitchcock's 37 th film, Strangers on a Train, can be held for the classical "thriller" for many reasons: the plot evolves around murder, blackmailing, and subtle sexuality. But being based on a rather complicated structure, full of symbolism and intention, it extends the concept to a much more complex and intelligent level. Emphasizing on the duality of human nature, Hitchcock assembles most of the events and characters of the picture around the notion of doubles, using both narrative and technical elements. Furthermore, there are a number of recurrent symbols and motifs that unfold around the idea of duality. This specific theme is thus largely developed through out the narrative, and gradually determines the structure of the film. The film opens with the camera alternating back and forth between the feet of two men.
They start in two different places and arrive at the same train station, heading towards each other from opposite directions. Even though the feet of these two men are shown, we can already decipher that they differ from one another, since the way their shoes look is dissimilar. The suspense builds as the cross-cutting between the two feet becomes faster and faster, and as they firmly become closer. Finally, the two then mysterious men seat right across from each other and their feet accidentally touch. This is where the audience meets Guy and Bruno, as well as where they begin to discover each other. Guy Haines is a down to earth tennis player with big ambitions, whereas Bruno Anthony is still living with is parents and is simply busy doing nothing in life.
As they begin to talk, it gets clear that Bruno knows every detail concerning Guys private and public life. At this point, we still do not know who the bad guy is, thus do not identify with any of them (this impasse is constantly present in the film, since the characters seem to do things we do not anticipate). Bruno then suddenly introduces his ideology on murder and offers himself to kill Guy wife, Miriam (because he is aware that Guy is trying to divorce her in order to marry a rich senators daughter Ann Morton) if Guy on the other hand murders Bruno's father. Since they are total strangers, they are free of suspicion. Guy acts like he is not interested by Bruno's proposal, yet never sounds like he is truly appalled by the idea and keeps listening attentively.
Hitchcock thus clearly sets the two men as doubles for each other from the opening scene of the film. First the cross-cutting editing creates a parallel between the two men, and as they begin to talk we see that they complete each other: Guy is trustful, good-hearted, and almost childishly candid, while Bruno is malicious, obsessive, and dark. There even seems to be an attraction between the two men. Guy seems to be fascinated and even bizarrely drawn to his companion, as he reacts calmly through out the conversation. Moreover, the way Hitchcock films them emphasizes to the understated magnetism between the two: for most of the sequence, the camera focuses on the characters eyes, clearly pointing out the way Bruno is staring at Guy. Hitchcock also deepens the theme of the doubles by using small symbols and motifs.
For instance, Bruno orders a pair of drinks and precisely asks for doubles. Guy declines his offer, which is a premonition for the events that will occur later (Guy never really accepts any of Bruno's offers). Also, Guy gives Bruno his signature lighter which has two tennis racquets superposed on each other, symbolizing the conflicting situation he is trapped in (he is married to a vicious woman who refuses to divorce and wants to marry another completely different one). Creating suspense, and making the plot evolve, this image of duality reappears on many occasions through out the film, and thus settles its structure on. After the two protagonists leave the train they both go back to their everyday life and the films pace slows. Guy visits his wife Miriam, who works at a music store and tries to persuade her for divorce.
She violently objects and even threatens him blackmail, claiming that she is expecting his baby. Hitchcock thus creates a very dis likable character, which makes her later death somewhat more acceptable. After he leaves the music store, Guy calls his present fiance, explains her Miriam's bleak reaction and furiously states that he could strangle her, unconsciously describing his double Bruno's upcoming action. The image then dissolves into a shot of Bruno's hand in a strangling position, underlining the link between the two. We witness a sequence at the Anthony household, where a general atmosphere of strangeness reigns. His mother seems completely delusional and has a mysteriously intimate relationship with her son (she files his nails and talks to him as if he was a little boy).
The sequence points out the dangerous dys functionality of Bruno and prepares the audience for the following events. Bruno then takes the train and arrives at a small village, where he follows Miriam and her two male companions to an Amusement park at night. He delicately seduces Miriam, who impressed by his unusual looks, lets him follow her to a small and dark isle on the lake. The tension is slowly rising as the twisted minded Bruno leisurely approaches her.
Then, he suddenly attacks and strangles her to death. Her glasses fall on the grass and we witness the murder on the reflection created on them. Moreover, Bruno drops Guys lighter and grabs it back, which is indication that they are both responsible of Miriam's murder. Their union is all the more reinforced as we see Bruno leaving the fair and looking at his watch just at the same moment Guy is looking at his own. We then see Guy arriving in front of his building.
Bruno is hiding behind an iron fence and call his name out loud. They begin talking, and Bruno tells him how he murdered Miriam. The double is thus reunited in this scene but a different atmosphere is reigning: close-ups are once again used, but this time iron bars separate the two. This symbolizes Guys fury and his refusal to interact with Bruno since he does not see himself as involved in the murder. The two mens gathering amplifies the tension, which reaches its peak when the police arrive.
In order to hide from them, Guy joins Bruno behind the bars, which clearly underlines the twos guiltiness, making them look as if they were in prison. Guy thus is still part of the duo, and soon understands that Bruno is going to intrude his life. After a couple of scenes were we see Guys fiance Ann Morton and her family worrying about the murder and fearing that Guy (who is the main suspect for Miriam's death), may not find any strong alibi, we witness how Bruno invades Guys everyday life. He calls him from Anns house, send him notes, follows him, and comes to watch his tennis games (surprisingly when he is playing doubles). The sequence in the tennis club reinstall's the anxiety and the suspense when the two once again meet-up.
It's approximately the middle of the film, and the duo's connection is still present since Guy does not clearly rebut his "partner." Bruno, accompanied by people that know the Morton family, introduces himself to Ann, and Guy has to act as if he does not him. Then Anns little sister Barbara approaches them. When Bruno catches the eyes of the young girl, he begins staring at her. Then the music that was playing in the amusement park the day of the murder is heard in the background (extra-diabetic, as a hint from Hitchcock) and the camera slowly zooms on Barbara's face. We also see the reflection of a lighter on her glasses.
A new double is thus created as a subtext: as we see her through Bruno's point of view, Barbara suddenly looks like Miriam and causes Bruno's evil desires to reappear. On a later scene occurring during Senator Morton's party, Bruno once again lets his true nature come out in public. He introduces himself to a couple of old upper-class ladies and explains them ironically how everyone can have the urge to kill a person. He insists that the best tools to kill someone are hands and asks one of the ladies, Mrs. Cunningham, if he can borrow her neck. Thinking that Bruno is just joking with her, Mrs.
Cunningham accepts and Bruno slowly begins to strangle her. At that precise moment, Barbara's face catches his attention and he goes to a sort of trance in which he almost strangles the lady while staring at Barbara. Once, again the audience is intrigued and tensed and the original use of the link between Barbara and Miriam adds to the feeling. Bruno then vanishes and Guy takes him to another room, where Bruno tells him that he likes him.
Guy punches him on the face because of his confession, but then helps him arrange his clothes and puts him in a car. Strangers on a Train is thus a typical Hitchcock film. It incorporates themes, plot elements, and stylistic patterns that are distinctive and characteristic of the masters style. The main theme developed in this film is the image of the doubles created by the special bond Bruno and Guy have. As a result, when at the end Bruno dies and Guy takes his lighter back, the image of the double is no more present, thus making the film end. Guy can now live in freedom and finally marry Ann Morton, at the cost of two peoples life: his former wife Miriam, and his alter ego Bruno.
Bibliography: Auiler, Dan. Hitchcock's notebooks: an authorized and illustrated look inside the creative mind of Alfred Hitchcock. 1 st ed. New York: Spike, c 1999. Barton, Sabrina.
Crisscross: Paranoia and Projection in Strangers on a Train. Camera Obscura, vol. 25 - 26. 1991 Desowitz, Bill. "Strangers on Which Train?" (Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train') Film Comment v 28, n 3 (May-June, 1992)
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