In plotting and writing suspense fiction, patricia highsmith reveals that her first published novel, strangers on a train, had its origin in the idea of two men exchanging murders. The symbolism of the female gaze in strangers on a train professor john hellmann, english 578. Strangers on a train right from the start, we see that guy does, on some level, accede. Narrative elements plot and story structure compression of time opening and closing characters setting themes, issues and motifs pointofview cause and effect 3. Strangers on a train takes a dual murder scenario based off a chance encounter, then flips it into a tense framing plot. Strangers on a train is a thriller film of america that had been released in the year 1951. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith the inspiration for alfred hitchcocks classic 1951 film, strangers on a train launched highsmith on a prolific career of noir fiction, proving her a master at depicting the unsettling forces that tremble beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life. Analysis gallery bibliography contact character descriptions. Strangers on a train reverted back to the black and white filming, which almost seemed appropriate for almost any hitchcock film. 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 hes found the partner he needs to pull it off. Strangers on a train, which stars farley granger and robert walker, is one of hitchcocks most memorable thrillers because of its juicy premise. He was a very successful architect who is currently dealing with a threeyear ongoing divorce with his former wife in order to protect. Mar 06, 2011 strangers on a train reverted back to the black and white filming, which almost seemed appropriate for almost any hitchcock film.
The films noirish flavor is spiced up by welldefined shadows, luscious black levels, and stark contrast, all of which lend this hitchcock classic a bold, muscular look that ramps up tension and draws us deep into the characters twisted lives. The problem with strangers on a train lies in the sheer coincidence of that the narrative relies on in every scene. Hitchcocks study of the guilt that taints the human condition is just one cinematic masterstroke after. If youve seen the matt damonjude law movie, youve seen a bit of strangers. Character analysis of strangers on a train 1803 words. Strangers on a train in strangers on a train, hitchcock uses a unique combination of continuity and narration in order to create a fluid story while also drawing the spectator in with suspenseful situations. From the novel by patricia highsmith, alfred hitchcocks strangers on a train takes a seemingly innocent conversation between tennis player guy farley granger and wellheeled bruno robert walker and turns it, by degrees, into a grueling worstcase scenario. This 46page guide for strangers on a train by patricia highsmith includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 47 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Farley granger and robert walkier in strangers on a train. Aug 02, 2012 strangers on a train even the final scene, a supposedly larky little coda warning against the perils of chat with even the most innocuous fellow passenger, would not work were we still not jittery. The movie had been directed and produced by alfred hitchcock and was on.
Strangers on a train strangers on a train reverted back to the black and white filming, which almost seemed appropriate for almost any hitchcock film. I n the latest oscar isaac vehicle, mojave, director william monaghan recycles the familiar tale of one mans seemingly chance encounter with a menacing stranger a trope that was perfected more than six decades ago by alfred hitchcock in his 1951 masterpiece strangers on a train an archetypal story that sees the protagonist pursued and tormented until a final and violent. Upandcoming architect, guy haines, is traveling to texas to obtain a divorce from miriam, pregnant with another mans child. This analytical essay on strangers on a trai n analysis opening scene was written and submitted by user tinley forbes to help you with your own studies. This study guide consists of approximately 27 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of strangers on a train. Strangers on a train 1950 is a psychological thriller novel by patricia highsmith about two men whose lives become entangled after one of them proposes they trade murders. Mar 28, 2016 i n the latest oscar isaac vehicle, mojave, director william monaghan recycles the familiar tale of one mans seemingly chance encounter with a menacing stranger a trope that was perfected more than six decades ago by alfred hitchcock in his 1951 masterpiece strangers on a train. Strangers on a train 1951 synopsis two strangers meet by chance on a train from washington, d. Analysis of highsmith moved into the yaddo artist s retreat 67 words 6 pages. The most significant characters of strangers on a train are guy haines and charles bruno, who possess a sort of jekyll and hyde level dynamic. Strangers on a trainfarley granger left and robert walker in strangers.
Now, in his latest effort, called strangers on a train, which served to reopen the strand theatre last night under its new name, the warner, mr. Strangers on a train, american thriller film, released in 1951, that was produced and directed by alfred hitchcock and based on the novel of the same name by patricia highsmith. This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of strangers on a train by patricia highsmith. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith book analysis. Strangers on a train is a murdersuspense, from director alfred hitchcock, based on the 1950 debut novel by patricia highsmith, with a screenplay cowritten by raymond chandler. Strangers on a train, highsmiths first novel, deals with both psychopathy and homosexuality.
The strangers on a train 1951 film community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. On the train, he meets slender, disturbing charles bruno. An archetypal story that sees the protagonist pursued and tormented until a final and violent confrontation is reached, strangers on a train is a. While the train carriage setting is a convenient meeting place for two strangers, it also allows hitchcock to incorporate the recurring motif of crisscrossing train tracks, mirroring the paths of his two characters. On june 30, 1951, alfred hitchcock unveiled the suspense thriller strangers on a train in theaters. This is especially prevalent in regards to her sexuality. He was a very successful architect who is currently dealing with a threeyear ongoing divorce with his former wife in order to protect the other woman he loves, anne faulkner. Maltese falcon ppt 00595793xac2b5 jim irving, business lawyer. As a consequence of his reason, man is at odds not. Based on patricia highsmiths first novel strangers on a train, 1950, hitchcock took highsmiths kinkiness and added his own extensions to create an utterly perverse masterpiece.
The abiding terror in alfred hitchcocks life was that he would be accused of a crime. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper. It proceeds, as hitchcocks films so often do, with a sense of private scores being settled just out of sight. Strangers on a train even the final scene, a supposedly larky little coda warning against the perils of chat with even the most innocuous fellow passenger, would not work were we. The movie had been directed and produced by alfred hitchcock and was on the basis of the novel written by patricia highsmith. Strangers on a train film by hitchcock 1951 britannica. He immediately sent hismore after reading patricia highsmiths first novel strangers on a train, alfred hitchcock realized what a gem hed come upon.
Andrea after reading patricia highsmiths first novel strangers on a train, alfred hitchcock realized what a gem hed come upon. Read the full synopsis of strangers on a train, 1951, directed by alfred hitchcock, with farley granger, ruth roman, robert walker, at turner classic movies. Strangers on a train 1951 was director alfred hitchcocks suspenseful, noirish black and white thriller about two train passengers. Strangers on a train analysis in this scene of alfred hitchcocks strangers on a train the audience knows that bruno is going to plant guys cigarette lighter at the scene of the crime to incriminate guy.
An introduction to the essay on the topic of a stranger on a train. Hitchcocks masterpiece, starring farley granger and a brilliant robert walker. Hitchcock took highsmiths novel about a wickedly clever crime scheme and turned the film into more of a nightmare that is conveyed by the expressionistic effects of lighting, camera work, editing, and diegetic music. Patricia highsmiths by strangers on a train 1950 and alfred hitchcocks film adaptation of the work immerse the audience into the noir thrillers cunning sphere of crime, a world where the impression of dread and unease is bolstered through the theme of the divided self and the uncanny form of the double, or doppelganger. A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder. Sep 30, 2010 detailed presentation of the short film strangers slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Hitchcock is famous for using motifs in his films, including birds, staircases, even blondes. Study guide for strangers on a train 1951 film strangers on a train 1951 film study guide contains a biography of director alfred hitchcock, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Strangers on a train is a real horror film, a horror film about how madness can invade an ordinary persons life.
Strangers on a train 4 darkness, leitmotifs, symphony the. Oct 30, 2014 strangers on a train 4 darkness, leitmotifs, symphony october 30, 2014 benjamin b this is my fourth and final commentary on the classic thriller by alfred hitchcock. Aug 11, 2014 strangers on a train, which stars farley granger and robert walker, is one of hitchcocks most memorable thrillers because of its juicy premise. Alfred hitchcock based on book crime farley granger film analysis film noir horror. Strangers on a train summary and study guide supersummary. Why strangers on a train is a masterpiece of suspenseful. Guy haines, a successful architect, is heading to his hometown in texas from new york, where he hopes to finally settle an ongoing threeyear divorce with his wife, miriam. Its an absolutely audacious sequence, so thematically cohesive, so snappy, so fun. Theres a sort of symbolic effect in the way they meet and separate, and thats also true of the direction arrows in i confess. Tennis star guy haines played by farley granger meets a stranger, bruno. In chapter 11, bruno wakes up in an alley, having passed out drunk the night before. A technically perfect psychological carousel as one of hitchcocks best one of the most popular psychological crime thrillers that hitchcock ever made is definitely strangers on a train, the masters adaptation of crime novelist patricia highsmiths debut novel that hit theaters back in 1951. Hitchcocks masterpiece, starring farley granger and a brilliant robert walker may 5, 2012 by emanuellevy after several disappointing films made in the u. In strangers on a train, he pulled out all the stops to incorporate doubles, crisscrosses, and.
What distinguishes strangers on a train from similar films, even within hitchcocks own canon. The spectator becomes immersed in the story because of how well hitchcock uses these. He makes an excellent suspect because of the genius of the actual killers original plan. Strangers on a train 1951 was something of a showpiece for alfred hitchcock, for it gave him the opportunity to present a range of dazzling cinematic artifice in a single film. Two strangers will exchange murders, each killing the person the other wants dead. One would have expected hitchcocks return to major studio filmmaking to err on the side of chastened caution. Strangers on a train sports an almostperfect 1080pavc mpeg4 transfer that heightens the effects of robert burks stunning cinematography.
Strangers on a train is a 1951 american psychological thriller film noir produced and directed by alfred hitchcock, and based on the 1950 novel strangers on a. Strangers on a train summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith, her first novel 1950, is the story of a psychopathic man who wants to swap murders with an architect. Strangers on a train, directed by alfred hitchcock, follows a simple premise through a tale of twists and turns structural analysis. A stranger, bruno, accosts a tennis whiz, guy, on a train with a bizarre hypothetical exchange of murders guy of his wife so he can marry his girlfriend, the daughter of a senator. Strangers on a train 4 darkness, leitmotifs, symphony. He then goes ahead and fulfills his end of the imaginary bargain, leading to fatal consequences for both. An analysis of the classic cinema in the movie strangers on a train 427 words. Their interactions drive much of the conflict of the. On the train, he meets slender, disturbing charles bruno, who hates his father. One of the best things in strangers on a train is the exposition, with the follow shots on feet going one way and then the other. Strangers on a train is a 1951 american psychological thriller film noir produced and directed by alfred hitchcock, and based on the 1950 novel strangers on a train by patricia highsmith. Its a very good film too, effectively staged, full of interesting scenes and characters, with firstrate camerawork and atmospheric lighting.
Senator, and bruno antony, a cynical mamas boy who hates his wealthy father. He has nothing but contempt for her and cannot wait to begin a new life with more sophisticated and loving anne. The strangers on a train 1951 film community note includes chapterby chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical. Looking back at my posts on strangers on a train, i am indeed dazzled by the complex structure of the entire film, with its intertwined leitmotifs, and its themes of innocence and guilt. Sep 10, 2018 hitchcock is famous for using motifs in his films, including birds, staircases, even blondes. It provides a thorough exploration of the novels content and main themes, including morality, manipulation and duality. The inspiration for alfred hitchcocks classic 1951 film, strangers on a train launched highsmith on a prolific career of noir fiction, proving her a master at depicting the unsettling forces that tremble beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.
The novel strangers on a train by patricia highsmith is as much mystery fiction as it is a psychological thriller. The scene opens with an establishing shot of a tennis court filled with spectators. When albert camus wrote the stranger in 1942, his protagonist expounds from this rational dissociation from the world a theory pertaining to existence itself. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. It is in a way a little poetic since hitchcock is all about the world and people not being entirely black or white, good or bad. Strangers and existentialism eighteenthcentury novels like gullivers travels typically parachute an outsider into a society that they struggle to understand. Guy haines he is one of two of the main characters of the novel.
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