Strangers on a Train
Alfred Hitchcock’sStrangers on a Trainisn’t usually place alongsideVertigo , Psycho , andNorth by Northwestwith the manager ’s all - time greatest work , but it isone of his most iconic and influential movies , as its story of a execution pact has been re-create by everything fromThrow Momma from the TraintoHorrible Bosses .
Since Hitchcock clashed with the studio , the storey of howStrangers on a Traingot made is an interesting one . It was far from liquid sailing for the film producer , as there were disagreements about the end and Hitchcock was unhappy with how the motion-picture show become out .
Hitchcock Landed The Rights To Patricia Highsmith’s Novel For $7,500
The Patricia Highsmith novel thatStrangers on a Trainwas based on was the source ’s first published book , so Hitchcock was able-bodied to procure the film rights for the low price of $ 7,500 . The manager managed to negotiate such a low fee by preserve his name out of the dialogue , as was his M.O. to get film rights for as cheap as possible .
Highsmith was fairly annoyed when she found out the guy who come the right wing to her thriller novel for so tawdry wasthe most renowned thriller director in the world .
The Producers’ First Choice To Play Guy Was William Holden, But He Was Unavailable
The producers ’ top selection for the role of Guy Haines was William Holden , but he was unavailable at the time of shooting , so the part live on to Farley Granger instead .
Hitchcock ’s girl Pat Hitchcock was also in the plaster bandage , but the director did n’t give her preferential treatment to avert bitterness from the other role player .
Raymond Chandler Thought The Story Was Silly
Raymond Chandler ’s screenplay forStrangers on a Trainturned out to be his last . Hitchcock wanted a far-famed law-breaking writer to pen the movie ’s script , but most of them – including John Steinbeck and Thornton Wilder – turned down the job , because the beginning fabric was a first - time novel .
Dashiell Hammett came unaired , but talk of the town with his people broke down and he never get the Book of Job . Chandler thought the tale was silly , but accept the gig anyway .
Hitchcock And Chandler Didn’t Get Along
Hitchcock and Chandler famously did n’t get along during the qualification ofStrangers on a Train . Hitchcock liked to conduct long , clumsy meetings where the project might not even come up , whereas Chandler want to get neat to commercial enterprise so he could start spell .
Plus , Chandler was more interested in character , whileHitchcock was more interested in plot of land . by nature , the two clashed . finally , they dropped the pleasantry and were openly rude toward one another .
Ruth Roman Was Cast At The Studio’s Behest
Hitchcock did n’t want to cast Ruth Roman as Anne , but since she was under contract with Warner Bros. , the studio insisted on give her the role .
As a result , Hitchcock and Roman had tensity on the set . Patricia Highsmith , who write the reservoir material , later criticized Roman ’s casting .
Hitchcock’s 13-Year Collaboration With Cinematographer Robert Burks Began With This Movie
When Hitchcock hired cameraman Robert Burks to work on this movie , it began a 13 - twelvemonth coaction in which Burks would lens every Hitchcock motion picture fromStrangers on a Trainup to 1964’sMarnie , with the exception of 1960’sPsycho .
Hitchcock needed a cinematographer who shared his vision , and find just that in Burks , who was at the time act as a stave camera manipulator on the Warner Bros. lot .
Kasey Rogers Couldn’t See Through The Prop Glasses She Had To Wear
Hitchcock importune on give Kasey Rogers thick prop glasses for her character , even in prospicient shots where the departure would n’t be detectable . Virginia Katherine McMath had gross imaginativeness , but these glasses effectively blind her .
She require to be guided around the set by the other actors . In one scene , she can be seen run her mitt along a table , which she had to do to figure out where she was .
A Stuntman Actually Crawled Under A Moving Carousel
For the scene in which a man crawls under the move carrousel to get to the ascendance , no flick trickery was used . A stuntman actually creep under a moving carousel . Hitchcock later claim that this was the most unsafe stunt ever perform for one of his movies .
As for the plosion of the carousel , that was shot with a illumination and then blown up on a big rearward - jutting screen behind the actors .
The Studio Forced Hitchcock To Give The Movie A Happy Ending
Hitchcock wanted to endStrangers on a Trainwith Guy saying , “ Bruno , Bruno Antony – a clever fellow . ” However , the studio apartment reject to let the movie cease like that and forced Hitchcock to shoot a well-chosen ending .
As a result , there are two cutting of the movie . These are forebode the “ American cut ” and the “ British cut , ” although the latter was never actually released in Britain . Hitchcock was unhappy with both version .
The Head Of The Studio Faced A Very Mixed Response To The Movie
After the release ofStrangers on a power train , back when moviegoers get off their feedback straightaway to the capitulum of the studio apartment , Jack Warner ’s office receive a very interracial reception from audiences .
Some people lambasted the squalid tone of the report , while just as many praised it . Warner was very happy when he run into the box office numbers , because the movie was a hit .
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