Aug 31, 2014 highsmiths novel is based on a very simple premise. In strangers on a train, becca tells nancy, george and bess that the police have captured the jewelry thief. Bruno then proposes a double murder plot, where each would kill the others problem. 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.
There really isnt anyone likable in the whole book. Tennis star guy haines played by farley granger meets a stranger, bruno. The rest of strangers on a train is a delicious game of catandmouse during which guy tries desperately to beat bruno at his own game. It was shot in the autumn of 1950 and released by warner bros. Low camera activity of cars and taxis arriving and discharging passengers with. Although i have heard of the film naively had been unaware it was originally a book. Even though a lot of film scholars over the years considered the movie at least to a degree inferior to hitchcocks landmark films such as vertigo or rear window, this. The sphere of suspense for the story of a strange, parasitic attachment and the unbelievable events which follow. Guys immediate dislike of bruno, is a dislike of his feelings for the man. Strangers on a train is 29yearold patricia highsmiths dark debut novel from 1950. Each one is a really short novella about 70 pages and they are fabulous its really a nice idea that each one of the authors wrote some story taking place on a train each one is different though the setting is the same. 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.
Guy wants to move into a career in politics and has been dating senator mortons daughter anne while awaiting a divorce from his wife. Appalled, guy leaves, forgetting his book of plato. Strangers on a train 1951 frequently asked questions imdb. Oct 06, 2012 coadapted by raymond chandler from a novel by patricia highsmith, strangers on a train perfectly exemplifies hitchcocks favorite theme of the evil that lurks just below the surface of everyday. Bruno dreams up a crazy scheme for the perfect murder in which two total strangers, he and guy, exchange murders on a. Jul 15, 2017 the only copy of strangers in a train i could get through my library was an audio book of selected novels and stories and it included the price of salt, so i listened to it as well. Strangers on a train 1951 movie mistakes, goofs and bloopers. It was one of those strangers on a train encounters that changes you forever, in this case in a good way.
From this point on, a steady stream of novels and short stories followed. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Strangers on a train film by hitchcock 1951 britannica. She said once that she was interested in the effect of guilt on her heroes. Strangers on a train our book choice for december 2010 is strangers on a train, by patricia highsmith. Ending spoiler for strangers on a train 1951, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Guy sits near charles bruno, a wealthy and crass man who strikes.
It was a bestseller and alfred hitchcock made a film of it in 1951. Written by craig warner and based on patricia highsmith s acclaimed novel, inspiration for alfred hitchcock s legendary movie, this new stage production stars in alphabetical order laurence fox, jack. Strangers on a train was her debut novel, but highsmiths sense of anxious foreboding was already fully formed. Strangers on a train 1951 begins with a familiar premise. The crisscross murder deal in strangers on a train indeed would have worked perfectly except for the detail that only one of the strangers agrees to it. The fact that strangers on a train was highsmiths first novel further contributed to hitchs ability to lowball her.
On the train he meets a strange man name charles anthony bruno who has an idea of exchanging murders after guy sharing his story of a three year divorce with a woman who was impregnated by another man, and brunos father whom is very aggravating and abusive to bruno. Strangers on a train is about a successful architect, guy haines, heading to his hometown texas from new york. Deadly carousel ride strangers on a train 910 movie clip. Strangers on a train is just as much about character as it is about plot. Its a very good film too, effectively staged, full of interesting scenes and characters, with firstrate camerawork and atmospheric lighting.
Crime tale has touch of poe, stevenson at their eeriest this eerie tale may be read as a story of possession in the old demonic sense as a philosophical allegory of the extremes of good and evil that like in every mans nature as a psychological study of divided. There are some books which you hear about so often that it finds a place in the corner of your mind, and when opportunity knocks, you decide to read it almost automatically. Strangers on a train audiobook by patricia highsmith. Strangers on a train nancy drew diaries series plugged in. Mar 22, 2011 guy and anne are seen reunited on a train home, free of brunos influence and secure in their future together. Nine perfect strangers reading group guide welcome to the reading group guide for nine perfect strangers. The novel strangers on a train by patricia highsmith is as much mystery fiction as it is a psychological thriller. I read strangers on a train because it was a book club choice in the office.
Architect guy haines wants to divorce his unfaithful wife, miriam, in order to marry the woman he loves, anne faulkner. A perfect murder strangers on a train 210 movie clip. Strangers on a train 1951 directed by alfred hitchcock. Strangers on a train official trailer gripping all the way, this is a hitchcock thriller in which, through happenstance, two men, completely different, are drawn inexorably together and toward. This novel introduces key themes in highsmiths canon. On a train, wealthy, neurotic bruno antony recognizes tennis player guy haines and strikes up a conversation. 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. The novel has been adapted multiple times, most famously by alfred hitchcock in his 1951 film. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith goodreads. Strangers on a train, by patricia highsmith posted on february 5, 2018 by vinay leo r. Strangers on a train is a brilliant example of what hitchcock could do best, continually develop his plot and characters in an atmosphere both creepy and humorous. The official facebook page for strangers on a train youll be in the grip of loves strangest trip. Big lessons in strangers on a train by patricia highsmith.
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. Strangers on a train 1951 the spectator commentary track. Highsmith is known for telling stories in which relatable characters are coerced into crime, although in an interview with. Strangers on a train summary and study guide supersummary.
Strangers on a train raises the issue of why its protagonists murder, and it explores the theme of the double. In 1951, alfred hitchcock did away with the blood, the masks and the infamous jumpscare altogether when he revisited the novel of the same name strangers on a train. Strangers on a train has the classic, and probably first genuine, murder swap story, but there have been many imitations. Farley granger meets a math professor on a train bound from new york to washington, and is able to prove as much to the police. Guy haines, on the way to texas to divorce his wife miriam so that he can marry anne, is picked up by charles bruno, an alcoholic and a maniac, who suggests to him that he murder miriam in exchange for guys murder of the father he hates. Coadapted by raymond chandler from a novel by patricia highsmith, strangers on a train perfectly exemplifies hitchcocks favorite theme of the evil that lurks just below the surface of everyday. The blurb gives you a good overview so there are no spoilers here. Weve all been minding our own business at the grocery store or in a restaurant when a total stranger suddenly appears and starts asking nosy questions. You may be wondering what lessons you can learn from strangers on a train, a work of art, but the book is more than a psychological thriller. Nancy hopes she and the girls can relax and enjoy the rest of their trip. Strangers on a train is filled with paranoia and anxiety, and through its twists and turns, we, like poor guy haines, are also drawn into psychopath brunos web. And she noticed by the front of his trousers that he. Strangers on a train is a psychological thriller originally by written patricia highsmith in 1950. Bruno stops him, saying that he will be arrested for involvement, i.
Leonard cassuto wall street journal strangers on a train is filled with paranoia and anxiety, and through its twists and turns, we, like poor guy haines, are also drawn into psychopath brunos web. In order to provide reading groups with the most informed and thoughtprovoking questions possible, it is necessary to reveal important aspects of the plot of this novelas well as the ending. On the train he meets a strange man name charles anthony bruno who has an idea of exchanging murders after guy sharing his story of a three year divorce with a woman who was impregnated by another man, and brunos father. The talented patricia highsmith known to most for her novels strangers on a train and the talented mr. 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. Written originally by patricia highsmith in 1950, this novel tells the story of two men, bruno anthony and guy haines, who meet on a train and agree to trade murders.
The 1987 film throw momma from the train provides a comedic twist on strangers on a train, with the hitchcock film inspiring a copycat scheme by danny devitos character. Strangers on a train is another case where most people have seen the movie but havent read the book or didnt know there was a novel behind it. I just didnt feel the relationship between carol and therese. For those familiar with patricia highsmiths 1950 detective novel of that name, i hasten to assure you that no one was murdered in my untenuredproftrappedwithdeaninarailwaycar version of noir. Architect guy haines wants to divorce his unfaithful wife, miriam, in order to marry the woman he loves, anne. Strangers on a train ruthie knox, donna cummings, samantha hunter, serena bell, meg maguire i loved all 5 of these. Ripley, its time to remember one of the greatest lesbian writers of the 20th. Highsmiths novel is based on a very simple premise. Ending spoiler for strangers on a t rain 1951, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. The film has great dialogue, superb characters, good acting, and naturally superb direction from the master of suspense who is truly at his best here. A friendly clergyman seated opposite them asks guy if he is guy haines. He then goes ahead and fulfills his end of the imaginary bargain, leading to fatal consequences for both. Writer oscar wilde wrote in his essay the decay of lying states that life imitates art far more than art imitates life. Jan, 2015 paula hawkins gripping new thriller begins with bitter, dissolute rachel, who sees what she believes to be a perfect couple, every morning on the train to work and then one day, the wife is gone.
Guy later says the same to his fiancee, when she finds out. Im so glad my book club picked strangers on a train by patricia. Guy haines, a famous tennis player, is recognized on a train by bruno anthony, whose conversation shows a detailed knowledge of guys private life. The novel opens with guy haines traveling by train to grant his unfaithful wife, miriam, a divorce.
Psychotic mamasboy bruno antony meets famous tennis player guy haines on a train. Strangers on a train is a play written by craig warner and is based on the 1950 the novel of the same name by patricia highsmith. It was adapted as a film in 1951 by director alfred hitchcock. A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder. It appeared in 1950 and is still her bestknown book. 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. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith book analysis e book. Strangers on a train was patricia highsmiths debut novel.
Coadapted by raymond chandler from a novel by patricia highsmith, strangers on a train perfectly exemplifies hitchcocks favorite theme of. Strangers o n a train, by patricia highsmith posted on february 5, 2018 by vinay leo r. Strangers on a train was a contemporary crime novel when it was fit published in 1950. At the end of the moment she realized she had this man that she lusted for standing in front of her and the ice was clearly broken. With farley granger, robert walker, ruth roman, leo g. The book opens with rachel on the train and it ends with her talking about getting back on the train, and throughout the book there are all kjinds of references to the train, its movement, sound coming from all the charactersnot just rachel. Robbs book, strangers in death 2008 references both highsmiths novel and hitchcocks film as a homicide detective attempts to solve two seemingly unrelated murders. Andrea after reading patricia highsmiths first novel strangers on a train, alfred. A thrilling ride of relentless suspense from beginning to end, strangers on a train continues alfred hitchcocks unprecedented run of quality thrillers and is one of the most memorable films of his remarkable film career. Strangers on a train 1951 frequently asked questions. Highsmith is one of the best crime writers of this century. Strangers on a train is a novel with a homoerotic sub text. In this case, if youve seen the movie, and then go to read highsmiths book, you end up with two different entities. Strangers on a train 1951 was director alfred hitchcocks suspenseful, noirish black and white thriller about two train passengers.
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. Strangers on a train by patricia highsmith 9780393321982. Most of those reallife encounters end innocently enough, but director alfred hitchcock has something much more sinister in mind in. Get on board for the west end s most gripping new thriller, as the classic strangers on a train opens at the gielgud theatre on 2 november. While using guys cigarette lighter, bruno notices it is inscribed from a to g, and guesses that a is senator mortons daughter anne, whom guy intends to marry after miriam, his current wife, divorces him.
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. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Unlock the more straightforward side of strangers on a train with this concise and insightful summary and analysis. Strangers on a train was highsmiths first published work, written primarily while living at the yaddo artists colony. Strangers on a train movie trailer and videos tv guide. From the i cant believe this is out of print department comes highsmiths whiteknuckler and the basis of the hitchcock film of the same name. I was keen to read this book as id recently bought a kind worth killing and several bloggers had compared it to the plot in strangers on a train so i picked up a copy from the library. The synopsis gives an intriguing premise, and i sometimes read crime stories ive just downloaded the first four cadfael stories, and i enjoyed the ian rankin novels ive read. Guy begins to reply, but remembering this is the way bruno started their fatal conversation, he changes his mind and quickly leaves the club car with anne, leaving.
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