Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train was made in 1950 and released in 1951.

The Murder of Miriam in Strangers on a Train

Robert Walker (Bruno Antony) killing Miriam Joyce Haines. The murder is seen reflected in Miriam's glasses.

Hitchcock on Strangers on a Train

"As I see it, the flaws of Strangers on a Train were the ineffectiveness of the two main actors and the weakness of the final script. If the writing of the dialogue had been better, we'd have had stronger characterizations. The great problem with this type of picture, you see, is that your main characters sometimes tend to become mere figures."

Cast

Farley Granger ... Guy Haines
Ruth Roman ... Anne Morton
Robert Walker ... Bruno Antony
Leo G. Carroll ... Sen. Morton
Patricia Hitchcock ... Barbara Morton
Kasey Rogers ... Miriam Joyce Haines (as Laura Elliott)
Marion Lorne ... Mrs. Antony
Jonathan Hale ... Mr. Antony
Howard St. John ... Police Capt. Turley
John Brown ... Prof. Collins
Norma Varden ... Mrs. Cunningham
Robert Gist ... Det. Leslie Hennessey

Homosexuality, homophobia and deviant sexuality in Hitchcock's Films

Homosexuality was never explicitly mentioned in any of Hitchcock's films, but we see the theme indirectly treated in several of his films, actually more as homophobia. Deviant sexuality, combined with misogyny often characterizes Hitchcock's villains.

According to The Motion Picture Production Code depiction or direct reference to homosexuality was forbidden. The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home should be upheld. Pictures should not infer that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing.

As far as homosexuality is presented in Hitchcock's films, it is presented negatively. Until 1974 homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder.

The Pleasure Garden	The costume designer working for the theatre manager is extravagantly effeminate.
The Lodger	The Detective to his girlfriend and her mother: «Anyway, I’m glad he’s not keen on the girls!» (a comment also alluding to Ivor Novello's homosexuality) The Detective to Daisy's mother: «Does this lodger of yours mean any harm to Daisy?» The mother: «Don’t be silly, Joe, he’s not that sort. Even if he is a bit queer, he’s a gentleman.»
Murder!	The murderer Handell Fane is a transvestite (an emblem of homosexuality) and this is linked with racial impurity (Handell Fane is a a "halfcast"), an outdated viewpoint which is rather disturbing today.
Secret Agent	Madeleine Carrol to the American man in the horse wagon: "He's fond of you! – I was afraid of that!"
The Lady Vanishes	The cricket obsessed English couple sleeping in the same bed.
Rope	Philip and Brandon. "When you translated the English dialogue, it became very homosexual – unintentionally." (Screenplay writer Arthur Laurents) "What was curious to me was that Rope was obviously about homosexuals. The word was never mentioned. Not by Hitch, not by anyone at Warners. It was referred to as "it". They were going to do a picture about "it" and the actors were "it"." (Screenplay writer Arthur Laurents) "The thing to me that is best about the picture is not the technical side. That may be called ahead of its time, but it was never used again. [...] What is extraordinary about it is its treatment of homosexuality. I mean, today it still is one of the most sophisticated movies made on that subject. [...] Hitchcock certainly knew that and it certainly attracted him. And what he liked was not that they were homosexuals, but that they were homosexual murderers." (Screenplay writer Arthur Laurents)
Strangers on a Train	Bruno and Guy
North by Northwest	The friendship between the villain VanDamm and his jealous friend Leonard has associations towards homosexuality.
Psycho	Norman's feminine walk and mother fixation.

Excerpt of The Motion Picture Production Code

No picture shall be produced which will lower the moral standards of those who see it.

The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld. Pictures shall not infer that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing.

Title design

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Title designer not credited.

Title design Strangers on a Train

Close Up on Hitchcock (Patricia Hitchcock talking about Strangers in a Train)

Black people in Hitchcock's Films

Downhill	In Marseille there is a black man among the sailors who says that Roddy (Ivor Novello) is "dotty – he’s seein’ things."
The Ring	At the fair people can throw balls on a black man to make him fall down. Two boys throw an egg at him, to the crowd's amusement. One of the members of "One-Round" Jack's team is black.
Champagne	The black servant brings a telegram to the father (Gordon Harker) who scorns him. He is extremely servile and walks around almost as a chimpanzee. A black man works as a bartender in the restaurant.
Young and Innocent	The killer (drummer man) performs in a band performing in blackface.
Shadow of a Doubt	When Charlie goes to Santa Rosa by train, the railroad porter is black.
Strangers on a Train	The senator's servant is black.
Topaz	Philippe Dubois (Roscoe Lee Browne) takes the identity of a black journalist from Ebony, sneaks into the Cuban embassy, manages to take photos of some of the important documents and then runs away, chased by Cuban revolutionaries.
Family Plot	One of the FBI agents questioning Arthur Adamson in his jewel store.