Strangers on a Train

media release: Alfred Hitchcock directed this classic suspense tale--widely considered one of the master's best works--tapping into the evil that lies hidden just beneath the surface of each of us. When two strangers--tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger), whose wife will not grant him a divorce, and wealthy but deranged young Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), who wants to be rid of his father--happen to meet on a train from Washington to New York, the conversation casually turns to a possibly perfect crime: what if each committed a murder for the other? There is nothing to connect the two men. No apparent motive for either killing. When the trip ends, Guy believes the conversation was hypothetical, and that he will never see Bruno again. Then his wife is murdered . . . and Bruno returns for payback. Hard-boiled crime novelist Raymond Chandler co-wrote the screenplay of this film adaptation of the novel by Patricia Highsmith. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

Strangers on a Train

Mon Aug 11 2025 | 7:00 pm CST

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Production Year: 1951

Runtime: 101 minutes

Experience Hitchcock on the Big Screen at Hillside Theater at Taliesin.

This summer, film lovers and theater enthusiasts alike are in for a treat. Taliesin Preservation, River Valley Film Club and American Players Theatre are thrilled to invite you to a special cinematic event: a screening of three iconic Alfred Hitchcock films at the beautifully renovated Hillside Theater at Taliesin.

In anticipation of APT’s upcoming fall production of The 39 Steps—a fast-paced, witty adaptation inspired by Hitchcock’s 1935 classic of the same name—this film series offers a unique opportunity to dive into the suspense, intrigue, and style that made Hitchcock a legend.

Mark your calendars, and join us for this perfect prelude to our thrilling fall production!

Pick up your tickets for the films here! Tickets are $10 per film.