The Final Score

Last night I watched the Hitchcock murder thriller "Strangers On a Train" on PBS. I wasn't planning to watch it, but it was on and I had nothing to do.

Before you start thinking there goes Rieber on another non-sports tangent, let me point out that sports is a significant part of the movie. The main character is a famous tennis player who actually plays a match in the film at Forest Hills -- the future site of the U.S. Open.

Interestingly, in the book the movie was based on, the same character was not a tennis player, but an architect. Why was the change made? I don't know. Maybe someone out there does?

And right after the match the tennis player / main character goes to old Penn Station, the beautiful gateway that was stupidly torn down in 1964 to, in part, make room for Madison Square Garden. The film was released in 1951.

Having been born in 1967, I never saw the old Penn Station in person but I've seen it in photographs. Having seen it again for a few seconds on film, I just have to ask: What were you people thinking when you tore it down?

Of course, I am old enough to remember when Grand Central Station's roof was so filthy you couldn't see the amazing ceiling art. Thank goodness they cleaned that up.

Are we going to feel this way 20 years after they tear Yankee Stadium down? Probably not since it's the pre-1976 Yankee Stadium people really wax poetic about.

Anyway, the movie was good, not great (kind of like Mike Mussina -- another sports tie-in!). Robert Ebert called it one of the top 100 films of all-time once, but I don't see it. The end of the plot turns on a police officer firing his gun when no police officer would -- into a crowd after a fleeing unarmed man. At least I hope no police officer would do that.

It's a B+ movie. Like most Hitchcock flicks, it has suspense and some very funny moments. He really had a terrific droll sense of humor.

Wikipedia says IMBD says the movie is supposed to be remade this year, but I couldn't find any info about that.

Neil Best has probably seen it. I know Jim hasn't. Neil, I don't think you've ever commented on our blog the way we have on yours, but I'd be interested to know what you thought of this movie. Thanks.