Murder and Queer Commentary Brew in Strangers on a Train
But while that subtext Strangers on a Train is still debatable, it’s absolutely present in another Hitchcock film starring Farley Granger that was released three years earlier: Rope. Did Martin Landau play a homosexual in North by Northwest? Did Alfred Hitchcock really show gay sex on-screen in Rope , albeit in an unusual way? Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train was made during the “lavender scare,” in which the government targeted queer citizens and especially federal workers within its anti-Communist witch hunt. Where is the Money? Tom Pelphrey Explains.
When Hitchcock Went Gay
In typical Hitchcock-ian fashion, the "Master of Suspense" often employed in his films subtle references to gay culture, defying conservative attitudes of the late '50s. Comment should not be empty!!! We are currently offering this content for free.
Beginner’s Guide to Alfred Hitchcock
The films that have the most obvious queer representation are Rope, Strangers on a Train, Rebecca, The Lady Vanishes, and Psycho. I am not exaggerating when I say that Rope is one of the gayest films I have ever seen. The censors must have literally been blind and deaf not to notice the queer subtext of this film. The idea of telling Bruno began to comfort him. Bruno was not the ordinary stranger on the train by any means.
Queering Hitchcock
These gay intimations share an interesting complexity with the narrative, the cultural context of the film’s release, and other works under Hitchcock’s belt that portray similar indications. Robert Walker as Bruno Antony in Strangers on a Train (Hitchcock, ). Do you ever reflect upon the challenges of our city and feel like you want to do something to make a positive impact? At Washington City Paper , we constantly keep tabs on our impact to help us get through hard days.
Strangers on a Train
Indeed, as Fuller asserts, gay screenwriter Arthur Laurents penned the script for the film Rope, whilst the stories of both Rebecca and The Birds were both layered with LGBTQ subtext. Such examples are present across the whole of Hitchcock’s career, however, with s Strangers on a Train being written by the gay author Patricia Highsmith and s Jamaica Inn also being adapted from. .
Hitchcock and Queer Subtext
In these two films, there is a homoerotic undercurrent. While Rope can be seen as more explicitly gay, even under the confines of s Hollywood, Strangers on a Train ’s subtext is hard to ignore. Bruno’s fixation on Guy can be read as homosexual attraction, though the fetishistic murder of Miriam suggests that Bruno is possibly bisexual. . How Alfred Hitchcock influenced queer cinema
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith was no stranger to homosexual overtones — her antihero Tom Ripley was, essentially, a gay monster, and she even dipped her toe into. .