MovieChat Forums > Throw Momma from the Train (1987) Discussion > Hitchcock influence

Hitchcock influence

posted 20 years ago by pammiex
7 replies | jump to latest

I wonder if they got the idea for this movie from the Alfred Hitchcock movie Strangers on a Train (1951) where two of the characters meet on a train and agree to swap murders, in this case a father for a wife.

[–] nhlgumby 20 years ago

It's the only obvious connection this movie makes with the movie world. The similarities are striking in every corner, from the way Owen's (DeVito) idea revolves around the motiv, to the way Owen chooses to kill Beth (Greist) by strangling, to the persistence Owen bugs Larry (Crystal) about his end of the bargain, even though they never actually made a deal. Similarly, Owen's desired death is a part of his immediate family, mother, and Larry's death is his wife. I liked the subtle humor DeVito uses in this movie, as he does in all of his directed movies, often playing around situatons that seem improbable (the telephone sequence or the way DeVito changes his hands from 'strangle' to 'push').

[–] TimewarpUK 20 years ago

Well if you watch the movie, DeVito's character watches Strangers on a Train (1951), which is where his idea is from. ;-)

[–] tito131 20 years ago

yeay like timewarpuk said...its extremely obvious that that's where the influence comes from, given that Owen watches the freakin movie in this movie. and that's when it dawns on him what he has to do, after he saw hitchcock. sooo yeah major hitchcock influence...as far as i'm concerned this movie is a modern comedic retelling of strangers

to your boss at a Ravioli factory "you can take this job and stuff it!"

[–] Stangg 18 years ago

wow pammiex, what a brilliant conclusion. I can't believe no one else has noticed that

Tom Brady > Your Lady

[–] lennon_emu 18 years ago

Patricia Highsmith (the writer of Strangers on a Train) deserves a story credit for this - its a blatant take on the novel, and the Hitchcock film which followed.

'My name's Buck...and I'm here to *beep*

[–] mjcsengeto 18 years ago

This thread makes babies cry.

[–] 18 years ago

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