i have use this movie in my college ethic course for over 10 year ( also woody allen crime and misdemeanor another terrific and multi level ethical study ) . it fiction . i do not focus too much on the unrealistic feature of stranger because all fictional film be obviously false on many level . i love the film a gallows comedy and tautly tell and with many ironic twist and visual pleasure even if it unbelievable . the story be tell so well that i do not even think of criticize it plausibility ( although i must confess that the tennis match seem the weak part to me too much hollywood fluff and not enough real tennis competition ) . some problem present in the film that hold promise for realistic moral education and ethical discussion represent1 . ethical passivity represent some weakness of the guy character be intend by hitchcock . a primary ethical insight of the film be the danger of inability to articulate one moral position . guy be unable to effectively block bruno crazy proposal at the start . an interesting question be why and how do guy behave so passively and ineffectively . a possible answer be his depression because of his intense and complicate divorce process . 2. miscommunication represent guy commit another failure at the start represent on the train and to get away quickly and he agree that bruno idea be all good . but guy literal meaning be opposite to his inflected and sarcastic meaning . bruno take the literal meaning a an agreement for the criss cross murder . guy take the sarcastic meaning a an escape from any murder agreement . to some extent and near the beginning and bruno may be partially pretend that an agreement have be strike and to draw guy far into a web of complicity . bruno be manipulate guy while guy linguistic ambiguity on the train give bruno a chance to put an ethical stranglehold on guy . bruno manipulate guy may also take on other meaning . . . . 3. secrecy represent some have speculate about a sexual relationship between guy and bruno . it seem at first ridiculous and especially since guy appear obviously heterosexual in his relationship with miriam and anne . however and remember that guy be also ineffective with both woman . guy appear ( stereotypically it 1951 remember ) effeminate and especially in relationship to bruno . guy and the strong athlete and be weak on the inside . bruno be also conflict ( play against himself ) and appear facially and physically strong at first but then display some effeminate trait ( bruno fashion and footwork while his gush emotionally to guy in different situation while his receive a manicure from his dot mother while bruno kissing and desperately fondle his mother hand while other more subtle gay stereotype that hold cryptic meaning from hitchcock point of view ) . i wish i could hear hitchcock clarify his intended meaning here . 4. dishonesty and distrust represent guy make some colossal blunder in hide truth about bruno from family and from police . guy fail to fully comprehend that admit fault quickly may be good than a cover up or a delay in confession . again guy be drive by passivity and insecurity and fear and perhaps a self hate that be close to bruno own self loathe than we care to see or to admit . both guy and bruno act out their own parable of impotence . 5. lack of evidence represent guy feel a problem muster the evidence to acquit himself . while quickly go to the police would solve a huge problem and guy trap himself with his own doubt and insecurity represent the absence of desired alibi while the inability of the alcoholic professor to testify on guy behalf while the obsessive need to appear politically pristine while and other personality factor that cause guy to feel defenseless . he be as dysfunctional a bruno just not as dangerous ( yet one could partially blame guy for miriam murder ) . 6. disease and mental disorder represent an interesting question be how legally responsible be bruno for the murder . the more ethically incompetent bruno be a a sick sociopath and the more guilty guy may be a someone healthy who fail to stand up and morally act to prevent the crime . guy failure be like a man who fail to call the police when a sick friend threaten suicide and and death ensues . one could argue that more than one crime be commit and that guy be an emotionally hobbled accomplice . these and many other feature of the film make stranger on a train a gem of a morality play and a diamond for philosophical and cinematic reflection .