10 Movies You Didn't Know Were Named After Songs
8. Throw Momma From The Train
Starring Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito (the latter who also directed) - this dark comedy evolves around a creative writer professor, Larry Donner (Crystal), and his student Owen Lift (DeVito). Lift plans to murder Donner's ex-wife in exchange for the later killing the former's overbearing mother. The film's plot is a heavy homage to Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train.
Whereas the inspiration for the plot came from Hitchcock, the film's title comes from the lyrics of and 1950's hit single. The song in question is Mama From The Train (A Kiss, A Kiss), sung by Patti Page.
Written by Irving Gordon, its lyrics pertain to memories of a deceased mother. The first line "Throw Mama from the train a kiss, a kiss", is obviously meant in a more wholesome, and sentimental way, than that being hinted at by the movie. Yet, the title fits the film perfectly, and tells the viewer exactly what to anticipate whilst watching.