Throw Momma From The Train is a dark comedy film released in 1987 , directed by Danny DeVito . The movie stars Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito , with Anne Ramsey playing the role of the overbearing mother. The story revolves around a failed writer, Larry Donner (Billy Crystal), who shares a writing class with the eccentric and often quirky Owen Lift (Danny DeVito). After a conversation about the classic Alfred Hitchcock film Strangers on a Train , Owen proposes a unique and darkly comedic plan to "swap murders." He wants to kill his oppressive mother, while Larry, dealing with his own issues, is conflicted yet intrigued.