Dial M for Murder

Rating:
Summary: A Hitchcock thriller with first rate cast and good plot
Review: "Dial M For Murder" is one of Hitchcock's lesser known movies from the fifties. It was taken from Frederick Knott's successful stage play and he also wrote the screenplay. The film had a strong cast which included Ray Milland, Robert Cummings, and, in her first film for Hitchcock, Grace Kelly. The supporting cast included John Williams and Anthony Dawson. The film was made in 3-D but never released in this form here in the U.K.

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) is aware that his wife Margot (Grace Kelly) is having an affair with Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Margot is hoping for a divorce but her husband has other plans - Tony is alarmed about the thought of having to live without his wife's money so he decides to have her murdered. By chance he runs into an old college acquaintance called C. A. Swann (Anthony Dawson) who is known to have a criminal past and has in fact been in prison. Tony decides that Swann would be the ideal man to do the murder as he has no connection with Margot and offers him £1,000 to do the deed. Swann is reluctant at first so Tony has to resort to blackmail threatening Swann with exposure of some of his past criminal activities to persuade him to become involved. On the night of the planned murder Tony is dining out at a restaurant with Mark and some others (which is to be his alibi). He has left a key under the stair carpet for Swann to enter the apartment and at 11.0 p.m. Tony will phone Margot from the restaurant - Swann will be hiding behind the curtains and when Margot answers the phone he will strangle her from behind. The perfect crime - or is it? Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances things don't quite work out as planned and there are many twists and turns before the police inspector (John Williams) has got it all figured out.

Some favourite lines from the film:

Robert Cummings (to Grace Kelly): "I can see this is going to be a rough evening. All of us saying nice things to each other".

Ray Milland (to Anthony Dawson): "I thought of three different ways of killing him. I even thought of killing her - and that seemed a far more sensible idea".

Kelly (to Cummings): "Do you really believe in the perfect murder?".

John Williams (to Cummings): "They talk about flat footed policemen. May the saints preserve us from the gifted amateur".

Hitchcock's cameo appearance in this film is a little different as he doesn't actually appear "in person". He is seen in the school reunion dinner photograph that Ray Milland shows to Anthony Dawson early in the film. Robert Cummings had starred in a previous Hitchcock film called "Saboteur" (1942). Grace Kelly went on to make two more films for Hitchcock - "Rear Window" and "To Catch a Thief" (both in 1954). Talented character actor John Williams was also in Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief". "Dial M For Murder" was remade in 1998 as "A Perfect Murder" with Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen (the last named was also in the remake of "Psycho"). Another of Frederick Knott's plays made into a film was the excellent thriller "Wait Until Dark" starring Audrey Hepburn.

Rating:
Summary: Dial D For DVD
Review: Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 Dial M For Murder, ended up as an "also ran" to the more popular Rear Window, released that same year. Another problem was that it was decided to add some 3-D elements to it, as a way to entice folks into the theater. 3-D was all the rage back then, but in the end, this only proved to be a distraction, rather than an enhancement. I think Dial M is a better film than most people think it is, especially when looked at outside of the Rear Window and 3-D factors.

Tony Windice (Ray Milland) hatches a plan to have his lovely wife Margot (The ever lovely Grace Kelly) murdered. It seems that she has been having an affair with a writer friend of theirs, named Mark (Robert Cummings) Tony's plan involves a casual school mate of his (Anthony Dawson) carrying out the deadly deed, while Tony has a solid alibi. When the plan is complicated by an unepected turn, Chief Inspector Hubbard (John Williams) is sure there's more going on here then meets the eye.

Based on Frederick Knott's play, Hitchcock keeps that "stage" mood going by not stretching too far beyond the main set. At first, this may seem very limiting but I think it only hieghtens the tension. Hitchcock is quite good at staging scenes in a confined space, as the aforementioned Rear Window and a few of his other films like Rope and The Trouble With Harry, demonstrate. Milland is devishly suave as Tony. Kelly is great as always, but really shines as a woman conflicted. The film has a problem with its pace at times, getting booged down with a dialogue heavy scene, now and then, but it's not as bad as some have suggested. People often compare the film to its updated and greatly expanded remake, A Perfect Murder, that's like comparing apples and oranges. It's not neccessary in my opinion. Both can stand alone and have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Dial M For Murder, is one of the only Hitchcock films left, not to get a DVD release. Ok, so it's not his best work, but as we approach a landmark anniversary for the film, this situation deserves to be rectified soon. It's gotten a bum rap for too long now.

Rating:
Summary: Hitchcock on holiday
Review: Based on Frederick Knott's acclaimed play, Dial "M" for Murder isn't as important as Hitchcock's other major classics but it's still a enjoyable detour into familiar Hitchcock country. Originally filmed as a 3-D release, Murder slinked into theaters as a convetional or "flat" release throughout most of the United States. It's a pity as I had the opportunity to see it in its 3-D revival in 1980 and it's probably one of the best to use the gimmick with subtly and power.

Ray Milland plays Tony Windice an aging tennis pro (shades of Strangers on a Train!)who wants to have his wife Margot(the beatuiful Grace Kelly in her first Hitchcock film) murdered for the money and her infidelity. It seems she's having an affair with Mark (deftly played by Robert Cummings in his second Hitchcock film)a talented mystery writer. Windice blackmails an old school chum (the menacing Anthony Dawson)to commit the murder so that Windice can have the perfect alibi--he'll be out to dinner at the time of the murder. In fact, he'll actually call her at the time the murder takes place to help set up the killing. Things go awry and Windice sort of gets his wish; Margot is suspected of murder herself. While it isn't quite what he wanted, he'll still get his revenge and be able to keep his wife's fortune for himself.

Although it's a "lesser" Hitchcock, Murder features a number of astonishing sequences. The murder sequence, in particular, where Kelly as Margot reaches out to the audience for help is brilliantly staged by Hitchcock and shows both the power of the film and his deft use of the 3-D gimmick.

Although the film is primarily set on only a couple of sets (no surprise as it's a fairly faithful adaption written by Knott himself), Hitchcock manages to generate considerable tension and his roving camera sucks the viewer into Margot's world. In many respects, this film recalls Hitchcock's ambitious 1948 film Rope although Hitchcock doesn't limit himself to the long involved takes of that experimental film.

In addition to the superb Milland, Cummings and Kelly, John Williams has a supporting role as Chief Inspector Hubbard (a role he also played in the Broadway version). Williams droll and deft performance as Hubbard brings considerable humor to the film but also keeps it moving along nicely.

The big question is why isn't this available on DVD? First request--release it in both 3-D and flat format on the same disc. Shouldn't be too difficult for Warner Brothers to accomplish this. Second request, what about a short featurette on the making of the film? Universal has done a marvelous job with their Hitchcock releases. The single Hitchcock DVD release from Warner is Strangers on a Train. While I love the fact that both the American and British versions (both have slight but important differences)on the same disc, I really dislike not having any other extras. So there's no commentary, no featurette, nothing but the two films (and the transfer, while solid, isn't spectacular). Finally, with the pending release of Spykids 3-D, it would be a perfect opportunity to get Murder out.

Let's get this film along with I Confess, The Wrong Man and Stage Fright on DVD. All three have their merits and deserve to be available on DVD now.

Rating:
Summary: Dial M for Masterful!
Review: Dial M for Murder is not one of the all time greats of the Master, but it still has its merits. Based on a play by Friedrich Knott, it features the suave Ray Milland playing Tony Wendice, former tennis star. He's married to Margot (Grace Kelly) who is actually having an affair with Mark (Robert Cummings). Tony hatches a plan to blackmail a former school chum to come to their house and kill Margot when Tony is away. The main part of the plan involves Tony calling Margot to get her to stand by the phone and give the killer his chance. The plan, needless to say, does not go off as planned and some further decisions need to be made.

It's obvious that this was originally a stage play, as the majority of the picture takes place in the Wendice's apartment. It also was released in 3-D when it came out in 1954, something that really didn't help its popularity. The play was perfect for Hitchcock, who showed over and over his ability to do masterful work even when contained in one space for a long period of time (see Lifeboat, and Rear Window, which came out the same year as Dial M). The performances are superb. Milland as the overconfident Brit, Cummings as the uptight American, and Kelly as the clueless beauty who just can't believe her husband could be so cruel. I also loved John Williams as the inspector from Scotland Yard. He also thinks highly of himself and it's great watching him go up against Milland. Watch also for Hitch's cameo in a picture and the neat close ups of the scissors and the telephone number dial. Hitchcock always had the camera telling the story and this film is no exception. Excellent all the way around.

Rating:
Summary: At Last!!!
Review: I have been one of the many people who have sent in, demanding that this DVD be released and now it is! This is a great Hitchcock thriller and most of his films are on DVD, so why not this one. At Last!!!

Rating:
Summary: Superior Hitchcock with an enchanting Grace Kelly
Review: This is a fine example of the kind of mystery that little old ladies from Pasadena (or Russell Square) adore. Perhaps Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) starring Cary Grant might be comparable in its genteel and bloodless ability to glue us to the screen.

This is certainly one of Hitchcock's best, but most of the credit must go to a devilishly clever play written by Frederick Knott from which he adapted the screenplay. (He also wrote the play upon which Wait Until Dark (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn was based.) Hitchcock does a good job in not tinkering unnecessarily with the material. He also has the exquisitely beautiful Grace Kelly to play the part of Margot Wendice.

Ray Milland plays, with a kind of high-toned Brit panache, her diabolical husband, Tony Wendice, a one-time tennis star who married mostly for security. John Williams is the prim and proper Chief Inspector Hubbard. He lends to the part a bit of Sherlock Holmesian flair. One especially liked his taking a moment to comb his mustache after the case is solved. Robert Cummings, unfortunately plays Margot's American boyfriend as inventively as a sawhorse. For those of you who might have blinked, Hitchcock makes his traditional appearance in the photo on the wall from Tony Wendice's undergraduate days.

The fulcrum of the plot is the latchkey. It is the clue that (literally) unlocks the mystery. There is a modernized redoing of this movie called A Perfect Murder (1998) starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow in which a similar business with latchkeys is employed. I am not very good with clues so it was only after seeing that movie and Dial M for Murder for the second time that I finally understood what happened. Follow the latchkey!

Of course I was too distracted by Grace Kelly to fully appreciate such intricacies. I found myself struck with the ironic notion that anyone, even a cuckolded husband, might want to kill Grace Kelly or that a jury might find her guilty of anything! She remains in my psyche America's fairytale princess who quit Hollywood at the height of her popularity after only five years and eleven movies to become a real princess by marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco. Something was lost there, and something was gained. She was in essence the original Jackie Kennedy Onassis. I think, however, that the old saw about the man who marries for money, earning it, might apply to American princesses as well.

At any rate, Grace Kelly's cool and sublime bearing was on fine display here. Hitchcock cloths her in discreet nightgowns and fitted (but certainly not clinging) dresses that show off her delicate figure and her exquisite arms and hint coyly at her subtle sexuality. She was 25-years-old, stunningly beautiful, and in full confidence of her ability as an actress. She had just finished starring opposite James Stewart in another splendid Hitchcock one-room mystery, Rear Window (1954), and was about to make The Country Girl (1954) with Bing Crosby for which she would win an Oscar for Best Actress.

So see this for Grace Kelly who makes Gwyneth Paltrow (whom I adore) look downright gawky, and for Ray Milland whose urbane scheming seems a layer or two of hell removed from Michael Douglas's evil manipulations.

By the way, the "original theatrical trailer" preceding these Warner Brothers Classic videos is what we used to call the "Coming Attractions"--that is, clips directly from the movie and a promo. You might want to fast forward to the movie itself.