User reviews

A treat for the eyes and exercise for the brain, "Dial M For Murder" is Hitchcock's second "drawing-room perfect murder" movie, after "Rope", the latter a darker and more sinister affair altogether. Hitchcock himself in interviews played down the quality of this movie, amongst other other things indicating that it was treated almost as a warm-up for the more ambitious "Rear Window" which immediately followed it in his career.

However. it actually has a lot going for it, being beautifully shot in luminous colour, extremely well acted in almost every role and peppered throughout with those eye-catching and brain-satisfying flourishes which so distinguished the director from the rest.

Yes, it is very set-bound, betraying its stage origins and likewise very talky, especially on exposition, but it keeps the viewer alert throughout and delivers a neatly satisfying conclusion. I do wish Hitchcock could have done better with his back-projection unit (an old-fashioned, jarring trait he still hadn't grown out of by "Marnie" some 10 years later) and I occasionally found the constant too frivolous background music an intrusion, but it's well paced throughout, helped considerably by an on-form cast.

Ray Milland is excellent in a kind of darker Cary Grant type persona, Grace Kelly (who'd want to murder her?) goes convincingly from loveliness to wretchedness while it's pleasing to see Robert Cumming to the fore, recalled by Hitch for the first time in over a decade (since "Saboteur" in 1942). The actors playing the would be murderer and nosey police inspector are just fine too.

About those flourishes..., perhaps the most famous being the changing spotlight on Grace Kelly's doomed face as her trial is condensed into just a few terse minutes and of course the murder scene itself, even if one can't imagine her extended stabbing gesture being strong enough to cut through Swann's jacket far less kill him stone dead, but I also enjoyed the raised tracking shot looking down on Milland as he explains his plot to Swann and particularly the parting shadows of lovers Cumming and Kelly at Milland's unexpected approach.

Yes, it's old fashioned Hollywood movie-making, but it's old-fashioned Hollywood movie-making at its best and in my opinion an unjustly overlooked effort from the Master.

There is a lot to admire about Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder," and I do hold the film with a great deal of admiration and respect. However, what I adore about the movie the most (more than the cinematography, the suspense, the acting, and even the direction) is the work by screenwriter Frederick Knott. Mr. Knott based the screenplay for "Dial M for Murder" on his successful stage production, which I have never seen, but am told contains almost all of the words we hear in the film. And the words are music to the ears. They sing with intelligence, wit that Mr. Hitchcock certainly found attractive, and, best of all, an easy transition to the screen. Many times when a stage production goes to film, as far as I am concerned, the results, even if good, are uneven. Frequently, the dialogue and restricted set space allowed tend to give off the impression of a filmed play, not a cinematic experience. Another Hitchcock film, 1948's "Rope," though valiant, interesting, and successful, attempted this and suffered from this difficult struggle.

But the dialogue, put on film here, is exceptional. I write this review having seen "Dial M for Murder" two or three times and wanting to see it once again. Many reviewers, myself included, have tried watching films with the sound off. I want to try the opposite. I want to close my eyes and just listen to the dialogue because it's so strong. The MacGuffin conversation at the beginning, with a perfectly cast Ray Milland blackmailing a perfectly cast Anthony Dawson into murdering a perfectly cast Grace Kelly is brilliantly written by Mr. Knott. It was clearly from a stage production, as it explains the plot background in great detail, and goes on for the better part of twenty minutes. Both men are fleshed out, giving us their personalities and individual tendencies. And even though "Dial M for Murder" pretty much stays on just one small set (an apartment in London, in which we see mostly the foyer, a little of the bedroom, and just a glimpse of the kitchen), what happens there is so fascinating that we do not really want to venture out into the city.

And that is just the setup. The dialogue remains insistently interesting and clever throughout the picture. It also has that subtle, dark sense of humor that Alfred Hitchcock was keen on. It also has the ironic touches, such as when Mr. Milland, as the jealous husband, kisses his unfaithful wife on the night she is to be murdered, and tells her: "Goodbye, my dear." The audience, having been given every single little detail about the scheme and how it is to unfold, cringes with a dark realization that Mr. Hitchcock might just go through with Mr. Milland's plot. Mr. Hitchcock, as the director, is also due tremendous credit for his trademark of creating tension. Screenwriter Knott brilliantly lays out for the audience, not the victim, how the murder will go through, but Mr. Hitchcock's camera dutifully follows everything as the scheme goes along. And, before we realize it, if something starts to go wrong, we become scared and tense. And you can imagine my guilt when I realized I was feeling scared that a plan to murder someone just might not go through. It's Mr. Hitchcock's gift at work.

Dimitri Tiomkin, a very good film composer, hits all the write notes; that includes knowing when he needs to tell his violins and trumpets to shut up. Robert Burks' cinematography is also strong with effective usage of shadows and streaks of light. Colors are omnipresent. And even though "Dial M for Murder" was shot with the intent to be seen in 3D, it is hardly evident. When I first saw the film, in much superior 2D, I did not mind the lamps and such in the foreground, such as when one bisects the screen between Ray Milland and Anthony Dawson during the opening sequence. I just thought it was a clever piece of filmmaking and misc en scene, not a cheap gimmick like in most 3D movies today. "Dial M for Murder" is a near-perfect movie of its kind, pumped full of smart dialogue and dazzling energy. This is one of the few play-to-movie transition that I have seen where I have suddenly become eager to see the original stage production.

Retired tennis star Tony Wendice decides to do away with his wife Margot. Tony is aware that his wife has been having an affair with a friend of theirs, Mark Halliday. Tony concocts the 'perfect murder.'

I'm working my way through Hitchcock's tremendous catalogue of films, I've kept this one til the end purposely, as I regard it as one of his best. It's suspenseful, it's intriguing, but best if all, it's clever.

Dial M for Murder has a genius plot, it is so clever, the plot is intricate and complicated, it never fails to impress me, so many details, and a spider's web that few could imagine.

I've been lucky enough to see this on stage a few times, it lends itself very well to The Theatre, this is one film I'd love to see retold.

I'm glad Ray Milland was cast as Tony, he's perfect in the role, he's charming and respectable, but has a wolfish like quality, the kind of guy that would shake your hand, then give you a black eye later on. Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings are terrific.

It's been adapted a few times, one version I quite enjoyed is a Perfect Murder, featuring Michael Douglas, it's not a patch on this, but it's very good.

I love that there's an intermission in it, it's a shame the third Lord of The Rings film didn't follow suit.

9/10.

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), an ex-tennis player, unhappily married to Margot (Grace Kelly), correctly guesses that she has been cheating, with Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Mark writes crime stories. Unbeknown to Margot and Mark, Tony knows about the affair, and wants to teach Margot a little lesson, by taking away the thing that is her life. But, being too guileful to do it himself, Wendice blackmails one of his old school friends into murdering her, and the essential thing to doing it is his latchkey.

Dial M for Murder succeeds on many levels, and it is largely thanks to some superb dialogue, written from a tricksy-yet-capable script that never gets too deep. The cast are a treat. Ray Milland is an absolute gem, extremely sly and dispassionate, yet a character so full of self-assurance that one almost sides with him. Grace Kelly completes her great year (she gave an Oscar-winning performance in The Country Girl and also starred in Rear Window) by emanating the poised, beautiful being, that is vulnerable, yet oddly unassailable. And it's weird in that even though she's cheating on her husband, you care for her a lot more than him (although that could do with the fact that he's trying to kill her...) And John Williams, as the police detective, is quite wonderful.

Alfred Hitchcock manipulates and enthrals his audience here like the master that he is. Each scene has a sense of direction, great pacing, and is staged realistically. Stunning full colour photography and a haunting, atmospheric score from Dimitri Tiomkin complete this great package. The ending, when it comes, feels a little too nice to be truly realistic, but that is my only major quibble with an otherwise highly entertaining, thrilling movie.

What gets me about this film every time I see it is just how simple it is. The witty urbanity of the dialogue goes without saying (hem), the acting is stagily impeccable, and the direction by Hitchcock is limited by the small sets but masterful for all that.

Cold Ray Milland plans and sets up the murder of his demure but faithless wife Grace Kelly by a virtual stranger who is urged on by the stick of exposure of his misdeeds and the carrot of GBP1,000 in used notes. Of course all of his convoluted plans go horribly or thankfully wrong, depending on your point of view, leading to an even more convoluted revised plan. When first seen when young I wasted my time because I wasn't paying attention at the critical moment so missed the point and didn't get it: the key is how did the baddie get into the apartment? It's incredibly verbose, being from a stage play after all and at times it seems nothing more than a radio show with pictures. The long scene setting and verbal sparring by Milland and Anthony Dawson is superb to hear - it's fascinating for its relentless poetry, and of displaying a now-dead world. I could never understand the attraction of 3D movies, least of all with this particular attempt, or why Kelly was continually uglified by the Hollywood machine when she never looked lovelier than in here when she was playing stressed out throughout.

I wonder if Hitch remembered the jokey murder scene he did in 1930 in Elstree Calling when Jameson Thomas realised he was murdering in the wrong apartment? Turn that key you have and go in, it's a remarkably literate film and as intricate inside as any lock.

It takes place almost entirely in one room, and the dialogue, acting and direction is fantastic throughout.

Time has not diminished this gem and it deserves its fame and status.

This is truly a brilliant flawless masterpiece. One thing I admire from this film is the astonishing dialogues throughout the film and all "what if" thoughts are very much explained for the viewers and produce logical explanations thus makes it flawless.

Hands down the father of noir-film.

After earning an Academy award nomination for her performance in John Ford's 1953 tale of romance and adventure, "Mogambo", the beautiful actress Grace Kelly proved that she was way more than just a pretty face and that there was real talent behind her image. However, what truly took her career to new levels were three now classic films she made directed by the legendary Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Under his direction, Kelly made an integral part of the Master's films, becoming the perfect embodiment of Hitchcock's idea of a female protagonist. While Kelly debuted two years earlier in the classic Western "High Noon", one could say that it was Hitchcock who really introduced the beauty and talent of Grace Kelly to the world. "Dial M for Murder" was the first of Hitchcock's films with Kelly, and a movie where once again the Master returns to a familiar theme: the perfect murder.

The movie is the story of Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a former tennis player married to the beautiful and wealthy Margot (Grace Kelly) and living in an nice apartment in London. Life is good for Tony, until he discovers that his wife is cheating on him with an old flame of her, famous crime novel writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). After that discovery, Tony spends a whole years plotting the perfect way to murder his wife in order to inherit her money, carefully planning every detail of the crime. When Mark visits London again, Tony finds the perfect chance to set his plan in motion, and as planned, he recruits Charles Swann (Anthony Dawson) to kill his wife. However, bad luck and a sudden change of events will test Tony's plan's infallibility as, just as Mark points out, human action can originate flaws even in the most perfectly devised plan.

Like most Hitchcock's films, "Dial M for Murder" was an adaptation of another art-form, this time a popular play by Frederick Knott. As Knott was also the writer of the screenplay, the movie remains extremely faithful to the play, although of course, not without its differences. Knott's script is wonderfully constructed, as like in the play, the dialog is witty and simply captivating, with many twists and turns that spiced up the complex plot and keep it from being boring or tiresome. An interesting feature of the movie is that oddly, there are no black and white morality in the characters, and it's easy not only to sympathize with Margot (despite she being cheating on her husband) but also to sympathize with Tony (despite he wanting to kill his wife), as the characters are wonderfully developed with very detailed personalities.

It seems that Hitchcock's knows that the dialog is the highlight of the play, as he deliberately focuses on his actors and uses an elegant camera-work to frame the whole movie inside the apartment. The movie literally is shot entirely in one single room (only two other sets are used, and only briefly), but Hitchcock's classy way of using the camera allow a highly dynamic flow that never lets the movie be tiresome. This is also very helpful as Hitchcock just lets his characters keep speaking, carefully describing actions and events (when other directors would use flashbacks) in a similar way to a what the real play would be. While this approach could easily get boring, Hitchcock's use of colors and overall visual imagery simply creates the perfect medium to allow Knott's dialog to shine.

Without disrespecting John Ford or Fred Zinnemann, I think that it was Hitchcock who finally could allow Kelly's talent to shine beyond her physical beauty. Grace Kelly makes her character shine with her subtle and restrained performance, specially showing her skill in the second half of the film. While often Kelly receives top honors in this movie, it is actually Ray Milland who makes the whole movie work with his suave and charming "villian". Milland's performance is simply terrific, making his character nice enough to win the sympathies of the audience, yet still frighteningly intelligent as the mastermind of the plot. John Williams appears as the Inspector in charge to solve the complex puzzle, and delivers a classic performance as the Enlgish gentleman decided to find the final answer. Only Robert Cummings seems miscast as Mark Halliday, although a lot of his weak performance could be blamed to Milland, Kelly and Williams overshadowing him with their excellent work.

In many ways, "Dial M for Murder" shares many things with "Rope", as not only the two films are based on successful plays, they are also about committing the perfect murder and oddly, they are both "experiments": while "Rope" was conceived as a "movie in one take", "Dial M for Murder" was done as 3-D movie. Sadly, the interest in 3-D was dying when the film was released, so few theaters carried the movie complete with the gimmick; a real shame, as Hitchcock's use of the technology, unlike most 3-D films of its time, was conceived as a way to enhance the claustrophobia of the Wendices' apartment instead of using it to merely shock the audience with "stuff coming out of the screen" (as seen in for example, "House of Wax"). While not too fond of the gimmick, Hitchcock truly gave it a good and intelligent (albeit subtle) use to it.

"Dial M for Murder" is probably less celebrated than the Master's most famous movies, the fact that it came out the same years as "Rear Window" (again with Grace Kelly) may have had something to do with it too. While a subtler and more restrained tale of suspense, this is still the Master at his best, as the movie proves that when he was at the top of his game, no other director was comparable to him. 9/10

1954 was a big year for Grace Kelly. She played in Hitchcock's classic "Rear window" and she won an Oscar for best actress in "The country girl" and most people tend to forget that she starred in yet another classic, "Dial M for murder". Starring Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, and Robert Cummings, it is simply one of Hitchcock's finest movies of all-time. In fact, I would consider it to be my second favorite Hitchcock movie ever, my first being "Psycho" (although I haven't seen "Rear window" yet).

Margot (Grace Kelly) is married to Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), an ex-tennis player. However, she has been seeing another man named Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Mark writes crime stories. The two of them think that Tony doesn't know about their relationship but they're wrong; Tony has known about this relationship for one year and seems to have had enough of it. So when Mark, who lives in New-York, comes to London to see Margot, Tony wants to go out with Mark and his wife. But the night of the event, Tony is unable to go. So he tells Margot to take Mark out and to have a good time. The only problem is that Tony doesn't really have something that's keeping him from going out with Margot and Mark. He has another plan, the plan being to blackmail one of his old college friends that has become a small time crook into murdering his wife.

What follows this is pure entertainment at its best. As usual, Hitchcock masterfully directs this movie and has the right actors to do the job. Ray Milland and Grace Kelly deliver very good performances and surprisingly enough, Robert Cummings does a rather good job in his role of Mark Halliday, the American crime novel writer who accidentally stumbles on the answer. But it is John Williams who steals the show with his great performance as Inspector Hubbard, the detective who holds the key to the whole mistery. He is simply excellent and pretty funny when he is supposed to be. Another of his great performances is in "Witness for the prosecution" where he played Brogan Moore, Charles Laughton's very good friend and seconding lawyer in the case. As for "Dial M for murder", well it's one of those movies that anyone should see at pretty much any cost.

I had forgotten that most if not all of it happens in one single room. The planning of it is a display of extraordinary craftsmanship. Not a lagging moment. I was riveted to the, let's face it, preposterous plot from beginning to end. Ray Milland is a credible monster in elegant and civilized clothing. Grace Kelly, a peach as the unfaithful wife who stays home to cut newspaper clippings of her husband's past glories. Yeah, right. Robert Cummings has always been a mystery to me. A popular leading man with a long career. He only exudes a campy, if lightweight vibe that almost works in comedies and when he's in a supporting role - My Geisha and What A Way To Go with Shirley MacLaine are good examples. Here as Grace Kelly's secret lover, I don't know what to say. John Williams. very funny again as the Scotland Yard inspector, the same character to a T he played in Midnight Lace with Doris Day or was it his twin brother? In any case, no Hitchcock fan can afford to miss this filmed play, filmed by one of the undisputed greats.

The hit Broadway play by Frederick Knott "Dial M for Murder" has been adapted to the screen several times, including the films made in West Germany and Sweden, as well as a TV movie in 1981 (TV) by Boris Seagal and the film "A Perfect Murder" (1998) directed by Andrew Davis with Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen. Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 adaptation was the first and certainly the best one even if the master himself considered it one of his lesser efforts. "Dial M for Murder" will be remembered as Hitchcock's first color film and the first of three thrillers he had made with Grace Kelly, the future Princess of Monaco, in the prime of her beauty and her talent. Using color proved to be very effective in the film. The first two scenes featuring Kelly wearing a white morning dress in the idyllic scene with her husband Tony and right after that kissing passionately her American lover, writer (Robert Cummings) in the red dress, immediately, without many words tell the viewer that the story of passion, deception, betrayal, and ultimately, murder will follow.

Ray Milland (Tony Wendice) is a surprisingly sympathetic villain (which is perhaps not surprising from the actor with talent, charm, and charisma that equal and remind a lot of both Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart) who knows about his wife cheating and decides to teach her a lesson by plotting a very clever murder which will make him a sole heir to her money (she is a wealthy one in the family). His plan is perfect and almost works but Margot managed to not only escape the murderer but to turn the table on him while stunned Wendice is on the phone and listens how his well thought of plan collapses. Wendice is very resourceful and he proved to be a master of improvisation because it took him a few minutes in a cab to switch to a plan B that turned a terrified victim Margot into a cold-blooded murderess. Now it is up to seasoned and shrewd inspector Hubbard (John Williams) to find the crucial piece of evidence and to solve the case.

As always with Hitchcock, his directing is impeccable, the camera rarely leaves Wendice's apartment but the film is never claustrophobic which is the case for many plays' adaptation. It breathes and moves freely and we almost forget that we are in the same room for close to two hours. I would not call "Dial M for Murder" my favorite Hitchcock's film but it is enjoyable, clever, and witty thriller with the interesting twists, outstanding performances, and more than one truly memorable scenes.

Undoubtedly, "Dial M for Murder" has a clever plot: Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) plans "the perfect murder" to do away with his wife Margot (Grace Kelly), who cheated on him with novelist Mark (Robert Cummings). He blackmails an old schoolmate into committing the crime and plants clues to mislead the police. But when things don't go according to plan, Tony has to plant new clues and think of another explanation to give the detectives, so that suspicion doesn't fall on him.

The trouble is, the plot is the only interesting thing about this movie, and the characters are defined solely by how they can affect the plot. For instance, Mark writes mystery novels only because this explains his ability to "read" the crime scene. Most of the movie's dialogue is expository: long scenes where the characters debate the minutiae of evidence found at the scene, without an interesting subtext. The movie is known for taking place almost entirely in the Wendices' living room, and Hitchcock does a good job of varying the camera angles to make you forget there's just one set. But he did this even better in "Rear Window," his other 1954 film.

Admittedly, Milland gives an enjoyable performance as the villain—truly a guy you love to hate, a clever and smiling sociopath. But Kelly and Cummings are surprisingly boring for a pair of adulterous lovers. Kelly also proves herself the ancestor of all those female horror- movie characters who go investigating strange noises in their best lingerie.

"Dial M for Murder" is lightweight without actually being funny—a fatal combination. Though serious concerns (adultery, murder, the death penalty) underlie the story, we're never made to feel that they are really consequential. It's a cold and mechanical movie, which subordinates everything else to the demands of an intricate plot. Contrast this with something like "Rear Window," whose plot is simple and lacking in twists, but whose characters are vividly drawn and act as though their stories really meant something. Having a clever solution to a mystery does not a great movie make.

Mostly enjoyable movie, but hardly a 'great' movie. I am most disappointed by the lack of depth in the Grace Kelly and Cummings characters, which are both one-note uninteresting roles. Grace Kelly is wasted in a passive, weak, and vapid role which relegates her to the status of window dressing (not that there is anything wrong with that!), she might as well be a nice looking piece of furniture in this movie. The Cummings role is wasted as the passion between him and Kelly is not developed, and amazingly, the tension that would exist between Milland and Cummings is never apparent!. This guy was sleeping with Milland's wife, but you would think they were best friends. What a waste. Would have been a lot more interesting if Kelly and Cummings were not such bland, cardboard harmless people and were a little more human, with real emotions (jealousy, hatred, passion, even a little evil).

Milland makes the move interesting to watch as he sets his plan in motion with great charm and flair. Unfortunately, as he is the only interesting character, you kind of feel bad when he is caught in the end and the two sappy characters prevail. Oh well, it could have been a lot more 'noir' if they had not glossed over the fact that Kelly and Cummings are far from the sweet innocents they are portrayed.

I started my Hitchcock journey a week ago, i have no words to describe his genius. For reference, my ratings are:

NOTORIOUS 9/10

VERTIGO 8,9/10.

ROPE: 8,2/10.

This is too brilliant. Script is the greatest quality of this movie, whereas, these other aformentioned movies relied on Hitchcock's directing too. This is like stage play, similar to "ROPE". There are enough twists here to feed the whole world, i couldn't tell what is gonna happen next. My mind hurts, sort to speak, by the brilliance of the script, i would never have guessed the ending. I was wondering how they are gonna pull through because the antagonist had a great plan, adaptable according to the situation.

Grace Kelly is out of this world.

Surprisingly this is a lesser-known Hitchcock film but still stands up today as an exciting thriller full of twists and turns.

Ray Milland is excellent as ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice who decides to commit the perfect murder of his wife (Grace Kelly) when he learns of her affair with Robert Cummings (who isn't given much to do). In fact, Milland's subtle performance has you wanting the murder plot to work! Though it has to be said, Kelly's helpless female turn does not help in this regard either.

Hitchcock's skill here is to totally involve the viewer in the labyrinthine plot involving keys, telephone calls and stockings so that at the end of the film you haven't even noticed that virtually all the scenes are in one room.

If you like clever, wordy films with a touch of humour then I recommend `Dial M For Murder'. 8/10

Alfred Hitchcock is a wonderful director, directing classics such as Psycho, North by Northwest and Rebecca. While not his best, Dial M For Murder has so much to recommend it. First of all, is the breathtaking cinematography, which is nearly always the best thing in a Hitchcock film. The script is a gem, showing that you are capable of anything, and most of the time, it is very tense and rarely slips. That said, my only complaint, is that one or two scenes such as the ending do fall flat, compared to the rest of the film. However, the film also has a wonderful music score, and fantastic performances from the entire cast. Ray Milland, an actor I really want to get more familiar with, is excellent as Tony Wendice, the husband planning to murder his wife, and make it a perfect murder. As Margot, the beautiful Grace Kelly is the picture of beauty and vulnerability in a wonderful understated performance, perhaps outshining her co-star. Everyone else acquitted themselves well too, even Robert Cummings as Mark Halliday and John Williams as Inspector Hubbard. Overall, an excellent film, not Hitchcock's best, but well looking out for. 9/10 Bethany Cox.

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 gentile 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 the movie was adapted. (He also wrote Wait Until Dark (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn.) 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 snug (but certainly not clinging) dresses that show off her delicate figure and her exquisite arms and hint oh so 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.

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) is an aging tennis pro who learns that his wealthy wife (Grace Kelly as Margot) has a lover (Bob Cummings as Mark). Tony figures out what might have led his wife astray and fixes it - he gets a real job with a real boss. But what if his wife divorces him? He'd get nothing! Realizing that getting a job may have enlarged his wife's respect for him but not diminished her affection for the lover, he spends a large amount of time figuring out a perfect way to kill his wife so that he can inherit her money. Tony has nothing personal against Margot and her infidelity, he just can't take the chance of winding up penniless. He can't do the job himself - the husband is always the prime suspect in such matters. So, he must find someone who will be willing to do the job for him. He's not the type who hangs with organized crime types, so he has to find someone already guilty of murder but yet untouched by the law and get that person to agree to do the job for him.

It sounds perfect. Tony even has the lover with him as an alibi the night the murder is to occur. But everything does go wrong, and now Tony has to retool his perfect murder. Who will kill Margot for Tony? The law of course! Watch this great little thriller and see what I'm talking about.

Most directors lose a step after they are in their 50's. There is just something about their creativity that just fizzles, and I say that as someone who is 55 myself. But here Hitchcock is at age 55 doing some of his best and most clever work. This one is so ironic it could be considered a film noir if not for the elegance of the players, the setting, and that great score.

Just one thing that nobody ever seems to talk about much - did anybody else want Tony to get away with it just a little? He does play it icy cold and smiling throughout, but when he makes the phone call that sets everything in motion, you can see the regret in his face - the fact that he hates that this is the way that it must be. Meanwhile my sympathy was not with the cheating wife and especially the false friend Mark Halliday. The guy was sleeping with a man's wife while pretending to be his friend, even carrying on a kissing session with her while the husband went down the street for an errand. If you're going to steal someone's wife, let it be a stranger's. Don't shake the guy's hand, eat the guy's food, and accept his hospitality and take his wife behind his back too. Maybe Hitch wanted the audience to be conflicted though, maybe he was trying to add to the complexity of the situation with this added dimension. At any rate, watch this if you get a chance. In fact, watch it more than once. You'll always see something you didn't see before.

Hitchcock brings the successful play, Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott, to life in a shocking new way. Adapted by use of the amazing 3D technology.

This movie is unique for Hitchcock in many ways. It is shot entirely in one room, yet there is never a moment of claustrophobia. As for many movies in the early 50's, it was shot in 3D. And you will at times notice scenes that play into that, but are done with the greatest of expertise. Also he chose not to change the play at all, but rather ride it out.

As the aging tennis pro or the jealous husband, Ray Milland is solid all the way through. And what can I say about Grace Kelly. Behind only Ingrid Bergman and Donna Reed, as the most beautiful and talented actresses of all time. She never fails to impress. She can be quite a darling and at the same time a spectacular bitch.

Probably my favorite Hitchcock film, since it is the first one I saw. I was introduced to him very early in life at the age of 7, by my wicked older sister. For years Psycho haunted me and Vertigo confused. But I do thank her for Notorious and Rear Window. Dial M for and North by Northwest.

Seems to me that Hitch was not the most attractive guy, yet like all of us he favored beautiful women. Especially blonde's. This leads me to the question of, what does a guy like Hitchcock know about women? Maybe simply, how to kill them.

Thrilling and suspense movie based on Frederick Knott's play , author of other successful and equally adapted books as ¨Wait until dark¨ and ¨The honey pot¨ . A London ex-tennis pro (Ray Milland) carries out a plot to murder his wife and then he hires a killer (Anthony Dawson who recreates his stage role) . When things go wrong , he improvises a brilliant plan B . In the city , wealthy Margot Mary Wendice (Grace Kelly) had a brief love affair with the American writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) while her husband and professional tennis player Tony Wendice was on a tennis tour . But his plan for pulling off the perfect crime is temporarily foiled and quickly switches to another plan . Meanwhile a Police Inspector (John Williams who won the 1953 Tony Award to recreate his stage role of Chief Inspector Hubbard) investigates the deeds .

Top-notch suspense film of a man plotting spouse's killing , full of sustained intrigue , thrills , a few interesting twists and entertainment . The picture , stagy at times , is formed by two parts , a Plan A and a Plan B with even more fun . Casting is frankly magnificent , the stars are excellently cast . Splendid performances from Ray Milland as a rather likable nasty who desires to inherit his wife's fortune and John Williams as an obstinate Inspector who carries out the subsequent investigation . Furthermore , a gorgeous and wonderful Grace Kelly ; Hitch arranged to have Grace dressed in bright colors at the start of the film and made them progressively darker as time goes on. Colorful and shimmer cinematography by Robert Burks who uses intelligent camera vantages , being photographed in Technicolor and 3D , which explains the prevalence of low-angle shots with lamps and other objects between us and the cast members. Thriller and suspenseful musical score by the classic Dimitri Tiomkin . The movie was skillfully shot in 36 days: August 5-September 25 1953 , by the maestro Hithcock , including his well-known touches and as usual the same appears a cameo on the left side of the reunion photograph . Rating : Above average , and ranked #9 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Mystery" .

Remade for television (1981) by Boris Sagal with Angie Dickinson and Christopher Plummer and for cinema as ¨A perfect murder¨(1998) by Andrew Davis with Viggo Mortensen , Gwyneth Paltrow and Michael Douglas as the husband , but this time , the man he contracts to kill his wife results to be her lover .

Hitchcock does Experimental Theatre … That's pretty much to most befitting description you could give to "Dial M for Murder"; one of the Master of Suspense's most acclaimed but also – do I daresay it – most overrated achievements. The entire film takes place in one single location, as if you're watching a stage play, and there's also the experimental use of unusual camera angles and bizarre compositions, which proved that even the untouchable filmmakers like Hitchcock were attempting to be innovative in order to face the competition with the skyrocketing success of television during the early 50's. Personally, I have to admit I thought of "Dial M for Murder" as a very intelligent and competent but nevertheless severely underwhelming thriller experience. Every tiniest detail in this production is flawlessly taken care of, but the wholesome is just so damn lifeless! Every single character stands there talking as if they have a dozen of knives stuck in their backs and daren't move a muscle. Frederick Knott's screenplay is tight and highbrow, but since he adapted it from a stage play (his own), the movie is exaggeratedly talkative and the limited possibilities to switch sets rapidly makes it tedious as well, regardless of all the photography gimmicks.

Former tennis star Tony Wendice developed the ideal plot to murder his unfaithful wife and rake in her family fortune. He truly thought up a seemingly waterproof and meticulously all-inclusive scheme that involves blackmailing an old college buddy turned petty crook into committing the vile act whilst Tony is out partying with his wife's lover. But, like one of the characters correctly states, the perfect murder doesn't exist and the more definite a plan looks, the more likely it is for important details to go wrong. Tony's plan does indeed go horribly wrong, but the cagey villain nevertheless comes up with an ingenious alternative plan on the spot. A couple of aspects about "Dial M for Murder" are undeniably pure genius. The whole build up towards the actual murder sequence, for instance, is nail-bitingly suspenseful and made unforgettable thanks to the creepy music. Then there are two performances that easily qualify as brilliant, namely John Williams' portrayal of the witty and typically British police detective and – foremost – the terrific Ray Milland as the dangerously sagacious psycho Tony Wendice. In fact, Milland's performance is so deeply impressive that you actually cheer for him and secretly hope that his diabolical plan of will succeed, if only just because the characters of his wife (played by Grace Kelly) and her lover are so annoyingly wooden and dull! "Dial M for Murder" is a highly compelling and smart film, but by no means a masterpiece and I sincerely doubt it ever would have made it into the top 250 if it hadn't had Hitchcock's name in the title.