Dial M for Murder (1954)

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Dial M for Murder (1954)

7/10

Starring

Ray Milland

Grace Kelly

Robert Cummings

John Williams

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Dial M for Murder is a classic mystery thriller that I will advise all Alfred Hitchcock fans to go watch. If you love mystery movies, this is one you will have to take the time to see.

The saying that all things work together for good kind of came into play in this movie, the acting was in top shape, the script and dialogue were intriguing. This will not go down as the best of Hitchcock but it still stands out, the cinematography isn’t classic since majority of the movie was done in a confined apartment, the screenplay was not as grand as there is little room pull out all the stops but the plot is as grand as they come. The plot takes you on a journey where you get to see things in the view of the three leads; each one is giving a scene time to win you over to their side.

Done in 1954, this movie is directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on a stage play done in 1952. The screenplay and the stage play on which it was based were both written by English playwright Frederick Knott, and the movie did well in the box office and was well received by critics.

The stories plot is all about Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) obsession to take revenge on his wife for cheating on him.

He decided to kill her and the best way to do it was to allow a stranger take the fall, so he plotted and thought through how to commit the perfect murder, one thing he forgot to think about is his wife Margot Mary Wendice (Grace Kelly) will to live, as the man he sent to murder her, was murdered.

But that didn’t stop Tony as he still found a way, how?

You have to watch Dial M for Murder to find out.

A remake of the movie was done in 1998 and it was titled A Perfect Murder directed by Andrew Davis, the remake had Michael Douglas play the husband and Gwyneth Paltrow was the wife. In the 1998 remake the characters of Halliday and Swann are combined which was played by Viggo Mortensen.

Alfred Hitchcock is the king of mysteries and this movie does plagues of it from the get go to the last scene where Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) served everyone a drink. Dial M for Murder is in position 48 in the AFI’s 100 years…100 thrills. Dial M for Murder was released in the same year as Rear Window.

So take the time to watch this classic.