Dial M for Murder

August 8, 8:58 PMDallas Movie ExaminerAmanda Green

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Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) sat across from his old schoolmate and smoothly confesses his true intentions for inviting him to his flat: “I need you to kill my wife.” Charles Swann (Anthony Dawson) looked at the neatly tied bundle of 1,000 pounds in the chair beside Tony, an advance for the thousands more to come. “What do I have to do,” he answers. The plan has been carefully calculated for months, all details arranged and even possible mishaps sorted. Tony would call her out late in the night from her bedroom by ringing her on the telephone. Once behind the desk, would come out from behind the curtains and strangle her. It was fool-proof, quite possibly the perfect murder. Best of all, the police wouldn’t expect either of them. The only thing that they didn’t count on was Margot Wendice (Grace Kelly) murdering her own murderer. Murder, blackmail, scandal and secret romances entwine the characters of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Dial M for Murder!

Alfred Hitchcock primarily chose scripts that were based off of successful books or plays. Cary Grant had seen the play in London and was keen to play Tony Wendice, but the studio wasn’t keen on their best leading man to plot to murder his wife. The part was given to Ray Milland instead.  Grace Kelly was Hitchcock’s darling. She would continue to appear in his films as the adventurous, beautiful, perfect woman in Rear Window and To Catch a Thief. John Williams, the detective that eventually cracks the case, reprised his stage role and won the Tony Award in 1953 for best supporting actor.

Hitchcock was a master of transition in his films. He purposely dressed Kelly in bright colors in the beginning of them, then as the story progresses and darkens, so do her clothes. He also never looked through the lens of a motion camera. Once he had storyboarded the scenes and chosen his locations, he would give detailed orders for the set dressers and gaffers, then focus his attention on the actors. This technique gave him the ability to not waste any time whilst on set. It also made him known for short schedules. This film was shot in only 36 days.

Dial M is one of the top favorites of Grace Kelly and Hitchcock fans alike. Last year, the American Film Institution produced a Top Ten list with this movie as number nine in the category of mystery. Oh, and if you are trying to find his legendary cameo, you’ll find dear old Alfred sitting round the dinner table in a close up of a photograph.