Dial M for Murder

Genre: crime drama
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Release: 1954
Studio: First National, Warner Bros. Pictures
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 6.7/10


Now Here’s a Plot that Really Thickens!


London, England. One year after putting an end to an affair between his wife Margot (Grace Kelly) and Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), an American novelist, Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) discovers that his ploy has not been successful and hatches a new plan to have her murdered and profit from her death. To carry it out, he hires an accomplice named Lesgate (Anthony Dawson) and creates a complex set-up. The plan, it seems, is perfect.

In a nutshell, such is the clear and present premise behind DIAL M FOR MURDER, a suspense film that sure feels like a winner… until the investigation triggered by Tony’s caper causes a chain of events too implausible to swallow. Before stating why I cannot really recommend Hitchcock’s work, I must say that it has a lot going for it – fine acting (by Ray Milland especially), clever dialogues and a very brisk narrative. However, as often happens in criminal matters, the devil is in the details and Frederick Knott’s elaborate story-line plays fast and loose with a few important facts. Warning – spoilers ahead! (1) I do think that Mark’s occupation (mystery writer) fits too neatly with the thrust of the narrative; because of his talents, he is ideally equipped to answer the movie’s central question (is there such a thing as a perfect murder?) and cast doubt on Tony’s explanations concerning that fateful night when tragedy hit home. (2) Lesgate’s encounter with Margot was not staged convincingly enough. How could the little lady, when attacked, have the presence of mind to pick up a pair of scissors way behind her (while lying on her back!) and find the strength to stab her assailant? Grace Kelly was no Rambo, you know! (3) Months afterwards, when Margot is tried and found guilty of murdering Lesgate, we suddenly realize that Mark is still in England… and the script gives no reason for it. Does he ever need to go back to the States? Of course not! The story requires him to stay put in order to foil Tony. (4) Finally, when Inspector Hubbard (John Williams) cracks the case, he does so through extraordinary coincidences and unbecoming trickery. He substitutes raincoats! He asks that Margot, now on death row, be taken home the day before her execution! Worse still, when Tony finds Hubbard in his apartment and learns that it has been searched, the Inspector doesn’t produce a warrant (therefore the search was illegal, since warrants have been mandatory in England for 200 years!) and our villain – who had answered every charge until then with great cunning and even accused the police of framing Margot – doesn’t ask to see it. He simply caves in and pours himself a drink!

Between you and me… can we allow a movie to mask nagging plot holes with a flurry of twists and not complain about it? Not in my book. I still admire Hitchcock, but not for this shaky film. Do watch REAR WINDOW or VERTIGO instead.


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