Dial M for Murder (1954)

Top rated movie #162

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 5 wins & 3 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 2:34

Dial M For Murder

Clip 2:27

A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock

Clip 2:27

A Guide to the Films of Alfred Hitchcock

Top cast29

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Ray Milland

Tony Wendice

Grace Kelly

Margot Wendice

Robert Cummings

Mark Halliday

John Williams

Chief Inspector Hubbard

Anthony Dawson

Charles Swann

Leo Britt

The Storyteller

Patrick Allen

Detective Pearson

George Leigh

Detective Williams

George Alderson

First Detective

Robin Hughes

Police Sergeant O'Brien

Richard Bender

Banquet Member
(uncredited)

Robin Sanders Clark

Detective
(uncredited)

Jack Cunningham

Bobby Outside Flat
(uncredited)

Robert Dobson

Police Photographer
(uncredited)

Guy Doleman

Detective
(uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Woman Departing Ship
(uncredited)

Robert Garvin

Banquet Member
(uncredited)

Herschel Graham

Banquet Member
(uncredited)

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Did you know

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Trivia
Alfred Hitchcock wanted Cary Grant to star, but Warner Brothers felt that he would be miscast as a villain.

Goofs
Wendice throws a £100 bundle on a pink armchair. The money falls right at the back of the seat. A few minutes later, Swann takes the money which is now right in front of the armchair.

Quotes
Tony Wendice: How do you go about writing a detective story?
Mark Halliday: Well, you forget detection and concentrate on crime. Crime's the thing. And then you imagine you're going to steal something or murder somebody.
Tony Wendice: Oh, is that how you do it? It's interesting.
Mark Halliday: Yes, I usually put myself in the criminal's shoes and then I keep asking myself, uh, what do I do next?
Margot Mary Wendice: Do you really believe in the perfect murder?
Mark Halliday: Mmm, yes, absolutely. On paper, that is. And I think I could, uh, plan one better than most people; but I doubt if I could carry it out.
Tony Wendice: Oh? Why not?
Mark Halliday: Well, because in stories things usually turn out the way the author wants them to; and in real life they don't... always.
Tony Wendice: Hmm.
Mark Halliday: No, I'm afraid my murders would be something like my bridge: I'd make some stupid mistake and never realize it until I found everybody was looking at me.

Crazy credits
The title is shown on a background of a British telephone dial; its MNO marking is replaced by a single large M which forms the single M of the title.

Alternate versions
The film had an intermission in its original 3-D release, although it is less than two hours in length.

Connections
Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Le contrôle de l'univers (1999)

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.