Dial M for Murder (1954)

Dial M for Murder was the first of three consecutive Hitchcock films that had Grace Kelly as the leading lady. By far the best of the three was the second, Rear Window. Hitchcock was working on that movie as Dial M for Murder was filmed, and it is clear that his interest was on the future project.

Ravishing Grace Kelly is wed to shrewd Ray Milland. Kelly is cheating on him with mystery author Robert Cummings. Milland learns of this, and is devastated. Not because he loves her, but because he prefers gambling at the racetrack to work, and his wealthy wife pays the bills. Rather than lose his meal ticket, he plots to kill her. He blackmails creepy Anthony Dawson into agreeing to commit the murder, but his meticulous plans go awry. John Williams shows up as a police inspector who is nobody's fool.

Except for Milland, none of the actors are given characters worthy of Hitchcock classic. Kelly is a simpleton adultress, so ordinary that her legendary beauty seems dulled. Cummings has no personality other than being a stand-up guy, so impotent that he can't convince Kelly to leave unloving Milland, or even stand up to Milland himself. When he begs Milland to turn himself in, he has all the passion of a salesman working door to door. Cummings was even more excitable in an earlier Hitchcock effort, Saboteur.

John Williams does much better as the inspector. Droll, patronizing, and nearly as cunning as Milland himself, he is the very stereotype of a fastidious Englishman. The ubiquitous Williams was also in the stage production that preceded the film. He was Hitchcock's most cast actor, playing a similar character in To Catch a Thief, then making ten guest appearances on Hitchcock's weekly television show. Williams was also a favorite of director Billy Wilder, who found him useful for playing (what else) proper Englishmen.

The screenplay for Dial M for Murder was adapted from the stage play by its author, Fred Knott. The stage origins were obvious. Almost all the scenes were filmed in a one-room set. Except for the most trivial supporting roles, there's only five characters. There's just a single action scene, but there are many lengthy conversations. In these respects, Dial M for Murder resembles Hitchcock's Rope. Both films also feature a killing, with the suspense resting upon whether the culprit will be brought to justice.

3-D photography was enjoying a faddish popularity in 1954, as the studios experimented with ways to draw audiences from their television sets. However, the technology required dual cameras capturing the same image from differing angles. With the cinematography stillborn in the one room set, Dial M for Murder could use 3-D as a promotional gimmick. Hitchcock's best use of the special effect came during Kelly's struggle with Dawson. She reaches behind her back for the scissors, and her arm seemed to swing into the theater audience.

Hitchcock directed perhaps more outstanding films than any other director. However, he also made many lesser films that have become overrated due to his reputation. Dial M for Murder falls into the latter category. There's more dialogue than suspense. Was Kelly really in any danger from the hangman's noose? Would Milland have neglected to look for the key under the step's carpet for all those months? Was he really brought to justice because he spent too many one pound notes? But since "Rear Window" was made the same year, and is an outstanding film, Hitchcock can be forgiven his lesser achievement in Dial M for Murder.

The film was remade for television in 1981, and more recently in 1998 as "A Perfect Murder". (56/100)