Dial M For Murder

DIAL M FOR MURDER is a fabulous murder mystery that mainly takes place in one location – the apartment of a married couple pretending to still be in love. It is an extraordinary character piece which is why I suppose that everyone's been dying to remake it. Actors don't get this much to chew on very often anymore.

It wouldn't be a Hitchcock film without lies, deception, blackmail and murder...and this film's got them in spades. He seems to be the only director who can make you feel more sorry for the murderer than the intended (in this case) victim.

Ray Milland plays a sports equipment salesman who attempts to have his wife murdered because she cheated on him and then lied about it. She constantly badgered him to give up the one thing he loved to do – he was a professional tennis player – so they could be together more, but he apparently waited too long. He knew she was having an affair, so in order to save his marriage he told her he would quit and settle down.

Unfortunately for her, it was just a ploy to give him time to figure our how he was going to do away with her. It took him a year, but he got the whole thing worked out. It wouldn't do to say anymore, because the joy of Hitchcock films is in watching him slowly turn the screws. Though the husband is clever, as the film points out, there is no perfect crime. The killer always makes one fatal mistake, as does Milland, but he almost gets away with it. He's so clever and charming, you almost wish he would. Milland's performance is fantastic. He makes you root for the creep, which isn't easy to pull off. However, in the end, even with Hitchcock, the killer always gets his due.

Though certain parts of this film are dated, it's still alot of fun to watch. Grace Kelly is also good as the unhappy wife. It's a first-rate movie that will make you think twice about angering your lover.