Dial M for Murder (1954)

An ex-tennis pro carries out a plot to murder his wife. When things go wrong, he improvises a brilliant plan B.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Frederick Knott (screenplay), Frederick Knott (adapted from his play)

Stars:

Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings

Top 250 #166 | Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ray Milland	...	Tony Wendice
Grace Kelly	...	Margot Mary Wendice
Robert Cummings	...	Mark Halliday
John Williams	...	Chief Inspector Hubbard
Anthony Dawson	...	Captain Lesgate (Swann)
Leo Britt	...	The Storyteller
Patrick Allen	...	Detective Pearson
George Leigh	...	Detective Williams
George Alderson	...	First Detective
Robin Hughes	...	Police Sergeant O'Brien

Storyline

In London, wealthy Margot Mary Wendice had a brief love affair with the American writer Mark Halliday while her husband and professional tennis player Tony Wendice was on a tennis tour. Tony quits playing to dedicate to his wife and finds a regular job. She decides to give him a second chance for their marriage. When Mark arrives from America to visit the couple, Margot tells him that she had destroyed all his letters but one that was stolen. Subsequently she was blackmailed, but she had never retrieved the stolen letter. Tony arrives home, claims that he needs to work and asks Margot to go with Mark to the theater. Meanwhile Tony calls Captain Lesgate (aka Charles Alexander Swann who studied with him at college) and blackmails him to murder his wife, so that he can inherit her fortune. But there is no perfect crime, and things do not work as planned.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | blackmail | evidence | writer | letter | 

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Taglines:

If a woman answers...hang on for dear life!

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder

Filming Locations:

Stage 20, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$12,562 (USA) (9 April 1999)

Gross:

$12,562 (USA) (9 April 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Visa d'exploitation en France #15714.

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Goofs

The inspector makes a phone call from the flat, supposedly in London. We hear a clearly American-accented voice on the other end say "operator". It should have been an English voice, saying (in the 1950s), "Number, please."

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Quotes

[first lines]
Margot Mary Wendice: let me get you another drink. Mark, before Tony comes I ought to explain something.
Mark Halliday: Yes, I've been waiting for that.
Margot Mary Wendice: I haven't told him anything about us.

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Crazy Credits

The title is shown on a background of a British telephone dial; its MN/6 marking is replaced by a single large M which forms the single M of the title.

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Connections

Referenced in The Critic: Dial 'M' for Mother (1994)

User Reviews

There Is no Perfect Crime

In London, the wealthy Margot Mary Wendice (Grace Kelly) had a brief love affair with the American writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) one year ago while her husband and professional tennis player Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) is traveling in a tennis tour. Tony quits playing to dedicate to his wife and finds a regular job and she decides to give a second chance for their marriage. When Mark arrives from America to visit the couple, Margot tells him that she had destroyed all his letter but one that was stolen in a depot; then she was blackmailed through letters but she had never retrieved the stolen letter. Tony arrives home and claims that he needs to work, and asks Margot to go with Mark to the theater. Meanwhile Tony calls the scum Captain Lesgate

• aka Charles Alexander Swann (Anthony Dawson) that studied with him in

the college and blackmails him to murder his wife, so that he would inherit her fortune. But there is no perfect crime, and things do not work as planned by Tony.

"Dial M for Murder" is one of the best thrillers of cinema history, with a theatrical story supported by an excellent screenplay and top-notch performances. Ray Milland is superb in the role of the Machiavellian and cynical Tony Wendice; Grace Kelly is extremely gorgeous and sweet in the role of a wife in the 50's; and John Williams is great in the role of the efficient and fussy Chief Inspector Hubbard. This time, the cameo of Alfred Hitchcock is in the picture of Tony's reunion. In 1998, Andrew Davis remade this movie with "A Perfect Crime", with Michael Douglas, Gwineth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Disque M para Matar" ("Dial M for Murder")