Dial M for Murder (1954)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

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

Release Date:

29 May 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Kiss By Kiss...Supreme Suspense Unfurls!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Blackmail | Evidence | Writer | Letter

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Bender	...	Banquet Member (uncredited)
Sanders Clark	...	Detective (uncredited)
Jack Cunningham	...	Bobby (uncredited)
Robert Dobson	...	Police Photographer (uncredited)
Guy Doleman	...	Detective (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Woman Departing Ship (uncredited)
Robert Garvin	...	Banquet Member (uncredited)
Michael Hadlow	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Man in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man at Tony's Table at the Dinner in Photograph (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Men's Club Party Member (uncredited)
Martin Milner	...	Policeman Outside Wendice Flat (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Judge at Margot's Trial (uncredited)
Ben Pollock	...	Banquet Member (uncredited)
Thayer Roberts	...	Detective (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Frederick Knott		(screenplay)
Frederick Knott		(adapted from his play)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Robert Burks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Otis Malcolm	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Gertrude Wheeler	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mel Dellar	....	assistant director
C. Carter Gibson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Herbert Plews	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound
Stanley Martin	....	sound (uncredited)
Robert G. Wayne	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eddie Leon Albert	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Wesley Anderson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Pat Clark	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Vic Johnson	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Dudie Maschmeyer	....	grip (uncredited)
William John Ranaldi	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera technician (uncredited)
Claude Swanner	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Moss Mabry	....	wardrobe
Jack Delaney	....	wardrobe: men's (uncredited)
Lillian House	....	wardrobe: ladies' (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor

Other crew
Rita Michaels	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (presents) (A Warner Bros.- First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• Victor Company of Japan (JVC) (1985) (Japan) (video) (VHD)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• AFEX (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1954) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1985) (1996) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (Portugal)
• TV3 (1988) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (6-disc Alfred Hitchcock Prestige Collection)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1967) (1999) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

105 min | Portugal:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16708) | USA:PG (1982 re-release) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2008) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Spain:T | West Germany:12 (video) (re-rated) | West Germany:16 (nf) (original rating) | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) (2004) | Brazil:16 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:PG (video rating: 100m) (1987) | UK:PG (video rating) (2003) (2004) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

Cameo: [James Stewart: In the photo of the reunion]sitting to the right, directly across from Alfred Hitchcock.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Margot is sharing the press clippings with Mark, Tony unlocks the back door and closes the curtains. Later, the curtains are back open and he closes them again.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Mr. Plow (#4.9)" (1992)

"Do you really believe in the perfect murder? "

The hit Broadway play by Frederick Knott "Dial M for Murder" has been adapted to the screen several times, including the films made in West Germany and Sweden, as well as a TV movie in 1981 (TV) by Boris Seagal and the film "A Perfect Murder" (1998) directed by Andrew Davis with Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen. Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 adaptation was the first and certainly the best one even if the master himself considered it one of his lesser efforts. "Dial M for Murder" will be remembered as Hitchcock's first color film and the first of three thrillers he had made with Grace Kelly, the future Princess of Monaco, in the prime of her beauty and her talent. Using color proved to be very effective in the film. The first two scenes featuring Kelly wearing a white morning dress in the idyllic scene with her husband Tony and right after that kissing passionately her American lover, writer (Robert Cummings) in the red dress, immediately, without many words tell the viewer that the story of passion, deception, betrayal, and ultimately, murder will follow.

Ray Milland (Tony Wendice) is a surprisingly sympathetic villain (which is perhaps not surprising from the actor with talent, charm, and charisma that equal and remind a lot of both Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart) who knows about his wife cheating and decides to teach her a lesson by plotting a very clever murder which will make him a sole heir to her money (she is a wealthy one in the family). His plan is perfect and almost works but Margot managed to not only escape the murderer but to turn the table on him while stunned Wendice is on the phone and listens how his well thought of plan collapses. Wendice is very resourceful and he proved to be a master of improvisation because it took him a few minutes in a cab to switch to a plan B that turned a terrified victim Margot into a cold-blooded murderess. Now it is up to seasoned and shrewd inspector Hubbard (John Williams) to find the crucial piece of evidence and to solve the case.

As always with Hitchcock, his directing is impeccable, the camera rarely leaves Wendice's apartment but the film is never claustrophobic which is the case for many plays' adaptation. It breathes and moves freely and we almost forget that we are in the same room for close to two hours. I would not call "Dial M for Murder" my favorite Hitchcock's film but it is enjoyable, clever, and witty thriller with the interesting twists, outstanding performances, and more than one truly memorable scenes.