Dial M for Murder (1954)

A former tennis player tries to arrange his wife's murder after learning of her affair.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Frederick Knott (screen play by), Frederick Knott (as adapted from his play)

Stars:

Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings

Top Rated Movies #150 | Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
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

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:

blackmail | murder | tennis player | love letter | key | 

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Taglines:

Murder calling in 3D! (1978 re-release)

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Alfred Hitchcock's dream cast for this movie included Deborah Kerr, William Holden, and Cary Grant. Kerr and Holden were busy making other movies. Grant refused to play a villain, a role Ray Milland was happy to play.

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Goofs

The boom mic is reflected in garden doors above Tony's and Inspector Hubbard's heads during the Inspector's first visit.

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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 MNO marking is replaced by a single large M which forms the single M of the title.

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Alternate Versions

Filmed and originally briefly released in 3-D. Later shown in conventional, "flat" version. It was re-issued in 3-D in 1980.

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Connections

Referenced in Last Embrace (1979)

User Reviews

A cinematic masterpiece

It takes place almost entirely in one room, and the dialogue, acting and direction is fantastic throughout.

Time has not diminished this gem and it deserves its fame and status.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

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 USA:

$12,562, 11 April 1999

Gross USA:

$12,562

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,816

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1