{"id":7359,"date":"2009-06-10T16:24:48","date_gmt":"2009-06-10T23:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7359"},"modified":"2021-01-01T22:45:50","modified_gmt":"2021-01-02T05:45:50","slug":"dial-m-for-murder-1954","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7359","title":{"rendered":"Dial M for Murder (1954)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;People don&#8217;t commit murder on credit.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-61213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster-180x270.jpg 180w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-Poster.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn ex-tennis pro (Ray Milland) carries out an elaborate plan to have his wealthy philandering wife (Grace Kelly) killed by a former classmate (Anthony Dawson); when Kelly manages to kill Dawson instead, Milland schemes to have Kelly indicted for murder &#8212; and it&#8217;s up to her American lover (Robert Cummings) to discover the truth in time to save her.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Blackmail<\/li>\n<li>Grace Kelly Films<\/li>\n<li>Hitchcock Films<\/li>\n<li>Homicidal Spouses<\/li>\n<li>Infidelity<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Plot to Murder<\/li>\n<li>Ray Milland Films<\/li>\n<li>Robert Cummings Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, <em>Dial M for Murder<\/em> &#8212; based on a stage play by Frederick Knott &#8212; is far from &#8220;prime Alfred Hitchcock&#8221;, but it&#8217;s nonetheless a &#8220;passable suspense film&#8221; with &#8220;intricate plot twists&#8221; and a &#8220;superbly directed&#8221; (if not entirely convincing) scissors-murder scene. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-1536x858.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors-483x270.png 483w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Scissors.png 1813w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s much stagier than most of Hitchcock&#8217;s films, and relies an awful lot on dialogue to further the plot, but Knott&#8217;s story is so cleverly constructed that it&#8217;s easy to remain engaged till the end, despite the relatively static action. Milland, Kelly, and Cummings are fine in their respective leading roles:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-1024x566.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"354\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-1024x566.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-1536x848.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-489x270.png 489w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Milland.png 1827w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-1536x859.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2-483x270.png 483w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Cummings2.png 1841w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; however, the most enjoyable performances are given by Anthony Dawson as Milland&#8217;s unwitting &#8220;hired hand&#8221; (as DVD Savant notes, he&#8217;s &#8220;really the victim of the piece&#8221;):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-1024x570.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-1024x570.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-1536x856.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-485x270.png 485w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Dawson2.png 1833w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and John Williams as a mustache-twirling Inspector, who has more than one card up his sleeve. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams.png 1807w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> <em>Dial M for Murder<\/em> was shot in 3-D, but looks just fine in its &#8220;flat&#8221; version as well.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A clever, suspenseful screenplay<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-1024x581.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"363\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-1024x581.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-1536x872.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful-476x270.png 476w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Suspenseful.png 1803w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Anthony Dawson as Charles Swann<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-1024x562.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"351\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-1024x562.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-1536x843.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography-492x270.png 492w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-for-Murder-Cinematography.png 1823w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>John Williams as Inspector Hubbard<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-1024x580.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"363\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-1024x580.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-768x435.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-1536x871.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3-476x270.png 476w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Dial-M-For-Murder-Williams3.png 1805w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s recommended as an enjoyable flick by a master director.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0046912\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1954\/05\/29\/archives\/dial-m-for-murder-is-shown-at-paramount.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/16707\/dial-m-for-murder#articles-reviews?articleId=18624\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/dialm.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1350dial.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.teako170.com\/dial39.html\">The Films of Hitchcock Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;People don&#8217;t commit murder on credit.&#8221; Synopsis: An ex-tennis pro (Ray Milland) carries out an elaborate plan to have his wealthy philandering wife (Grace Kelly) killed by a former classmate (Anthony Dawson); when Kelly manages to kill Dawson instead, Milland schemes to have Kelly indicted for murder &#8212; and it&#8217;s up to her American lover (Robert Cummings) to discover the truth in time to save her. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Blackmail Grace Kelly Films Hitchcock Films Homicidal Spouses Infidelity&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7359\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7359"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61227,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7359\/revisions\/61227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}