‘People don’t commit murder on credit...’
Alfred Hitchcock isn’t called the Master of Suspense for nothing. I will admit that some of his work has dated now, but in terms of sheer quality, Hitch is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. With Dial M for Murder, Hitchcock combined Rope and Strangers on a Train to create a film that surpasses both of them. To think that he unleashed this film on the world in the same year as Rear Window is astonishing…
When Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a professional tennis player, discovers that his wife Margot (Grace Kelly) has been having an affair with American writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), he blackmails Charles Swann (Anthony Dawson), a known criminal, into killing Margot for the insurance money. When things go badly wrong, a cat-and-mouse whodunnit begins with an eccentric Chief Inspector (John Williams) on the case.
As ever with Hitchcock, Dial M for Murder is beautifully shot and he wrings a number of astonishing performances from his talented cast. Milland is incredible throughout, at once sly and vulnerable, while Dawson and Cummings also shine when placed alongside Milland. Just when things begin to get a little stale, John Williams shows up with a Poirot moustache and a Sherlock Holmes sensibility to turn the whole thing on its head.
Sure, there are times when things get a little complicated and convoluted, but on the whole, Frederick Knott’s screenplay remains fleetfooted and accessible, despite being both dialogue and plot heavy. It’s also always a treat to see Grace Kelly working with Hitchcock (they often brought the best out of each other), despite her diminished role here and all of this combines to produce something truly special.
Dial M for Murder is yet another Hitchcock masterpiece that stands the test of time. He really is one of the all time greats.