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Dial M for Murder
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Dial M for Murder (1954) More at IMDbPro »

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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.
Dial M for Murder (1954) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
8.1/10   26,657 votes
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Frederick Knott (screenplay)
Frederick Knott (play)
Contact:
View company contact information for Dial M for Murder on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 May 1954 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Kiss By Kiss...Supreme Suspense Unfurls! more
Plot:
An ex-tennis pro carries out a plot to murder his wife. When things go wrong, he improvises a brilliant plan B. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(14 articles)
The Queen of Spades | Film review
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 26 December 2009, 4:05 PM, PST)

SPhilip French's Screen Legend: Grace Kelly
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 12 December 2009, 4:05 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
"Do you really believe in the perfect murder? " more (155 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Ray Milland ... Tony Wendice

Grace Kelly ... Margot Mary Wendice

Robert Cummings ... Mark Halliday
John Williams ... Chief Inspector Hubbard
Anthony Dawson ... Captain Lesgate - aka Charles Alexander Swann
Leo Britt ... The Storyteller
Patrick Allen ... Detective Pearson
George Leigh ... Detective Williams
George Alderson ... First Detective
Robin Hughes ... Police Sergeant
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)
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Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock 
 
Writing credits
Frederick Knott (screenplay)

Frederick Knott (play)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin (music composed by)
 
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)
Louis Mashmeyer .... 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)
 
Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin .... conductor
 
Other crew
Rita Michaels .... script supervisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder (USA) (complete title)
Dial 'M' for Murder (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Warnercolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
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) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16708) | USA:PG (1982 re-release) | UK:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Adapted from a Broadway play that opened at the Plymouth Theater in New York on October 29, 1952 and ran for 552 performances. In the original production, Maurice Evans played Tony Wendice. In this film, John Williams and Anthony Dawson recreate their stage roles of Chief Inspector Hubbard and Captain Lesgate. J. Pat O'Malley later replaced Williams as Hubbard. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After Margot kills Lesgate, her handbag remains open on the table, making it easy to Tony puts in it the key which he took off the Lesgate's pocket. Then the handbag appears closed between shots. more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in A Look at Dial M for Murder (2005) (V) more

FAQ

Why dial "M"?
When did the police inspector begin to suspect who was the real murderer?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
8 out of 12 people found the following review useful.
"Do you really believe in the perfect murder? ", 4 July 2007
8/10
Author: Galina from Virginia, USA

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.

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