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Dial M for Murder (Hitchcock 1954)
Review: This is probably my least favorite Hitch film and I've seen a lot of them. This is based on a play and feels very 'stagey', which to me is usually a plus. I like films that hunker down in one spot and dive into great story plots with interesting characters played by skillful actors. But none of that happened here...the dialogue is unengaging and the acting is flat (except Ray Milland who was good).
The plot premise is intriguing, with the idea of seeing a murder planned from the point of view of the murderer, but it's poorly executed (pardon the pun). In Rope (1948) Hitchcock did the same planning of a murder, from the murders point of view, and did it much better.
When the film started out with Ray Milland telling his college mate the he wanted a murder committed, the long scene was done so lackadaisical and contrived that I didn't buy into. From there on I couldn't suspend disbelief and so the movie almost took on a comic quality in my mind.
Sorry to say this but Grace Kelly can't act in this. Oh sure she looks like a million bucks, but she delivers her lines like a robotic beauty. And the comic actor Robert Cummings is unbelievable as her romantic interest. I mean come on do you really think she would fall for him? Ray Milland was a stand out in this, he was personable and interesting and gave the film some needed weight.
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Dial M for Murder (Hitchcock 1954)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Frederick Knott, Frederick Knott (stage play)
Cast: Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings
Genre: Crime Drama Romance
About: Ray Milland wants to murder his wife Grace Kelly, so he blackmails another man into doing the deed for him. Problem is the perfect crime has a few flaws and things start to unravel.
Writers: Frederick Knott, Frederick Knott (stage play)
Cast: Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings
Genre: Crime Drama Romance
About: Ray Milland wants to murder his wife Grace Kelly, so he blackmails another man into doing the deed for him. Problem is the perfect crime has a few flaws and things start to unravel.
The plot premise is intriguing, with the idea of seeing a murder planned from the point of view of the murderer, but it's poorly executed (pardon the pun). In Rope (1948) Hitchcock did the same planning of a murder, from the murders point of view, and did it much better.
When the film started out with Ray Milland telling his college mate the he wanted a murder committed, the long scene was done so lackadaisical and contrived that I didn't buy into. From there on I couldn't suspend disbelief and so the movie almost took on a comic quality in my mind.
Sorry to say this but Grace Kelly can't act in this. Oh sure she looks like a million bucks, but she delivers her lines like a robotic beauty. And the comic actor Robert Cummings is unbelievable as her romantic interest. I mean come on do you really think she would fall for him? Ray Milland was a stand out in this, he was personable and interesting and gave the film some needed weight.
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