To say this movie is as fantastic as it is and then it not be considered one of Hitchcock's very best, well it only goes to prove how amazing a director he was. Dial M for Murder is a very dialogue heavy movie, but don't let that fool you into thinking it may be boring or well, too laden with conversations. The film is truly thrilling and working out what will happen next is no easy game, Hitchcock gets the absolute most out of the play it is adapted from and the most from the cast too, with the likes of Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings all shining in their respective roles. It of course centres on a plan for a husband to off his wife called Margot (Kelly) by her husband Tony (Milland), of course Tony thinks he has the perfect murder, and even if he hasn't, he has a few tricks he can pull.
The story moves along at a nice pace, never too fast or too slow and constantly fits itself nicely into its running time. Hitchcock just knew here how to truly get the scenes he wanted and uses things like light to truly create a sense of doom or a sense of hope, fine work from the director considered one of the best at suspense. I wasn't all together sure on the score for the film which can at times sound like some kind of cartoon or in any case a much happier film and although it can be used well, it just doesn't feel right sometimes. To be fair other than the score there isn't too much wrong with this at all, acting maybe not always on point but I'll come to that next.
I wasn't always so sure on Grace Kelly, many a person who has seen this has mentioned her as doing a good job but I didn't feel she was at her very best. The by far best cast member has to be Ray Milland who kind of has to step up in this movie so we see him as the evil he is, but that also we can follow him through the story without getting bored. John Williams as Inspector Hubbard is a good addition to the cast and can actually at times add a little comedic relief randomly here and there, he over time becomes a character you come to not mind as much as maybe when he first walks in.
One thing about this movie that I can't say I have seen much is the way in which it lets you follow the protagonist but he is not good and although inside you do not want him to succeed, you expect that everything that happens will all go to plan (whether it does or not well you will have to see). Yet again Hitchcock brings us this nice little gem of a thing, he really gets the camera put on Milland but in a way where although he is in the shot, he remains behind peoples backs and he moves away from others a lot, it feels like it is meant for him to seem distant and of course more sinister than other characters.
Overall Dial M for Murder is as I said not really thought of as within Hitchcock's absolute best works but this is really an excellent little piece, worth a watch whether a fan of Hitchcock or you have never seen one of his films before. He does of course borrow elements from past films and that makes this not any copy of his previous works, but it actually also makes it much better as he can draw from his own inspiration but then make a film like this that feels like a play (of which as mentioned it is based on).
The story moves along at a nice pace, never too fast or too slow and constantly fits itself nicely into its running time. Hitchcock just knew here how to truly get the scenes he wanted and uses things like light to truly create a sense of doom or a sense of hope, fine work from the director considered one of the best at suspense. I wasn't all together sure on the score for the film which can at times sound like some kind of cartoon or in any case a much happier film and although it can be used well, it just doesn't feel right sometimes. To be fair other than the score there isn't too much wrong with this at all, acting maybe not always on point but I'll come to that next.
I wasn't always so sure on Grace Kelly, many a person who has seen this has mentioned her as doing a good job but I didn't feel she was at her very best. The by far best cast member has to be Ray Milland who kind of has to step up in this movie so we see him as the evil he is, but that also we can follow him through the story without getting bored. John Williams as Inspector Hubbard is a good addition to the cast and can actually at times add a little comedic relief randomly here and there, he over time becomes a character you come to not mind as much as maybe when he first walks in.
One thing about this movie that I can't say I have seen much is the way in which it lets you follow the protagonist but he is not good and although inside you do not want him to succeed, you expect that everything that happens will all go to plan (whether it does or not well you will have to see). Yet again Hitchcock brings us this nice little gem of a thing, he really gets the camera put on Milland but in a way where although he is in the shot, he remains behind peoples backs and he moves away from others a lot, it feels like it is meant for him to seem distant and of course more sinister than other characters.
Overall Dial M for Murder is as I said not really thought of as within Hitchcock's absolute best works but this is really an excellent little piece, worth a watch whether a fan of Hitchcock or you have never seen one of his films before. He does of course borrow elements from past films and that makes this not any copy of his previous works, but it actually also makes it much better as he can draw from his own inspiration but then make a film like this that feels like a play (of which as mentioned it is based on).