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Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, John Williams (II), Anthony Dawson ... see more see more... , Patrick Allen , Leo Britt , George Leigh , George Alderson , Robin Hughes , Guy Doleman , Sam Harris , Thayer Roberts , Jack Cunningham , John Williams

Based on the popular mystery play by Frederick Knott, Dial M For Murder is more talky and stagebound than most Hitchcock films, but no less enjoyable. British tennis pro Ray Milland suspects that his ... read more read more...wealthy wife Grace Kelly is fooling around with handsome American Robert Cummings. Milland blackmails a disgraced former army comrade (Anthony Dawson) into murdering Kelly and making it look like the work of a burglar. But Milland's carefully mapped-out scheme does not take into account the notion that Kelly might fight back and kill her assailant. When the police (represented by John Williams) investigate, Milland improvises quickly, subtly planting the suggestion that his wife has committed first-degree murder. He almost gets away with it; to tell you more would spoil the fun of the film's final thirty minutes. Hitchcock claimed that he chose this single-set play because he was worn out from several earlier, more ambitious projects, and wanted to "recharge his batteries." Compelled by Warner Bros. to film Dial M for Murder in 3-D, Hitchcock perversely refused to throw in the standard in-your-face gimmickry of most stereoscopic films of the era--though watch how he visually emphasizes an important piece of evidence towards the end of the film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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89% liked it

34,467 ratings

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81% liked it

27 critics

PG, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Release Date: May 29, 1954

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DVD Release Date: September 7, 2004

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Stats: 1,729 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,729)

  • StarCrossedVoyager
    April 11, 2012
    StarCrossedVoyager
    Another great and involving film from Hitchcock. Near perfect timing, fantastic acting and a brilliant narrative. At first I thought that revealing the murderer and his tactics would be extremely detrimental to the film, however as it went on the tension built up as although we k... read morenew what had been planned, we didn't know what would actually happen. Definitely recommend!
  • spielberg00
    February 4, 2012
    spielberg00
    Hitchcock at his best.
  • fb1664868775
    December 2, 2011
    fb1664868775
    The master of suspense does what he does best.
  • cosmo313
    May 27, 2011
    cosmo313
    This might sound a little odd or redundant, but this film is very Hitchcockian. It's also very, very British. And fun. It's very twisty and turny, and you kind of have to pay attention to follow it, but all in all, this is a first-rate thriller.

    The most surprising thing about ... read moreit all is how almost the entire film takes place in a single setting, yet, it really holds your interest and maintains a pretty high level of suspense and intrigue. I could have done with a bit more action and a little less talking, but that's an extremely minor gripe.

    The plot's been recycled many times since (dude plots to kill his wife, plan goes horribly awry), but none of those have been able, it seems, to match this one. Chalk it up to many factors, one of the biggest being Hitch himself. (and no, that was not a jab at his size). The performances are great, and I enjoyed the look. The music's pretty damn sweet, too. I will say that even though the film is good at holding one's attention, it still seems to be in need of being a bit tighter, so I'm torn on the rating. I'll give it a 5, but let's grade it as the most miniscule A- ever.

    Regardless of how I score it, go see it. It's awesome.
  • dwt5411
    March 13, 2011
    dwt5411
    It has many of Hitch's famous tropes: the perfect murder, the tortured blonde, and several macGuffins, yet somehow it lacks the visceral thrills of his other work. Adapted rather strictly from a play of the same name about a man's plan to off his adulterous wife, Hitch compensat... read morees the film's one-room setting with many speculative re-framings and deep compositions. Still, this is the famous director cooling his heels as opposed to rolling up his sleeves. I did enjoy the story's consideration of details as vital to any crime (or investigation) as the gently wife-killer attempts to stay one step ahead of the police. Dial M For Murder is vintage Hitchcock, but more notably a preamble to his formula shattering greats of the later 50's and early 60's.
  • SirPant
    February 14, 2011
    SirPant
    First off, the writing is brilliant - making it one of my favourite Hitchcock's. The opening scene with Ray Milland and Anthony Dawson discussing murder is just brilliant. Surely this film inspired Colombo? It even has the line 'Just one more thing'. What's with Tennis players th... read moreough, I guess Hitch was a fan. Another brilliant Hitchcock thriller.
  • FrizzDrop
    November 13, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    My first Hitchcock and a personal favorite, Ray Milland is unequivocally the master of the gentle Englisg accent with a hint of menace. The web of deceit and lies unravels slowly, peeling away the layers as Grace Kelly becomes increasingly scared of her now murderous husband, and... read more her actions.
  • ajv2688
    November 9, 2010
    ajv2688
    Another really great Hitchcock movie, which I got to see in 3-D, and that was so awesome! Without the 3D it's still a good thriller.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    June 21, 2010
    FiLmCrAzY
    i loved it i thought it was a very good and intriguing movie that keeps you guesing as to what is actually happening!
    another awesome story and well acted! Alfred Hitchcock is amazing!
  • lewiskendell
    May 13, 2010
    lewiskendell
    Even the perfect crime can have one minor, overlooked detail that leads to the complete unraveling of the entire plan. The random quirks of chance can be the downfall of the cleverest man. That's the plot of Dial M for Murder, in a nutshell.

    I decided to make this my next Hitchc... read moreock film, because that's the kind of story that always seems to interest me. Well, the primary reason was that I'm in love with Grace Kelly, but the plot description was also appealing. Dial M reminded me of Rear Window, in a few ways. Most noticeably, the sparse (yet effective) action, and the use of a single apartment as the major setting for the film. In the hands of a lesser director, those two elements may have been a detriment to the overall quality. But Hitchcock once again works around them marvelously.

    It's not hard to guess the stage origins of this movie. It actually feels more like a play than a movie. And while that is in no way a negative, it does mean a lot of exposition. The story is explained to the viewers instead of shown, and because of that I cannot rate Dial M as highly as Psycho, Vertigo, or Rear Window. It's an interesting movie, and it's not hard to find yourself tense during nearly the entire last half. But the execution as a whole could have been better and less expository.

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Critic Reviews

August 24, 2008
TIME Magazine

The fun of Dial M lies in its duel of wits... Full Review

B. Kite
January 2, 2008
B. Kite, Village Voice

Dial M is less a filmed play than a highly cinematic investigation of theatricality. Full Review

Variety Staff
January 2, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Dial M remains more of a filmed play than a motion picture, unfortunately revealed as a conversation piece about murder which talks up much more suspense than it actually delivers. Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 2, 2008
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The screenplay tends to constrain rather than liberate Hitchcock's thematic thrust, but there is much of technical value in his geometric survey of the scene and the elaborate strategies employed to t... Full Review

Bosley Crowther
January 1, 2000
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

[Hitchcock] tried once before, in Rope, to build up a whole continuous drama in one set. He wasn't as successful in that venture. Dial M has all the space it needs. Full Review

J. Hoberman
January 1, 2000
J. Hoberman, Village Voice

Was by far the most visually compelling of studio stereoscopic movies. Full Review

Rob Humanick
June 16, 2011
Rob Humanick, Slant Magazine

In Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, even the innocent have poker faces. Full Review

Laura Bushell
August 24, 2008
Laura Bushell, Film4

A modest thriller in comparison to Hitchcock's later works, but one that's nonetheless taut and cleverly managed. Full Review

January 2, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Lower case Hitch, but diverting and sleek. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
January 4, 2007
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

It all moves along in a rather efficient if lifeless fashion, with only John Williams shining as a canny police detective. Full Review

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Dial M for Murder Trivia

  • Name the original movie (staring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly) who's remake (A Perfect Murder) stared Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen.  Answer »
  • Which Hitchcock movie, starring Ray Miland and Grace Kelly, was originally filmed in 3D, but only received a very limited release as a 3D movie?  Answer »
  • Name the Hitchcock film from the plot summary: An ex-tennis pro plots to murder his wife.  Answer »
  • What film starring Gwenyth Paltrow, Michael Douglas and Viggo Mortenson is a remake of 'Dial M for Murder'?  Answer »
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