Review of Dial M for Murder (1981) by Matthew C — 08 Mar 2014

The true wizards of the screen are the actors here. How many present day actors do you know that could keep your attention for an hour and a half just planning and plotting. There is a lot of talking but Hitchcock knows his audience and as long as there is a knife in the room the talking becomes agony ad suspense.

Yet I have problems with motives here and thematic presence. Hitchcock and his writers don't deliver like they do on others in terms of manipulating my emotions. Milland's reasoning for doing what he does and both Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings are all upsetting to me.

It's what happens when the protags are having affairs. Nobody wins in this film but then again somebody does win even though one motive isn't justified over the other. The real character to root for is John Williams' chief inspector.

Cunning and amusing, he makes the unbelievable catching of Milland much more enjoyable. I'm not sure what I take away from this film because usually I leave a Hitchcock film with an unsettling or terrified feeling.