Review of Dial M for Murder (1981) by Russell G — 02 Oct 2012

This turns a typical murder mystery on its head by following the villain as main character. All the cards are on the table from the begin, or so it seems. Watching this calm killer plan a murder is a clever and unexpected flip and it works very well.

It is not often where we get into the head of the bad guy like this. Alfred Hitchcock is very resourceful in this effort, as he succeeds at telling an excellent story with a limited number of characters and almost no changes in scenery.

The fact that it was originally a play helps, but the interactions, camera work, and fast pace keep the simple story very exciting. Hitchcock achieves a high level of suspense with excellent dialogue and by building good characters with established personalities and strong motives.

Even though the viewer knows the diabolical plan inside and out, it keeps them on their toes and is hardly a predictable story. As things move in unexpected directions the suspense builds. This is a classic with good reason; it holds up over time very well and still has tons of charm, originality and good thrills.