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Critics Consensus: Dial M for Murder may be slightly off-peak Hitchcock, but by any other standard, it's a sophisticated, chillingly sinister thriller -- and one that boasts an unforgettable performance from Grace Kelly to boot.
Critic Consensus: Dial M for Murder may be slightly off-peak Hitchcock, but by any other standard, it's a sophisticated, chillingly sinister thriller -- and one that boasts an unforgettable performance from Grace Kelly to boot.
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (5) | DVD (6)
The set-up is ingenious and the "kill" scene genuinely thrilling.
The fun of Dial M lies in its duel of wits...
Dial M is less a filmed play than a highly cinematic investigation of theatricality.
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.
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 transfer audience sympathy among the main characters.
It all moves along in a rather efficient if lifeless fashion, with only John Williams shining as a canny police detective.
The movie is worth seeing even now, if for no other aim than to show a man ambitiously experimenting with the devious facets that would inspire greater films.
An exercise made by an enormously talented constructor of thrillers in the most fertile period of his career.
The risk with clever thrillers is always that they will focus on pleasing the intellect at the expense of developing more depth. Dial M For Murder is a different kind of animal.
Rather than let someone else mess with a play that has a formal perfection, Hitchcock did the adaptation himself, his only such credit while in Hollywood.
Milland's sinister sophistication catches the eye, but Kelly's subtly shaded suffering is superb.
Ray Milland is great as cold fish Tony Wendice, a former tennis pro who plans to bump off his adulterous wife. Still, Grace Kelly is mis-cast (or misdirected) as the spouse in question.
John Williams and Grace Kelly are surely great, but Ray Milland is fantastic in this sophisticated and intellectually stimulating thriller that fascinates with its witty, impeccably-written dialogue and the intelligent minutiae of everything that can go wrong in a perfect murder.
Super Reviewer
Very slow to start, really found myself quite bored. Picks up a little with the "murder", but still wouldn't call it riveting viewing. Though classic movies are far from my favourite, there are definitely much better ones out there. I was interested to see Grace Kelly act as I have heard a lot about her over the years. I was kind of underwhelmed. She's a nice looking woman, but not the most beautiful ever and not an extremely convincing actress either. This was okay.
Based on a play, so it comes with limitations, but slow and too talky, overall. Not Hitchcock's best work. And while conceptually, I like that the whole story takes place in one room, it's unfortunately stiff to watch.
I find it difficult to gush over these older movies. Sure there is a battle of wits between the Inspector and the husband. But the audience knows who did it from the beginning - we have to make do with watching if the Inspector can figure it out.
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