With a woefully pitiful selection of mystery movies showing this summer (Mr. and Mrs. Smith is fun but there is no real mystery or suspense) I had to dig into my movie vault to find mystery and suspense movies suitable for warm-weather viewing and enjoyment. What did I find? Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder (color/1954) is one of the movies I watched again. This is good suspenseful mystery. After 51 years Dial M for Murder still shines with class and great British style that never grows old. The principals in the movie are Ray Milland (Tony Wendice) and Grace Kelly (Margot Wendice), Robert Cummings is Mark Halliday the outside love interest. John Williams is excellent as Chief Inspector Hubbard. However, it is Anthony Dawson as Charles Alexander Swann who holds your attention the whole time he is on the screen. Con man Charles Swann finds himself caught up in a game he never expected to play. Dawson has the perfect slightly swarmy look for this role. Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice is unhappy to find himself in the middle of a love triangle. He is not so concerned about losing his wife's love as much as he is concerned about loosing a wealthy wife. When he recognizes Charles Swann from his college days, he realizes that Swann may be the answer to his money and philandering wife troubles. Actress Grace won the New York Film Critics Award for her performance in Dial M for Murder.
I replaced my much watched VHS tape with a new (2004)CD of Dial M for Murder and although the movie is not 2 hours long, there is an intermission pause set in this version, there was none in my old tape. I was surprised to learn that this was allowed to remain in the film but it does show that it has been preserved in its original format. For fans that is a very important aspect of collecting these old movies. I had imagined that those in the projector room would stop the movie at that spot and movie house lights would brighten so the audience could buy refreshments. However, I found out that this intermission is in the film because originally it was in 3D and two projectors were necessary in the 3D process. One projector was needed to each eye. It would appear that projectionists needed time to set up the second half of the film. Cardboard 3D eye glasses were needed to view these movies. Without them, the film would appear fuzzy. See more concerning 3D movies at your right.
By the way, if you have seen this movie, did you spot Hitchcock? This was the first time I recognized him immediately. Hitch fans know that he makes a cameo appearance in all of his productions. For more Hitchcock and Grace Kelly see my review of Rear Window Did you know that Alfred Hitchcock was knighted in 1980 and became Sir Alfred Hitchcock?
For some reason this movie reminds me of the black and white movie, An Inspector Calls which was also filmed in 1954. Here a police inspector arrives at the home of a high end family at dinner time and alarms everyone by telling them that a girl has died in a very suspicious manner. Everyone at dinner knew the girl, which one killed caused her to die? Alastair Sim is the mysterious and slightly evasive Inspector Goole.
I have searched for An Inspector Calls but have not yet found it. However, Dial M for Murder is availble from
AmazonVannie(~.~)
