Customer Reviews:

• Dial "M" for masterful
  While it lacks the creative vision of "Vertigo", the suspense of "North by Northwest" or the daring of "Rear Window", "Dial M For Murder", like "To Catch a Thief", features Hitch coasting. That doesn't mean that the film isn't effective or has no value. It's just less personal than his other thrillers and its a great little suspense thriller that, sadly, isn't presented in its original 3-D format. Based on the play by Frederick Knott, Hitchcock chose to keep the production simple. It tells the story of a playboy tennis player (Ray Milland)who plots to have his wife (Grace Kelly)murdered by an old school chum he's blackmailing. When the murder plans go awry, Milland's character sets it up to look like his wife planned a murder over blackmail. An American mystery writer (Bob Cummings)comes to her aid. He's annoying to the Inspector (the delightful John Williams recreating the role he played on stage) who suspects there's more going on regarding the murder.
  
  A delightful and fun suspense thriller, Warner sprung for the extras here with a short documentary and a featurette. The documentry focuses on the making of the film. The featurette has director ("Jaws 3-D") and production designer ("Jaws") Joe Alves explaining the 3-D process, limitations and how Hitch used it so effectively. I'm disappointed that Warner Brothers didn't lavish a bit of extra attention here (given the recent popularity of "Spy-Kids 3D") and release it both "flat" and in 3D. Having seen it at a revival house in 3D, I can honestly say that Hitch uses the gimmick sublty only going for the throat during one suspenseful shot in the film.
  
  In addition, we get an apprecation by film director M. Night Shaylaman. The theatrical trailer is also presented but I do wish that Warner had included a second disc (along with a couple of pairs of 3D glasses)with the 3D presentation. There's no booklet or sheet with chapter listings (pretty consistent for most of the Hitchcock releases from Warner Brothers and it's becoming more of a trend).
  
  The DVD looks pretty good with vivid colors and little in the way of digital blemishes but some minor analog ones. Since the film was shot in 3D, it does effect the quality of the image a bit but, on the whole, it looks marvelous (particularly considering the age of the movie). While it isn't a classic in the vein of "Rear Window" or "Vertigo", it's a delightful thriller full of witty dialogue and strong performances from Cummings, Milland (who replaced Cary Grant when Warner Brothers felt that Grant asked too much money for the part), Williams and the stunning Grace Kelly.
  
  The film is packaged in a plastic Amray shell case (unlike the cardboard ones that Warner Brothers used to use for some of their earlier titles). None of the new Hitchcock releases has a chapter listing sheet.
  
  ...more info
• A Perfect Murder?....NOT!
  This review refers to "Dial M For Murder",DVD,Warner Bros...
  
  Aren't we lucky that cell phones weren't around in the 50's. Then Grace Kelly would never have had to leave her bed, to answer that potentialy fatal phone call in the living room.No matter how often you view this very suspense filled, thriller from Hitch, you still want to shout out to Grace Kelly."Look Out Grace...there's a murderer behind you!" That's one of the things I love about Hitch films. The connection to the characters, the need to help them. You practically want to get up and put those scissors in her hand, so she can protect herself from evil. Dial M has many of those moments, and is a superb classic that stands up to many repeat viewings.
  
  Ray Milland has discovered his wife (Kelly) is having a love affair with Robert Cummings. Also she is the rich one in the family and he decides her time is up. He ropes in and hires a guy whose lifestyle makes for an easy blackmail mark. He's going to pay him 1000 pounds(well, after all it's only a few minutes work), and has it all worked out. Right down to the smallest detail. But uh-oh, the perfect plan starts unraveling almost the minute the plan is set in motion.The details start to go amiss, and don't stop until the end. Small things at first, a slow watch, phone troubles, the wrong person gets killed, you know little stuff like that! It is a joy to watch Ray Milland in action as he must explain away all of it to his wife and the police.
  
  The film is a thing of beauty. Hitchcock made this film from a hit play, and filmed it in the same fashion. Most of the scenes are set in the confines of a small apartment. Hitch moves his actors around like the master he was. As mentioned Milland is a genius, Grace Kelly is wonderful as the good girl except for the little matter of the extra-marital affair. And of course we forgive her for this, because we too, like the Robert Cummings character better then the husband. Cummings also makes the most of his part. As a mystery writer, who knows the perfect murder can only happen in a book, he tries his hand at solving this mystery as well. John Williams, another favorite of Hitch's, is the Detective heading up the murder investigation. He's perfect as that Columbo type, who you know, that he knows what might have taken place, but needs to prove it. And it is fabulous to watch him put the pieces together.
  
  Where's Hitch?....Where could he be in this film mostly made in one room. Ahhh..about 12 minutes in..the 'Picture' of innocence as he mugs for the camera at a class reunion.
  
  The DVD is a good buy. Nice clear picture, and good colors. The colors are sometimes muted and sometimes striking. When Grace is being bad with her lover, she is in a red dress. I thought the sound was recorded a little low, I had to turn up the volume a little more then usual. It is presented in a Standard version format which preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio. Some really good features on this disc. A 20 minute documentary on how Hitch made this film, with other filmmakers admiring his work. A Brief History of 3D films, focusing on Dial M, mostly and showing the parts that were originally in 3D. Also a great trailer for the film.
  
  also available on VHS:Dial M for Murder
  
  A great addition to your Hitch collection...and always look behind you when answering the phone!..Enjoy...Laurie
  
  more Hitch stuff:
  The Trouble With Harry
  Alfred Hitchcock Presents volume 2
  Hitchcock's Notebooks: An Authorized and Illustrated Look Inside the C
  
  
  ...more info
• Dial M for Masterful!
  Dial M for Murder is not one of the all time greats of the Master, but it still has its merits. Based on a play by Friedrich Knott, it features the suave Ray Milland playing Tony Wendice, former tennis star. He's married to Margot (Grace Kelly) who is actually having an affair with Mark (Robert Cummings). Tony hatches a plan to blackmail a former school chum to come to their house and kill Margot when Tony is away. The main part of the plan involves Tony calling Margot to get her to stand by the phone and give the killer his chance. The plan, needless to say, does not go off as planned and some further decisions need to be made.

  It's obvious that this was originally a stage play, as the majority of the picture takes place in the Wendice's apartment. It also was released in 3-D when it came out in 1954, something that really didn't help its popularity. The play was perfect for Hitchcock, who showed over and over his ability to do masterful work even when contained in one space for a long period of time (see Lifeboat, and Rear Window, which came out the same year as Dial M). The performances are superb. Milland as the overconfident Brit, Cummings as the uptight American, and Kelly as the clueless beauty who just can't believe her husband could be so cruel. I also loved John Williams as the inspector from Scotland Yard. He also thinks highly of himself and it's great watching him go up against Milland. Watch also for Hitch's cameo in a picture and the neat close ups of the scissors and the telephone number dial. Hitchcock always had the camera telling the story and this film is no exception. Excellent all the way around....more info

• Why is this not issued in 3-D?
  I think it is unfair to review this as a "flat" film when it is Hithcock's (and Grace Kelly's) only 3-D film. The product info doesn't even say whether or not the release is the "left eye" or
  "right eye" version.
  
  Home 3-D technology is readily available (see, for example, the ultimate 3-D collection or IMAX 3-D releases to home dvd)and costs less than $100. The producers of the dvd could easily include the 3-D version as a bonus feature; once the encoding is done, the additional production costs would be next to nil, and the public could finally see this masterpiece as originally filmed. (With seeing Grace Kelly in 3-D as a very significant added bonus!)
  
  I'd pay triple for that feature alone.
  
  
  
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• Interesting movie!
  This is a great Alfred Hitchcock movie. It's one that is even better the second time you see it.

  Now, about the DVD, does anyone know what the difference is between this one, and the other "Dial M for Murder" DVD that isn't released yet?? I was confused by that...

  Please respond if you can help!...more info

• A suspenseful masterpiece
  Former tennis pro Tony Wendice found out many months ago that his wife Margot was in love with another man, Mark Halliday, an American author of crime novels. After many weeks of planning, Tony sets in motion the perfect plan to kill his wife. The only problem is, as Halliday unknowningly remarks, there's no such thing as a perfect murder, and when something goes wrong, Tony has to quickly formulate another plan to do away with his wife.
  
  This is a classic of suspense from director Alfred Hitchcock, based upon a very successful stage play. All the actors - Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings and John Williams - all give fine performances, but Milland's as Tony Wendice is a standout. You're instantly won over by his conniving charm, and I admit to following his plan with a tiny bit of satisfaction. He's never over-the-top, remaining perfectly cool and collected even when things go awry. Hitchcock's directorial style also keeps the viewer confined to the apartment, only venturing outside very infrequently. As with the play, much of the action takes place in that small space, and Hitchcock uses it to his advantage with intricate staging and camera angles.
  
  The DVD is wonderfully clear with sharp sound as well. The two featurettes are equally worth watching, especially the one on 3D. I never knew that the film was originally shot as a 3D feature, and this goes into some detail about how Hitchcock set up many of the shots without relying too much on the effects. Even as a flat screen movie, the film works perfectly. This movie is a genuine pleasure to watch and should be part of any movie buff's collection....more info
• "Do you really believe in the perfect murder? "
  
  The hit Broadway play by Frederick Knott "Dial M for Murder" has been adapted to the screen several times, including the films made in West Germany and Sweden, as well as a TV movie in 1981 (TV) by Boris Seagal and the film "A Perfect Murder" (1998) directed by Andrew Davis with Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen. Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 adaptation was the first and certainly the best one even if the master himself considered it one of his lesser efforts. "Dial M for Murder" will be remembered as Hitchcock's first color film and the first of three thrillers he had made with Grace Kelly, the future Princess of Monaco, in the prime of her beauty and her talent. Using color proved to be very effective in the film. The first two scenes featuring Kelly wearing a white morning dress in the idyllic scene with her husband Tony and right after that kissing passionately her American lover, writer (Robert Cummings) in the red dress, immediately, without many words tell the viewer that the story of passion, deception, betrayal, and ultimately, murder will follow.
  
  Ray Milland (Tony Wendice) is a surprisingly sympathetic villain (which is perhaps not surprising from the actor with talent, charm, and charisma that equal and remind a lot of both Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart) who knows about his wife cheating and decides to teach her a lesson by plotting a very clever murder which will make him a sole heir to her money (she is a wealthy one in the family). His plan is perfect and almost works but Margot managed to not only escape the murderer but to turn the table on him while stunned Wendice is on the phone and listens how his well thought of plan collapses. Wendice is very resourceful and he proved to be a master of improvisation because it took him a few minutes in a cab to switch to a plan B that turned a terrified victim Margot into a cold-blooded murderess. Now it is up to seasoned and shrewd inspector Hubbard (John Williams) to find the crucial piece of evidence and to solve the case.
  
  As always with Hitchcock, his directing is impeccable, the camera rarely leaves Wendice's apartment but the film is never claustrophobic which is the case for many plays' adaptation. It breathes and moves freely and we almost forget that we are in the same room for close to two hours. I would not call "Dial M for Murder" my favorite Hitchcock's film but it is enjoyable, clever, and witty thriller with the interesting twists, outstanding performances, and more than one truly memorable scenes.
  
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• A classic stage murder thriller...
  Ray Milland schemes to knock off his lovely wife (Grace Kelly) in order to support his flagging bank balance...
  
  His cause is "justified" by the fact that his wife is guilty of cheating on him...
  
  Milland develops a carefully constructed murder plan, contacting Captain Lesgate (John Williams), an old college classmate operating illegal ventures, to whom he outlines his murder scheme and then blackmails into carrying it out...
  
  The movie takes off from there as an intense character battle between three different characters... Tony, done by Ray Milland in outstanding performance, is icily intense and incredibly wild. He is easily the best of the three... Grace Kelly & Robert Cummings both pale in comparison, although Grace is slightly better, for the merely reason that her character is left for to do the least amount of truly suspenseful acting...
  
  The murder is set up and is deliciously evil: The defining moment is when Ray Milland wipes clean every object he touches as he explains to Anthony Dawson how to carry out the murder of his adulterous wife, thus not incriminating himself... They discuss the closing of the screen door to the porch, the placement of the golden key, and the time it will take his woman to answer the distracting phone call...
  
  Grace Kelly is the smart but vulnerable Margot... She begins her role dressed in bright crimson reds but as the film progresses and finds herself accused, her outfits become darker... Kelly is ing¨¦nue enough to be sympathetic but also tough enough to be respected... Her most memorable image was on the phone, oblivious to the assassin behind her...
  
  Robert Cummings does not fare at all because of his comical face... He is the weakest cast member bringing so little to the table...
  
  John Williams is excellent as the dangerous murder weapon tricked by a clever scoundrel... but he somewhere along makes one fatal mistake...
  
  Anthony Dawson is absolutely brilliant, delightful as the eccentric Chief Inspector watching how the easy-talking husband is trying to cover his tracks... As soon as he arrives on scene to investigate the murder, there's an instant feeling of electricity... Here's a guy who can read human nature from a mile away... He takes compassion on Kelly, but unfortunately, the two don't partner up as in cop buddy movies...
  
  The film, however, belongs to the sinister Ray Milland, the cold logic husband who designs the murder to look like a routine burglary gone wrong, and leads Scotland Yard into believing his wife is guilty of deliberate murder...
  
  Milland, a genteel charmer with an icy murderous side, is perfect as Tony Wendice... If ever there was a demonstration of venality, Milland's Tony Wendice was it: courteous on the outside, devious on the inside... We see his cheery domestic manner with his wife... He blithely sends her out for the evening with her lover, then without breaking his stride sits down at the telephone and calls Swan, the man he intends to enlist for the murder... There is something chilling about the way in which Milland operates in these scenes: Once Swan arrives, the polite smile never leaves Milland's face as he switches gears from exchanging pleasantries to blackmail and murder.. The entire scene was shot from the ceiling...
  
  'Dial M for Murder' holds its grip pretty well... Hitchcock provides the tension in many directorial tricks: Margot's unexpected change in plans for the evening; a hiding place for a key blocked by Mark at a critical moment; a stopped watch; an occupied telephone box; Margot's wavering hand holding the telephone that almost blocks Swan's access to her neck; Tony taking the key out of Swan's pocket and even briefing his wife what to tell the police...
  
  'Dial M for Murder' is a classic stage murder thriller... It never reaches the heights that 'Rear Window' did, but it has to be one of the most brilliant stage thrillers ever written... The score, composed by Dimitri Tiomkin, is both eerie & precarious...
  
  "Dial M for Murder" is a film that makes you pay attention. It is a definite must-see!
  
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• Hitchcock made SO MANY great movies
  Alfred Hitchcock had already begun work on Rear Window when he took on the project to direct Dial M for Murder, based on the successful play by Frederick Knott. For the film, Hitchcock chose to cast his favorite leading lady of the time, Grace Kelly, as the embattled Margot Wendice. Kelly would also star in Rear Window and Hitchcock's subsequent To Catch a Thief. It wasn't Hitchcock's preference to shoot Dial M for Murder in Warnercolor 3D (the cameras were large), and the film is seldom screened in 3D, but Hitchcock's use of the technique is notable for its service to the story rather than just being a gimmick. In the film Margot Wendice is a wealthy heiress whose playboy husband, Tony (Ray Milland), recognizes his dependence on his wife's fortune. When Tony begins to suspect he is losing Margot's affection to writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), he also begins to fear he will lose her wealth. This leads the callous husband to craft a plan for his wife's death. However, when the plan goes awry, Tony is quick to turn circumstance into a second opportunity to destroy his wife....more info
• Outstanding Movie
  One of Alfred Hitcock's greatest films .... Also one of my all-time favorite films.
  The English detective won 'all the marbles''...more info
• 3-D correction
  The review by David R. Von Pein was very helpful, but a correction is in order. The 3-D projection at the time of the release never required the audience to wear cheesy cardboard anaglyph (red/green lensed) glasses. The glasses were sometimes cardboard and sometimes plastic but they had polarized lenses which produced no color distortion whatsoever.
  
  To my mind, it is a very great pity that this release does not include a field-sequential 3-D version. Field sequential 3-D glasses such as the ones used at IMAX theatres are readily available for home use for under $100. How nice it would've been to see the film in glorious 3-D as intended!...more info
• Not Quite As Good As REAR WINDOW
  DIAL M FOR MURDER is an Alfred Hitchcock classic about a man who is trying to have his unfaithful wife murdered for her wealth. Ray Milland does a superb job in the role of the scheming husband. Grace Kelly plays the wife and Robert Cummings is her lover. John Williams, Anthony Dawson and Patrick Allen round out the strong cast. Unfortunately the details of the film's plot are too complicated and the movie lacks the usual high degree of suspense associated with the best Hitchcock thrillers.

  DIAL M FOR MURDER received no Oscar nominations in 1954 but Alfred Hitchcock did receive a nomination for his direction of REAR WINDOW in that same year....more info

• 3 stars out of 4
  The Bottom Line:
  
  Dial M for Murder is much better in its first half than in the predictable conclusion and it can feel a bit stagey at times, but Milland is delicious and the Master's direction is inspired: it's not one of Hitch's best, but it's a solid film....more info
• A Professional But Relatively Unexciting Hitchcock Movie
  For me, this is one of those Hitchcock movies that pretty much leaves me cold. Four elements of the movie consistently keep it no more than tepid, at least for me. First, I can't think of any way Kelly could have stabbed the guy trying to strangle her unless she first dislocated her shoulder. Even without anything that drastic, I don't she how she could, in that position, use enough force to actually kill the guy. It just puts me off as being a little contemptuous by Hitchcock of his audience's intelligence. Second, while I like Kelly when she's happily playing sexual games (as in Rear Window and To Catch a Thief), her careful high social style and finishing school accent just turn me off when she's "acting." Third, Robert Cummings is a poor substitute for a Hitchcock hero. I can't see a wealthy, smart woman such as Margot Wendice falling in love with a guy like Cummings. Fourth, it's basically a film of the stage play. I assume Hitchcock had some contractual commitment he was playing out when he agreed to do the film. He keeps things relatively interesting, but it's basically, it seems to me, a static presentation.
  
  But I do watch it, or at least pieces of it. Solving the puzzle of how Tony arranged things and then catching Tony is clever. I like Ray Milland, and I think he did a classy job in this movie. He handles the finale, when he's caught and going to the station, with a lot of style. And John Williams, who plays the police inspector, is always reliable.
  
  When I see the movie I try to imagine a major casting shift, assuming Hitchock was stuck with Cummings. Assume that Tony Wendice is played by Robert Cummings...not as charming as Milland, much weaker, a kind of parasite that Margot found, thought she loved and married. She's not in love with him anymore, but she cares for him and feels responsible for him. And then she meets Ray Milland, a strong, mature, clever fellow. And now it's Robert Cummings who sees his meal ticket being wooed away from him. I think it might have worked very well, especially with Milland's style being used to loosen up Kelly. If only Hitchcock had asked me....more info
• Dial M for Murder--excellent purchase
  The DVD of "Dial M for Murder" was purchased and delivered quickly as described. It plays well. Great transaction....more info
• Maybe It Would Work Better With the 3-D Glasses
  This is certainly a watchable film but a disappointment when you consider that it was directed by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The mystery here is pretty good with enough clever twists. Ray Milland is at the top of his game as the nefarious husband plotting his wife's murder. Grace Kelly effortlessly shines as Milland's intended victim. Alas, I have to say that the fault lies in the direction. It seems that Hitchcock instead of directing the film is a slave to the "groundbreaking" 3-D technology and lets it direct him. The film stops at certain points to a resounding thud so that we can marvel at the sight of a tray of teacups coming at us. If Hitchcock trusted his instincts instead of being trapped by this gimmick technology maybe "Dial M for Murder" would have been a better film. The only films that I can think of made in 3-D that transcended the technology are "Hondo" and "House of Wax". Tolerable Hitchcock but we, and he, deserve better....more info
• Dial M for Masterful (film and DVD both)
  A bright, sparkling print resonating with deep, lush colors, this new DVD print of 1954's "Dial M For Murder" looks leagues better than many so-called DVD "restorations" of films released twenty or even thirty years later. Absorbing, funny, and wonderfully acted, "Dial M" is one of Hitch's best, and it's great to finally have it on DVD. A great little retrospective documentary (21 minutes); a featurette about 3-D technology (7 minutes); and a wonderfully preserved "Dial M" trailer are terrific bonuses here. Listening to director M. Night Shyamalan's detailed and extensive appreciation of the film was a particular treat during the documentary. Warner Brothers is to be commended for not trotting out the same old "talking heads" on this and the other retrospective documentaries that accompany this latest batch of Hitchcock DVD releases. Fresh faces and fresh perspectives elevate these extra features from pleasant additions to must-see status. ...more info
• Slick and Smooth
  "Dial M for Murder" (1954) revolves around a plot by a gold- digging former tennis star, Ray Milland, to have his wife murdered for her money. Grace Kelly, then at the very peak of her career, plays the spouse to elegant perfection. Quite early in the film, Milland blackmails an old college pal, Robert Dawson, to do the deed. Milland's manner is a bit too slick and convenient. But the leading man is so convincing -and such a likeable villain-that most viewers won't ask questions till DMM is over! One could also carp that Hitchcock could have delayed hatching the scheme but the same point holds. Milland is so archly smooth that most observers are pulled along. This reviewer tries not to reveal resolutions and won't do so here. Suffice it to say, matters unravel! The dead body is Dawson's and not Kelly's! All must watch closely at this point. Milland tampers with "key evidence" at the crime scene-before the law arrives- and tries to pin the rap on his wife! John Williams plays the prim and proper London detective to the hilt, as he did in such films as "The Midnight Lace" and "To Catch A Thief". (Dawson was also a bad guy in ML). Watch as Williams creatively sifts the evidence. Most viewers seem to have little use for Robert Cummings, who foppishly plays Kelly's old boy friend. This reviewer agrees; his role could have been truncated or eliminated. One wonders how many will notice without prompting that DMM plays out with mostly one setting. That reflected its' stage origin. While neither of 5 star quality, nor one of Alfred Hitchcock's best films, this is prime entertainment and highly recommended. DMM is a perfect example of a basic detective story raised several levels by a talented cast, deft staging and a great Director....more info
• At Last!!!
  I have been one of the many people who have sent in, demanding that this DVD be released and now it is! This is a great Hitchcock thriller and most of his films are on DVD, so why not this one. At Last!!!...more info
• Brilliant Thriller with Suspense and Surprise...
  Hitchcock stirs up the dust in his classic thriller Dial M for Murder as the story surrounds the former tennis professional Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) who wishes to accomplish the perfect murder of his wife, Margot (Grace Kelly). Tony wants to commit the murder because his wife had an affair over a year ago, which he found out about through a letter. However, as expected something goes wrong and Tony must find a new solution to his plan. The secret of the film is not the killer, but rather if Tony will get away with murder.
  
  Hitchcock displayed brilliant directorial skills as the film keeps its claustrophobic atmosphere while the camera remains in the center of the Wendice living room throughout most of the film. The claustrophobic atmosphere enhances the suspense as you feel cornered and you know that there is no escape, and if the plan should work there can be no mistakes. The close proximity to everything and the predominant use of only one set creates a theatrical scene However, unlike in theater the audience will feel like they are one of the witnesses in middle of the room who is eavesdropping on Tony's hideous plan and crime. Through staying on the same location the audience gets much time to recognize details and understand the importance of them in the story.
  
  Dial M for Murder offers a terrific cinematic experience as it offers both suspense and some issues to ponder. The details and depth of the film that truly enhance the cinematic experience are directly related to Hitchcock's input on what should be in the mise-en-scene. The mise-en-scene is absolutely marvelous as it offers detailed information about the characters and adds suspenseful intrigue and surprise.
  ...more info
• The Perfect "Murder"
  Hitchcock's immaculate rendering of the stage thriller is one of that rare breed: the underrated classic. Without significantly altering the action by "opening it up", Hitchcock still creates something thrillingly cinematic. This has to be one of the finest stage adaptations ever. It may be one of the best mysteries ever made as well. Indeed, it's amazing how the play's text is riveting even when it's art-less carrying on about latch-keys and the specifics of the planned murder. (This contradicts Chandler's otherwise strong thesis in his essay The Simple Art of Murder. These details aren't supposed to hold our interest once we know the story's outcome, but they do.)
  
  Much of how this is achieved is through the stellar cast particularly Ray Milland who turns in one of the great Hitchcock performances. As we watch him cover-up his crimes and avoid detection, he's like a dapper Norman Bates. He's really a psychopath, but completely charming and we're thankfully spared any insights into his character or motivation. His scene with Anthony Dawson is mesmerizing and one of the best in all Hitchcock. (Right up there with Janet Leigh in Anthony Perkins's parlor which it resembles.) Dawson is also superb.
  
  Grace Kelly is terrific in the first half if a little wan in the later scenes. (This could have allowed Hitchcock a chance to examine a distaff take on his wronged man theme, but by that point we need to wrap things up.) The much-maligned Bob Cummings has some effective bits at the start, even if he does seem like he's playing Harold Hill towards the end. John Williams is marvelous, but seems a bit stagy compared to Milland's effortless command of the screen. Very good score runs throughout.
  
  There are good insights in the accompanying documentary from Peter Bogdonovich and M. Night Shyamalan who comes across as an eager Hitch fanboy. (Richard Schickel trying to invoke a class-conscious reading of the hero is silly and clearly something he's making up on the spot.)...more info
• STOIC THRILLER NOT AS COMPELLING AS LACK OF 3D
  It seems Hitch' had a yen for tennis players. In "Dial M for Murder" (1954) tennis pro, Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) plots the demise of his wealthy wife, Margot (Grace Kelly) after he discovers that she is having an affair with prominent writer, Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). But things backfire when Margot accidentally kills her attacker with a pair of scissors, thus opening up Tony's chances at improvisation. How clever will he be at keeping the truth at bay? Like Hitchcock's "Rope", this film pretty much sticks to one set - a claustrophobic apartment - slowly drawing all the plot elements more tightly around Tony's newly revised plan. He'll pin the attempted murder on Halliday instead. Shot during the briefly trendy period of 3-D, Hitch' chose to eschew the usual (let's throw things at the screen) gimmicky approach and instead shot "Dial M for Murder" with a distinct foreground, middle ground, background perspective that really places the audience in the center of the goings on. Only once, when Margot is being strangled by her attacker, does Hitch' succumb to the gimmick by having Margot reach behind her back (out into the audience) to grasp her lethal pair of shears; quite effective!
  
  Unfortunately, "Dial M for Murder" is presented in its usual flat format on DVD. Though colors can be rich and vibrant, there is a decidedly pasty look to the overall palette that is rather unbecoming and very unnatural looking. Blacks are deep but not very solid. Fine detail is generally lost in a picture that is generally softly focused. All of these shortcomings are the product of 3-D's cumbersome process. Edge enhancement is present but does not terribly distract. Some pixelization and shimmering of fine details is detected also. The audio is mono but nicely cleaned up.
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• I Love this movie
  This is a great murder mystery. Ray Milland is terrific as the cunning and manipulative husband out for the ultimate revenge. Robert Cummings seems a bit dim at first but then you realize he's just been taking it all in. Grace Kelly is just, well, she's Grace Kelly; elegant, beautiful, perfect. This movie introduced me to the talent of ay Milland. I watch this and "The Uninvited" together....more info
• An Alfred Hitchcock Classic!
  Dial M For Murder is shown in Black & White dated from 1954 lasting about 1.5 hours. I had never seen this before and noticed that Grace Kelley was part of this ensemble. Unfortunately the movie is all about her intended death so she is not visible to the viewer for much of the movie.
  
  Margo is married to Tony, played by Ray Milland while having an affair with Mark, a friend of theirs for the past year. Tony is aware of this but keeps it to himself. He contacts a college acquaintance that he has been tracking his movements and it seems like an interrogation when Tony lays out the plan to murder his wife thus being committed by this "stranger".
  
  I would say the only thing that I noticed was no chemistry between the female character and the two males she was involved with. I bet if this were done today there would be another twist to have her involved with the Inspector as well. Dial M For Murder is truly a black and white gem worth watching.
  
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• The quintessential psychological thriller
  This movie is a rare treat, and one worth the time to whoever gets the chance to check it out. Hitchcock at his best here, making the most of a story which was originally intended for the stage. The plot is mezmerizing as it unfolds, and the believeablility of the actors' performances are on mark all the way. This is a film I have checked every video store for, and am happy that amazon.com has made it available. An absolute classic!...more info
• Another Great Classic
  If you are familiar with any of the Hitchcock masterpiece edition DVDs. This is about the same quality, good picture and sound. This is something you would find in a store, not a nock-off. No problems at at....more info
• Do you really believe in the perfect murder?
  Do you really believe in the perfect murder? Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a former tennis player, does. That is the reason why he decides that asking someone to kill his beautiful and very rich wife is a good idea.
  
  But why kill someone just for the sake of doing so? Truth to be told, Tony is afraid that Margot (Grace Kelly) will ask him for divorce in order to marry Mark (Robert Cummings), an American writer she had a brief affair with after marrying Tony. Margot decided to stay with her husband, and is not aware of the fact that he knows about her past relationship with Mark, who happens to visit them when Tony decides he has to kill his wife. But how will he do it? And will he succeed?
  
  If you really want to know the answers to those questions, and enjoy a well-paced thriller, watch "Dial M for Murder (1954). Enjoy it...
  
  Belen Alcat
  
  PS: "Dial M for Murder" was the inspiration for "A perfect murder" (1998), a film starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow....more info
• Great Movie
  Hitchcock at his best. Grace Kelly is truly believable as is the entire cast. It pulls you in from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the end....more info
• Keeping Scissors At Arm's Reach Seems Very Sensible Indeed!
  Two Grade-A Alfred Hitchcock motion pictures were released in the year 1954: the spectacular "Rear Window" and this other delicious little number called "Dial M For Murder".
  
  Scissors, latch keys, stockings, telephones, and blackmail notes are all important set-pieces that help drive this movie along.
  
  "Dial M" is heavily dialogue-driven, although the attempted murder scene is very well done -- and quite suspenseful indeed. I'm guessing that when viewers watched this film in movie theaters in '54, there was probably a huge cheer after Grace did what she had to do to stay among the living. Great scene.
  
  But, for me, the very best part of this stylish thriller/drama comes near the beginning of the film. The scene I refer to is a very lengthy one (22 minutes long to be precise). It's the scene in Ray Milland's apartment (flat) where he coaxes Mr. C.A. Swan into taking the grisly job which Milland has to offer.
  
  I love the way this "set up" scene is written and plays out. It has a very realistic (and kind of eerie) feel to it. Tony Wendice (Milland) has certainly done his homework, and that fact is conveyed to us with little doubt. Tony's got everything figured out right down to the exact minute he needs to call the flat to "entice" his wife to the telephone the next evening. And he's very nearly thought of everything. Very nearly....everything except those pesky scissors that Grace left on the desk.
  
  Tony's murder weapon in this fiendish plot is C.A. Swan, played to absolute perfection by Anthony Dawson. Dawson emanates a kind of creepiness and shadiness that fits his character to a tee (similar to an eerie role Dawson played six years later in the Doris Day film, "Midnight Lace", which has Dawson exuding a heightened level of "creepiness" in various scenes in that 1960 thriller).
  
  The moment Swan (Dawson) enters Wendice's dwelling, a subtle feeling of tension and slight uneasiness comes across the screen. You know something is afoot. Hitchcock seems to have had an unparalleled ability to convey this sense of dread, disquiet, and trepidation without having to beat us over the head with it. It's just THERE, slightly beneath the surface. You can feel it somehow.
  
  Veteran character actor John Williams plays Chief Inspector Hubbard, who is working overtime to crack this tricky case. And he does a fine job of it too, as it turns out. Williams, it seems, made a living out of portraying this kind of law-enforcement character. He played the exact same type of role in the aforementioned movie, "Midnight Lace", in addition to a similar recurring role as an "Inspector" in Mr. Hitchcock's very own self-titled TV series.
  
  "Dial M For Murder" plays out kind of like a Sherlock Holmes mystery, Alfred Hitchcock style, with Williams in the part of Sherlock here, as he pieces together the clues to resolve the case. It's a low-key drama that is set in virtually one single location -- an apartment. Very few scenes take place outside Milland's home setting, which is very reminiscent of Hitchcock's other 1954 endeavor, "Rear Window", which also takes place practically in just a single room.
  
  Video quality is excellent on this disc, IMO. The film looks clear, detailed, and rich in color. Some grain and "noise" are evident in some scenes, but it's never distracting in the least. Overall, a darn good-looking digital video transfer. The aspect ratio is Full-Frame (1.33:1), which was the original framing as shown in theaters in 1954. Audio is supplied by a highly-adequate Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono soundtrack.
  
  Menus are simple (and static) in nature. A "scissors" icon guides our way around the menu screens (which seems most appropriate here). :)
  
  Packaging is attractive and colorful, and appears to come from original 1954 artwork for the film. No paper (chapter) insert is included with this DVD release. "Scene Selections" are included on the disc itself (as is the norm, of course, for nearly all movies on DVD). There are 5 separate "Scene" screens on this disc, providing instant access to any of the film's 28 different chapters.
  
  
  DVD Bonus Features:
  
  Two short featurettes are included on the disc --- "Hitchcock And Dial M" (with a run time of 21:33) and "3D: A Brief History" (7:06). ...............
  
  "Hitchcock And Dial M" is an enjoyable and informative bonus, produced by "DVD Supplemental Materials King" Laurent Bouzereau. Several talking heads, including Peter Bogdanovich, chat about "Dial M" and about Hitchcock's filmmaking techniques. Clips from the film are shown throughout this bonus feature, as are many behind-the-scenes still photographs.
  
  "3D: A Brief History" is another Laurent Bouzereau short, which gives us a cursory overview into how "3-D" movies were made back in the 1950s. "Dial M For Murder" was indeed originally shot by Mr. Hitchcock in the 3-D process -- with the famous scissors literally "leaping" out of the screen at audience members who saw the film in theaters, provided each movie-goer was wearing a pair of those cardboard "3-D glasses". (I can see why 3-D films failed to catch on in a really big fashion. Having to sit through a two-hour film while constantly wearing those ill-fitting, uncomfortable makeshift eyeglasses would get tiresome very quickly, in my opinion. LOL.)
  
  Even though "Dial M" *was* filmed with "3-D" in mind, there is no way to view the movie in 3-D while playing this DVD-Video (even if you happen to have a pair of those colored glasses lying around the house). But that's really a minor point; because "Dial M" doesn't really need any "gimmick" (like 3-D) to be enjoyed. It's a winning Hitchcock effort no matter how it's viewed.
  
  One other bonus resides on this disc -- The Theatrical Trailer for "Dial M" (2:35). For some odd reason, this trailer is shown in Widescreen format here, even though the film itself was photographed in a Full-Frame ratio.
  
  Other disc info ....... Spoken Languages on this DVD are English and French (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono for both). There are Subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
  
  This movie is one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock flicks, being firmly anchored by two highly-rewatchable moments/scenes --- that very intriguing lengthy early act in the picture featuring Milland and Dawson .... and those very handy scissors!...more info
• Cosy theatrical thriller
  This is a highly intreging, cleaverly constructed thriller with fantastic, sometimes sinister performances from all 3 central players. (Grace Kelly is stunning as well as exuding a sultry innocence). The fact that it mostly takes place in one indoor location does not matter to me but the lack of action may not appeal to some. The film relies on intense, absorbing script which works on all levels and is thoroughly entertaining.
  Hitchcock at his 1950s best! ...more info
• Nobody does it better!
  From a director's standpoint, this is by far one of the greatest thrillers ever made and I don't say that lightly (since Hitchcock practically invented the genre). If you've seen the film before, you know what I say is true. If you haven't seen the film yet, thank heavens it's finally coming to DVD.
  
  What makes this film such a marvelous gem is the fact that it holds one of Hitchcock's most notable trademarks: telling a story in a single location without it ever being a bore (see Rear Window and Rope).
  
  Another brilliant thing I love about the film is (if you haven't seen it skip this paragraph!) is that one of the characters tells us EXACTLY what will happen in the last 20 seconds or so, and you don't realize it until it's already happening. What makes Hitchcock films so involving is the control of information; when we see the key Ray Milland removes from Anthony Dawson's pocket, we of course assume that's Grace Kelly's latch key. As a filmgoer who frequently is able to predict the "twist" ending in most modern day films, I have to admit that when the secret of the key was revealed, I almost fell out of my chair; the thought just never occurred to me (and I also didn't realize Dawson plays both the assassin AND the inspector in the film).
  
  There isn't much more I can say about the film. I can't give it any higher praise. It's well made, well acted, well written, and especially well directed. This is the kind of film that, after you see it, you just want to watch it a few more times in a row (or see more of Hitch's films). It's the kind of film that, after you see it, you wonder why they don't make movies like this anymore....more info
• Hitchcock Timeout
  According to the director himself and no less an authority than Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock directed this filmed stage play purely to kill time while readying his next picture "Rear Window." He was completely disinterested in the plot - (and no wonder) - a stupid theatrical concoction about misplaced keys and a bungled murder scheme. He found time however to fall in love with Kelly and tried to wardrobize her, something he would put in the movie "Vertigo" five years later. "Dial M" is watchable primarily because of the suave performances of Ray Milland and John Williams....more info