Dial M for Murder (1954)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Grace Kelly

The perfect plot to kill one's wife always seems to have a small flaw. Well, in Dial M for Murder, that flaw is that the wife survives to kill the killer. Wow, Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) didn't really think this one through.

In all seriousness though, Dial M for Murder does have one of the more intriguing 'plot to kill my wife' plans. Tony Wendice blackmails a man into killing his wife so that he'll have a reliable alibi. They arrange a tricky key exchange and the plan is set into motion.

All, of course goes wrong once his wife survives and a new story needs to be created. Everything seems to be all set until Tony and his wife's friend, the very convenient crime story writer figures out what could have happened! Oh no! The police inspector too, gets suspicious, one thing leads to another and that's a wrap!

It may sound as if I'm mocking such a story. Well, I'm certain I would be if it weren't for Hitchcock. Seeing this film made me realize that he can pull of some of the most outlandish stories and not only make them seem plausible but make them brilliant.

Hitchcock again creates a film that takes place almost entirely in one room. Suspense mounts throughout, even though we pretty much know how it will end and everything is just so intriguing that any flaw is overlooked.

Truly the master of suspense, Hitchcock continues to amaze me as I'm always hooked onto his movies, whether I like them or not, and while Dial M for Murder isn't amazing, it is very good.

***1/2