Movie – Dial M for murder

Movie – Dial M for murder
Score : 9/10
Year : 1954
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cinematography: Robert Burks 
Country : USA
Language : English
Duration : 1h45 (imdb)

Authors : Frederick Knott  (Play & adapted his own screenplay) 


Dial M for murder's story is a pretty simple one : a man hires somebody to murder someone he wants dead. For his imagined perfect crime, gives his ''employee'' a meticulous plan for the murder as well as setting the best alibi. 
Can this crime be conducted to his wishes ? If not, does he have a plan-B in store ? Answers to these and other questions, in Dial M for murder, where vengeance meets with intrigue, great, cleverly written dialogues and great performances from the cast in this film-noir, adapted from a play by the play-writer himself.  

I'm not usually a fan of Dimitri Tiomkins' musical scores. Here, he usually gets the suspense right, but sometimes misses with silliness. At least, it's more engaging and less frequent than in many of his other scores. For him, it's good, for a general score, it's just adequate. 

Cinematography comes up with certain interesting shots, offering great contrast and lighting. I especially love a crooked angle and a scene with the phone cables moving during the dial.

Alfred's cameo is in a photo, also presented in a crooked angle 

The acting, as I said, is exquisitely performed. Each person is at the right place, convincing and chilling or moving ; respective to their roles. 

Every time we watch this movie, I appreciate more of its nuances and great pace, good editing. Everything flows naturally from one scene to the next. Never a dull moment, never an over or under-acting. 

Reminder : as a thriller, the movie depicts violence, and a story with murder in it. 

It isn't overly graphic like modern bloody and gory ones - though for its time, the murder scene itself was probably shocking to many, and isn't an easy one to watch ; it has a good amount of violence and is lengthy - making it more realistic than many scenes from other movies. 

I can also tell you that I'm a hyper sensitive person, and that I can watch it. So, most people can watch it and not even flinch. 

Starring : Ray Milland (he looks so much like a mix of Cary Grant and especially James Stewart), Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, John Williams, Anthony Dawson, Patrick Allen, 


Dial M... in the Medias.

Although there are now Bluray editions for this movie, I decided not to buy them until I refute what I'v read about them on a few websites, according to which the transfer quality is actually lesser than that of the DVD.

So, I ordered and received the French Collector edition, EAN 7321950722129, with bonus materials I couldn't find on any other edition. 

Here are its contents.

Both dvds have a 48 seconds anti-piracy warning, that you cannot skip at all. It has fast paced, hyperactive images. Very annoying. Pop disc in, go do something and come back. 

DVD 1 - the movie in 1.85:1 - 16:9 widescreen format, apparently with all TV screens. 
Image quality isn't the best, could use a cleanup and sharpening, but best I can get for the moment (especially for 3 €, I cannot complain). 
Sound, same could use a remaster from 1.0 basic sound - we had to use the SCiFi setting on the HiFi system, instead of drama or mono movie that should have been better choices. It was muffled with drama, and echo with mono movie. 

Languages : English. Dubs : French & Italien. 
Subtitles : choice between none*, French, English, Italien, Dutch, Arabic & Bulgarian. 
For hearing-impaired : English and Italian

Bonus (that I haven't checked yet, this dvd just arrived 3 days ago& re-watched the movie last night):

• Hitchcock & M (20 minutes, English with French subtitles) 
• 3D in the cinema - a short history of this then-new technology that was initially short-lived
• Original trailer (not the French one)

DVD 2 bonus, also widscreen 16:9 image format : 

• Le crime était presque parfait, tuer est terriblement difficile (=Dial M... to kill is terribly difficult). Presented in 2.0 sound, French & English, with French subtitles during the English dialogues of this documentary. (Announced as a making-off, lasting 55 minutes. Not the 52 that dvdfr.com says, nor 60 that the DVD boxset says.) This is the documentary that is nowhere else, and now I understand why : it's a french docu. Will have to give it a try, but thus far I'v been disappointed from most such documentaries. I thought it was an English-speaking making-off. 

The dvds come in a double amaray  box, and the entire thing in a thick carboard case.