Dial M for Murder

There’s something funny about Dial M for Murder. For some reason there is one scene where I zone out every time. This scene has important information in it, so it is probably not the best time for my mind to wander. However, that is what happens each and every time. Yet, the rest of the film I pay attention to. I wonder what it is about that one part.

Margot is in a love triangle

Margot Wendice (Grace Kelly) has a secret. She is married to her husband, Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), but is in love with writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Her and Mark’s relationship has gone so far that Margot even carries a love letter from him around in her purse. Or at least she did. Her purse was stolen one day. When her purse was found and returned, the letter was missing.

The day Mark comes to town, Margot tells him about the missing letter. They also discuss if they believe Tony knows about them. Whether Tony does or not, they both know they must act as natural as possible.

Tony arrives home and everyone acts as though they are all good friends. Mark and Tony even agree to go out together one night. On this particular day, though, Margot and Mark leave to spend time alone.

Tony puts a plan together to kill his wife

Alone at home, Tony makes a call claiming he wants to buy a car. Now, here is where my mind begins to wander, but there are some things I pick up on.

The person Tony calls is an old college connection of his, Charles Swann (Anthony Dawson). Swann has a checkered past. What that past exactly is, I’m not sure, but it is clear Swann is some sort of conman. This information is what Tony is able to use against Swann in order to convince him to kill Margot.

On the night of the planned murder, Tony goes out with Mark. His plan is to call Margot. While Margot is on the phone, Swann will strangle her, having let himself into their apartment with a key Tony left him. After this, Tony will be a very happy widower.

Dial M for Murder
Anthony Dawson, Grace Kelly

Tony’s plan falls apart

The plan goes wrong from the start. Margot wants to go to the movies instead of staying home alone. Tony spews some manipulative, guilt garbage, and convinces Margot to skip the movies and remain at home.

While out with Mark and some other men, Tony makes a big deal about his watch stopping. Once he finds out the time from the others, Tony leaves them to make a phone call. He calls home, a signal for the murder to begin.

Swann does try to strangle Margot while she is on the phone with Tony. What neither man expected was for Margot to fight back.

Despite all Swann is doing to kill her, Margot is able to reach a pair of scissors and stab him. Instead of Margot being the one who is dead, it is Swann.

Realizing his plan has failed, Tony must quickly come up with a new one.

Dial M for Murder
Grace Kelly

Tony thinks of a new way to kill his wife

When Margot first picked up the phone, Tony remained silent. Now that everything has gone wrong, he speaks. He tells Margot not to call the police once she explains what happened. Distraught over the attack, Margot agrees.

Tony arrives home and begins to concoct stories. He has Margot lie to the police, claiming the lie she will tell will make it appear she has nothing to hide. The police, however, unravel the lies and begin to suspect there is more to Swann’s death than Margot is telling.

The police put together a case with Swann as a blackmailer and Margot as the person being blackmailed. They believe she killed Swann because of it.

Margot is arrested, tried, and found guilty. Her punishment? Execution.

Mark knows more than he knows

Right before Margo’s execution, Mark comes to Tony and asks him to go to the police with a new theory about what happened. The new theory Mark comes up with is nearly exact to Tony’s original plan.

Tony tries to remain cool, calm, and collected while Mark explains his theory. However, it is clear he is rattled. This is why he is probably relieved when Chief Inspector Hubbard (John Williams) shows up at the door. He is able to present Mark’s story as a funny little joke. Something no one would ever believe. Little does he know, Hubbard is already onto him.

A mustache becomes the star of the show

This film has a very abrupt end. The final moments aren’t very dramatic at all. In fact, they’re kind of humorous.

In the end, we are left with Hubbard standing at Tony’s desk, on the phone, combing his mustache.

It is an odd end when you think about it. After such a tense time of trying to figure out if Margot will be saved, a mustache being combed is the final image we see. But then maybe this little bit of lightness and normalcy was a way to ease the tension before everyone left the theater. I’m sure in a big, dark theater this film is more suspenseful than at home. Still, even in that case, I would not expect a film to end with mustache maintenance.