They sure don't make 'em like they used to. I know that's a fairly common lament of older film buffs such as myself, but movies that emphasize story and characters seem few and far between these days. So I remain resolute in my conviction that with rare exception Hollywood has largely turned itself into a gigantic CGI clearinghouse, where the stars of its motion pictures are the computer animators -- not the actors. These days story seems to be little more than a device for the filmmaker to present a series of visually stunning, if not entirely unbelievable, effects shots that are loosely connected by actors filling the dead space between effects sequences. Thanks but no thanks. After seeing Star Trek some weeks ago I have to conclude that J.J. Abrams doesn't have even a fraction of the filmmaking talent of someone like Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, or Howard Hawks. I'm sure that my distaste for these movies says something about my preferences that not everyone shares -- so to each his own. Moving on...
Last night I sat down to
Dial M for Murder, a real movie, with real direction, real acting, a real set, and a compelling story. I have not watched this film in several years and therefore many of the finer details were not fresh in my mind, so I thought it was time to see it again. This 1954 suspense picture was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and adapted to the big screen from the devilishly clever play of the same name, written by Frederic Knott. To me the movie has all of the hallmarks of a truely great film. A riveting story, the Broadway play ran for 552 performances largely on the strengths of Knott's crafty writing. While the idea of a husband plotting the murder of his wife is hardly original, the very clever way in which the story is literally unlocked with a latch key was a stroke of genius, IMO. There is superb casting and acting, with the unflappable Ray Milland as the scheming husband Tony Wendice, Grace Kelly as his wife Margot, and John Williams as Inspector Hubbard (a role he reprises from the play and for which he won a Tony Award in 1953). A brilliant filmmaker in Alfred Hitchcock at the helm, nothing further need be said about him. And Robert Burks as Director of Photography, who's cinematic touch has graced several Hitchcock films in addition to movies such as Hondo, House of Wax, The Spirit of St. Louis, and The Music Man.
The film mostly takes place in the Wendice's flat. The story is character and dialogue driven, and will probably not appeal to card carrying members of the CGI action film club. But that being said, if you appreciate clever story telling, nuanced performance, great cinematography with lighting and color to set the proper mood and atmosphere, and a film featuring the directing talents of a true master then you'll enjoy this film for the work of art that it is. If you're a movie lover and appreciate a great mystery/suspense film then you owe it to yourself to see
Dial M for Murder at least once, and then afterwards you should take a look at Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, and Psycho, if you haven't already seen them.
--Jerome
