The perfect murder is a common plot device for a Horror/Thriller. It’s been done so often that now when you hear someone lay out the intricate scheme that considers every possibility you can already predict a few holes in the plan and often things go comically wrong immediately. Dial M for Murder is the definitive “perfect murder” story because it spends an inordinate amount of time explaining all the details. By the end of the lengthy set-up it’s believable that Tony (Ray Milland) has indeed conceived a foolproof plan to bump off his wife (Grace Kelly).
While this is obviously based on a play, it doesn’t feel stagy because Hitchcock masterfully choreographs his cast and camera to waltz around the space. This is a fun movie because things in fact do go wrong constantly, but Tony is smart enough to adapt to obstacles, all while we’re waiting to see what will get him caught. The master keeps things suspenseful throughout, with a real showstopper sequence right in the middle.
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