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Dial M for Murder

Dial M for Murder
Dial M For Murder.jpg
Theatrical release poster by Bill Gold
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Produced by Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by Frederick Knott
Based on Play: (1952)
Frederick Knott
Starring Ray Milland
Grace Kelly
Robert Cummings
John Williams
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Cinematography Robert Burks
Edited by Rudi Fehr
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • May 29, 1954 (1954-05-29)
Running time
105 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1.4 million
Box office $6 million

Dial M for Murder is a 1954 American crime mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings and John Williams. It was filmed in 3-D with the technology that was available at the time, and is often considered one of the greatest 3D films ever made. The screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was based were written by English playwright Frederick Knott. The play premiered in 1952 on BBC Television, before being performed on stage in the same year in London's West End in June, and then New York's Broadway in October. The movie was released by Warner Bros., though due to the then waning popularity of 3D films, it was converted to 2D, and only showed in its native 3D format in a small handful of cinemas.

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a former English professional tennis player, is married to wealthy socialite Margot (Grace Kelly), who has had an affair with American crime-fiction writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). When Tony retires in response to her complaints about his busy schedule, he secretly discovers the affair and decides to murder her, both for revenge and to ensure that her money will continue to finance his comfortable lifestyle.

Tony meets an acquaintance from the University of Cambridge, Charles Alexander "C. A." Swann (Anthony Dawson), who has become a small-time criminal. Tony has secretly been following Swann so he can blackmail him into murdering Margot. Tony tells Swann about Margot's affair. Six months before, Tony stole her handbag, which contained a love letter from Mark, and anonymously blackmailed her. After tricking Swann into leaving his fingerprints on the letter, Tony offers to pay him £1,000 to kill Margot; if Swann refuses, Tony will turn him in to the police as Margot's blackmailer.


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