Dial M for Murder

Tony’s wife is having an affair. He knows this, but his wife doesn’t know that he knows. Now he’s going to have her killed for it; and her inheritance. And he knows just how to get away with it, too.

What follows this fairly usual setup is a very unusually structured story. In the first act, the villain lays out his entire plan, piece by piece. Through this exposition, we learn all the relevant background information. Then, we see how the execution inevitably falls apart. Now it is all about turning the situation around again.

What makes this movie special in Hitchcock’s filmography is that it almost entirely stands on the merit of its story. 90% of the film is people standing in the same interior set, talking. There are few opportunities for strong visuals, although Hitchcock finds a few. Yet the film manages to be engaging throughout its entire runtime. The story is intelligent and just the right amount of convoluted. Details matter in this film. As the audience, we’re always privy to all the information, not just that of individual characters. You can see the twists and turns coming - if you pay close enough attention that is.