MovieChat Forums > Dial M for Murder (1954) Discussion > Crumbled carpet being straightened by To...

Crumbled carpet being straightened by Tony. Why?

posted 9 years ago by raymond-rosmalen
3 replies | jump to latest

When everybody leaves the apartment via the backdoor at the end of the first visit of inspector Hubbard, Tony Wendice leaves the apartment last, but not before straightening the crumbled carpet on the ground. It seems to me that the carpet was not crumbled the moment the inspector came in. There is even a separate shot of the crumbled carpet.

How did the carpet get crumbled? What is the meaning of that particular scene?
Is it just to indicate that Tony is very punctilious. I wonder if it means something more.

[–] yurenchu 9 years ago

From what I remember, the carpet wasn't originally there; it was placed there to cover the large bloodstain that had formed at that spot from Swann's bleeding body. I don't know why the carpet was crumbled; maybe Tony or Margot was just placing it there when the Inspector suddenly arrived. So before they all left, Tony just finished the job that was interrupted by the Inspector's arrival.

Or maybe during the conversation the Inspector had shoved the carpet away with his foot to have a second look at the bloodstain, and afterwards shoved the carpet back in place with his foot again, but rather quickly and nonchalantly, hence it was crumbled.

I guess Tony went out his way to straighten it because he likes everything to be neat and tidy. I don't know if it might mean something more (probably it might, but I haven't figured out what).

______
Joe Satriani - "Always With Me, Always With You"
http://youtu.be/VI57QHL6ge0

[–] whiskeyTango-06 8 years ago

i believe you mean "crumpled"?

"crumbled" is what a cookie does.

[–] Hefferik90 8 years ago

Lol.
Don't you just love the English language.