MovieChat Forums > Dial M for Murder (1954) Discussion > Tame and uninspired filmmaking

Tame and uninspired filmmaking

posted 9 years ago by CalibMcBolts
3 replies | jump to latest

I wanted to love this film so bad, i love hitchcock as a director, and i love his thrilling, kinetic style of filmmaking. his films always brim with boundless energy.

However, all of that was missing in this film, i thought it was extremely tame, especially for hitchcock. The story was great, however needlessly overcomplicated, and the performances were solid too, but i expected it to be so much more. i found it hardly thrilling or mysterious at all. The ''brilliant'' plan B he improvises was hardly impressive.

Vastly disappointed, still gave it a 7/10

Favorite films of all time list
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031708001

[–] akhilshady2 9 years ago

The ''brilliant'' plan B he improvises was hardly impressive.

What more would you think of at such moment then? It can't get any better.

~ Go ahead, make my day.

[–] CalibMcBolts 9 years ago

Being a Hitchcock film, i expected something surprising and fascinating, what he did was hardly impressive

Favorite films of all time list
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031708001

[–] lucillek 8 years ago

I agree, I'm in the same boat as you. Before heading to this film, I was already in love with Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' 'North by Northwest' 'Psycho' and 'Lady Vanishes'.

In the 1st half of 'Dial M for Murder', it had a great opener, useful background information as the story unfolds, engaging dialogues (especially the scene when Tony tries to blackmail Capt. Lesgate to murder his wife), and it was setting up good expositions for the actual murder scene. The Murder Scene got me in the edge of my seat while I was rooting for the "bad guy" and was shocked to find out the attempted murder was a flop. Then intermission came and i was already thoroughly enjoying the movie. However, the last act of the movie felt very flat and was annoying-ly confusing with the "which key is which" bit.