Talk:Dial M for Murder

Fact Checking

This entry needs some fact-checking. There is more than one setting for the film; I can remember at least two (the husband at a meeting in a restaurant, getting conflicting reports on what time it is), as well as a shot of an exterior. Also, must no plot go above the spoiler warning? Isn't plot more central to what the film is than who's acted in it and the ISBN of the screenplay? Also, why is the still in black and white when the film is in color (filmed, incidentally, in 3D)? Koyaanis Qatsi, who's not seen the film recently enough to feel confident editing the article much.

Shouldn't this be listed as a play that's been made into a film, rather than as a film from a stage play. The play is still popular. I saw it last year. Mintguy 10:35 Apr 27, 2003 (UTC)

Good point. And maybe the author meant that the play has only one setting; that may well be. Did it? Koyaanis Qatsi

BBC TV series

I just found out there was a 1974 BBC series of Dial M for Murder but is not mentioned here. Anyone else know about this?--Rachel Mules 23:52, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

Perhaps this article should probably be moved to Dial M for Murder (film), with the present title serving as a disambiguation page, pointing to all known versions. I think we should have an article about the play. TheMadBaron 10:29, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Gracedial.jpg

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Howcatchem?

Does anyone know what this term means? Does anyone know what an "inverted detective story," which this term links to, is? I propose it be included much further down, if at all. A Google search for this term reveals fewer than 3500 results. As such, I am removing it as it appears to elevate an obscure, pet term in the first sentence of an otherwise important article. 173.21.106.137 (talk) 05:39, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

A "howcatchem"/inverted detective story is a crime story in which the audience is shown from the beginning who committed the crime and how, and the plot of the story involves how the detective finds out what the audience already knows. The archetypal example of this is the old Columbo tv series, where the beginning of each episode showed the commission of the murder. Colombo is so archetypal for this term, in fact, that I've almost never heard it used to refer to anything but Columbo, so it seems out of place in relation to a Hitchcock film, and your change was probably a good idea.keɪɑtɪk flʌfi (talk) 13:42, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

It's interesting that you mention Columbo. At Hubbard's first visit to the Wendice apartment, he is halfway out the door, stops, and says, "There is one more thing..." Wastrel Way (talk) 02:25, 17 June 2021 (UTC) Eric

Well, it wasn't the first time, it was later, after Margot was convicted. Wastrel Way (talk) 02:04, 12 July 2022 (UTC) Eric

According to the Dr. Thorndyke wiki article, R. Austin Freeman invented the Inverted detective story.173.72.63.96 (talk) 22:22, 4 January 2017 (UTC)Deshawn Bullock

Plot summary

I shortened the plot summary and changed the description of Swann from "petty criminal" to "criminal". If you listen carefully to the dialogue between Swann and Tony you will see that Swann actually already murdered someone; he killed one of his wealthy "lady friends" by poisoning her with increasingly large doses of a prescription medicine she had been taking. Invertzoo (talk) 23:47, 4 October 2013 (UTC)

Tony says the newspapers have reported that a middle-aged woman (Miss Wallace) was "found dead of an overdose of something. Apparently she'd been taking the stuff for some time, and nobody knows where she got it from." If it were a prescription medicine then it wouldn't be a mystery where she got it from. In fact the text of the play specifies that Miss Wallace OD'd on cocaine - perhaps the movie omitted this word for censorship reasons. But even in the context of the film Tony doesn't accuse Swann of deliberately murdering Miss Wallace, he (Tony) just implies Swann was pushing an illegal drug. Muzilon (talk) 18:14, 2 July 2016 (UTC)

Another point about the plot summary: Hubbard has informed Margot that the Home Secretary is waiting to hear from him. Instead of calling "for backup" at the very end (he has several officers on hand), Hubbard is, I think, more likely calling to say his ruse worked, and that Margot's execution sentence must be vacated, or whatever the British term is. But we don't know who he is calling. Perhaps the original play says. Wastrel Way (talk) 02:20, 17 June 2021 (UTC) Eric

External links modified

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3D screenings in 1954?

@Gareth Griffith-Jones: your recent edits to the lede seem to imply the film was never screened in 3-D back in 1954. That appears to be contradicted by this source, which is cited in the section headed "3D release."--Muzilon (talk) 10:38, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

Yes, I see that now. Thanks, I will correct myself. ‑ ‑ Gareth Griffith‑Jones ^{The Welsh Buzzard} ‑ ‑ 10:41, 13 March 2018 (UTC)