Movie: Dial ‘M’ for Murder

Scattered throughout my Netflix queue are the “famous” films. These are films that I feel I should, at some point in my life, watch so that I can be at least marginally knowledgable about what the critics revere as film’s best.

Inevitably, I’ll watch the movie and say, “They thought that was good?!?” Lawrence of Arabia, Midnight Cowboy and The Graduate come quickly to mind. (I won’t even watch The English Patient. Thanks Elaine.)

So it’s with the lowest of expectations that I’ll pop one of these movies into my DVD player and hit “Play.” To what did my wondering eyes did appear, but an amazingly well-crafted film. What I’m talking about is Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial ‘M’ for Murder.

It was filled with more twists and turns than a roller coaster; more crafty antics than a shelf of Sherlock Holmes books. I even smiled at the olde tyme “Intermission” graphic midway through the film. And how can you not love Grace Kelly. Had I been a man of her era, me thinks I’d see each and every film she was in.

This film is truly a great movie and well worth watching. Now, I wonder what I’ll say of The Great Escape or Citizen Kane.

9.5 out of 10