Dial M for Murder

Dial M for Murder (1954)

11 mistakes

(5 votes)

Continuity mistake: Before Tony leaves he closes the drapes. He then says he won't go out and will stay home. She says to go out, and he agrees, so he goes to the drapes and closes them again.

Revealing mistake: Just before Anthony Dawson is going to be stabbed to death by Grace Kelly with a pair of scissors, you can see for a very short moment that the scissors are already attached to his back.

Continuity mistake: When Tony throws the 100 pounds down-payment across the room to Swan, watch the chair in which it lands. It has a low back one in one shot, then a high back (probably to provide a bigger target for the throw), then a low back again.

Factual error: The Inspector has no authority at all to release a convicted murderer about to be executed. Even if he could, the police presence would have been greater and Margot would have been in prison clothes or at least in restraints.

Visible crew/equipment: While Tony is blackmailing Charles Swann, describing the story in the newspapers regarding the "middle-aged woman found dead due to an overdose...", just as Tony takes a seat on the table we can see the moving shadow of the boom mic on the wall, over the picture. (00:25:10)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When Tony talks to Lesgate about the murder plan, Tony sits on the couch with his cane resting between his legs. In the next shot, he's suddenly holding the cane in his hands under his chin.

Cubs Fan

Continuity mistake: When Mark is talking to Margo early in the film in her living room, the camera shows a front view of her and she is standing in front of liquor bottles lined up on a table. Behind her, Mark is in front of the fireplace. When Tony comes home within minutes, the bar is next to the front door and the bottles are rearranged.

Mozzie-6

Other mistake: The judge in giving sentence refers to the murder occurring on the 27th September. Towards the end of the film the implication is that the murder occurred on the 27th March e.g. he started living on the cash from the 27th March.

Continuity mistake: Early in the film when Swann picks up his coat to leave the apartment then changes his mind, he puts his coat and scarf back on the chair and the scarf is under the coat. Later on, the scarf is folded on top of the coat, but no one has moved it.

Mozzie-6

Continuity mistake: Tony throws a bundle of notes onto the seat of the brown chair. Later, when Swann picks up the money, it's on the arm of the chair.

Mozzie-6

Continuity mistake: When Wendice returns to make his final attempt to open the door with the latch key hidden under by the stair, reaches for a key that is located at the second ornate wrought-iron scroll step which is where he left it originally. When Swan reaches for the key in the dark hallway, it is now hidden at the third ornate wrought-iron scroll step, which is one scroll higher. They keys are not in the same place. (00:40:00 - 01:44:00)

Margot Mary Wendice: Oh, there you are. We thought you were never coming. What have you been up to?
Tony Wendice: I'm sorry darling, but the boss came in just as I was leaving.
Margot Mary Wendice: Tony, this is Mark Halliday.
Tony Wendice: Hello Mark.
Mark Halliday: Hello.

More quotes from Dial M for Murder

Trivia: Alfred Hitchcock wanted the film to look as natural as possible, with the camera at eye level with the actors. Since movie cameras were large (especially 3D cameras), Hitch had a small trench built into the soundstage floor, so that the camera lens was, roughly, at eye level.

Colin Schmit

More trivia for Dial M for Murder

Question: After Margo was convicted, why did Tony move one of their beds into the living room?

Hobbes

Chosen answer: It's mostly so the audience can see more of Tony's underlying character. This is Margo's bed, and Tony wanted it separate from the bedroom that they shared as husband and wife. Tony is "emotionally divorcing" himself from Margo as he is about to start a new life as a single man. Leaving the bed in the bedroom would serve as a reminder of his guilt in framing his innocent wife for a murder she did not commit. The bed is likely parked there until he can get rid of it.

raywest

More questions & answers from Dial M for Murder

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