Wed 15 Jul 2015
A PERFECT MURDER. Warner Brothers, 1998. Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen, David Suchet, Sarita Choudhury, Constance Towers. Based on the play “Dial M for Murder” by Frederick Knott. Director: Andrew Davis.
As the credits say, the screenplay was based on “Dial M for Murder,” and of course it then goes without saying that the play was previously filmed by none other than Alfred Hitchcock), and yes, I know. I said it anyway. I haven’t seen the earlier film since I was 12, so there is nothing in what follows that should in no way be taken as a comparison of one versus the other.
So. To begin with, they couldn’t have cast anyone more perfect than Michael Douglas to play Steven Taylor, the wealthy investment banker (the words slimy, cold and reptilian also come to mind) who finds that his equally rich wife (equally well cast and played by a most delectable Gwyneth Paltrow) is cheating on him.
And with all his margin calls coming due, what does Mr. Taylor do? He hires his wife’s lover (Viggo Mortensen), using a bit of very coercive blackmail, to kill his wife. It seems that the lover’s background is very shady himself, providing Taylor (Douglas) with the outline of a perfect plan, one fine tuned to the smallest detail, except for one thing, otherwise there wouldn’t be a movie.
Right now I’m on the fence as to how much I should tell you, but I figure that you know that no one as lovely and innocent (or is she?) as Gwyneth Paltrow will be killed. What follows is an almost perfect example of cat-and-mouse playing, with all three major characters as major participants. Of these, Virgo Mortensen has the most challenging role. He is convincing as Paltrow’s lover, then equally so as her husband’s willing accomplice (more or less). Willing, that is.
I don’t know how I managed to miss this the first time around. This is my kind of movie. I discovered it earlier this week taped many years ago off one of the premium movie channels (and I mean tape) and never watched by me until now. The story is extremely clever, one of those intricate set-up stories they don’t seem to make any more. Perhaps because it’s too difficult to do.
The first two thirds of the movie are very well done, even to the extent of being overdone (e.g., the lingering shot of the roast beef in the oven), but by movie’s end, I had more questions than I had answers.
I hate it when that happens. With just a little more care in the details, the movie could have been perfect. As is, no. There’s a lot to like, especially the ending, but an well-constructed murder mystery like this one has to be perfect from beginning to end, and in between as well.
July 16th, 2015 at 11:26 pm
My chief question was why bother if you could not tie up the loose ends. It isn’t one of Hitch’s best, but it isn’t a slick empty exercise in nasty people being nasty either which is how I find this.
I have no problem with messing with the play so long as you improve on it and don’t leave me hanging. I don’t care how much fun the trip is if I get to the end and feel as if something is left out.
July 17th, 2015 at 12:33 am
Actually, this review makes me want to go back and watch the original Hitchcock film again. I haven’t seen it for several years.
July 17th, 2015 at 9:18 am
This film was made in 1998 with a younger Michael Douglas who in 2015 is in ANT MAN, playing Henry Pym, the creator of the suit that made the comic book character shrink to be Ant Man (I may have part of that wrong, but it’s been years since I read the comic book and I’m not going to look it up). In the movie Paul Rudd dons the suit to become Ant Man. Reviews indicate the film plays pretty much as a comedy. Anyway, my point is that Douglas doesn’t always play the same type of character in every movie these days.
July 17th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
It is hard to believe that Michael Douglas is 70 years old. Of course I am older and it is hard to believe that, too.
You are correct in pointing out that he has taken on many many roles over the years — and I did not know about ANT MAN — but I have a feeling that he will be most remembered for playing Gordon Gekko, and so well, which is also why he seemed so perfect for this picture.
Like you, Randy, I will have to find a copy of DIAL M FOR MURDER to watch. I remember seeing it ever so long ago, but even while watching this one, nothing came back to me. I’m assuming of course that they didn’t change EVERYTHING.
July 17th, 2015 at 3:18 pm
Steve, I knew about ANT MAN because it was released today and was reviewed in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Your description of the character Michael Douglas plays in this film is so at odds with the character he must be playing in ANT MAN. I know exactly where my copy of DIAL M FOR MURDER is! You see, a number of years ago I bought EVERY Hitchcock film and many of them were in mega sets. I also watched EVERY Hitchcock film in my collection, one every night, for God knows how long. A couple of years ago I began watching them all over again, but gave up after the first few. You can’t go home again.
July 17th, 2015 at 3:28 pm
Steve, I checked Wikipedia for the cast and characters of Dial M for Murder and I see that in A Perfect Murder they changed the names of the characters, but does sound like the same plot. The 1954 cast has Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings and I almost don’t need to watch it because I remember it so well from my more recent viewing. I see that John Williams, the actor, is in this. He appeared in many of Hictchcock’s films.
July 17th, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Of course, I do remember some wonderful performances in Dial M for Murder. You don’t have to watch a film only for the story.
July 17th, 2015 at 11:31 pm
Steve, To get back to Michael Douglas for a minute, he has a full beard these days, or does for ANT-MAN. The trailer has his character offering the job to Paul Rudd (I guess no 70-year-old would be credible as a super hero) who asks if it’s too late to change the name from ANT-MAN. I know, that’s going to make you consider going to the film, but you have so many films you’ve never seen.
July 18th, 2015 at 8:21 am
Maybe I can persuade Jon to go see ANT0MAN wth me, or if not, I may have to wait for the DVD to come out.
Or not.
July 18th, 2015 at 8:26 am
This is a surprise. I just woke up to discover that Jon sent me a review of ANT-MAN overnight.
Leonard Maltin loved it!
http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/ant-man-big-entertainment-from-a-tiny-hero-20150716
July 18th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
That’s a good review all right. Since it’s a Marvel movie one of the sidelights is looking for the Stan Lee cameo. I hope there is one.
The only trouble with waiting for the dvd is that by the time it comes out you may have forgotten what you were waiting for. My Netflix queue is filled with films I don’t remember listing!