MovieChat Forums > Dial M for Murder (1954) Discussion > Weird ending

Weird ending

posted 12 years ago by rochelle-rochelle
11 replies | jump to latest

So Tony get's caught in his lie and everyone knows he tried to have his wife killed. Normally, this would be a very sad, depressing, angry, "HOW COULD YOU!!" type scene with the detectives arresting Tony. But nope. Tony's like "you got me. Okay, so who could use a drink?" And Margot's like, "I could use a drink." Mark's like, "me too." Inspector? Oh he's on duty and combing his mustache. I thought they were all going to chuckle, shrug their shoulders and freeze frame on it like a cheesy 80's sitcom. How can everyone be so non-chalant about what just happened and was revealed? Weird, weird, weird. And who was the Inspector calling at the end? All his team were in the building to arrest Tony. That inspector sure made a lot of calls to the police station just in the last 10 minutes of the movie.

Also, I found it weird that people came to and from the police station in a matter of seconds. Where are they? Mayberry?

Is it okay if I do it for mom and not you? 'Cause I really like mom.

[–] snelling 12 years ago

Hey! Great movie approaching...

Rebuild the WTC exactly as before and keep old movies accurate!

[–] Mehki_Girl 12 years ago

These are supposed to be "high class, sophisticated" people who stand around discussing things intellectually (while drinking and smoking) and never showing emotion. Did you see any emotion when he found out Tony was having an affair with his wife? Nope. Tony is even still hanging around him. Showing emotion is something "low class" people do. Of course it is all ridiculous (as well as the fake English accents that nearly all American actors had back then) but apparently it was what people wanted to see.

[–] MarkAnthony1990 10 years ago

Tony showed no emotion because he already knows of his wife's affair before the movie even begins. It was him sending the blackmail notes.

Babies kill TV shows!

[–] peterquennell 12 years ago

Margot was still, I presume, in a daze! We are told that the Maida Vale police station is only two minutes away and police were several times stationed right there at the house. The last call by the chief inspector was to the Home Secretary, who would rescind the sentence of death.

[–] muzak_man 12 years ago

Maybe in modern day LA they'd start beating him with a club or jump him so he wouldn't escape, but the film reflects an era where civility was very important. It's why rich men dressed up and went down with the titanic with their butlers.

[–] peterquennell 12 years ago

Yeah! Some of them Americans, too, this was not just a British stiff upper lip thing. There were a few rats but many acted noble.

Anyone in NYC or vsiting might like to look at the south pier of the Chelsea Piers sports group on the west side. End of West 18th Street.

It has a golf driving range on it now but that was the Star Line pier, where the Titanic was about two days away from.

[–] AssetsonFire 10 years ago

Ah, yes! The civility of blackmailing/bribing a petty crook into murdering your cheating wife, so that you can collect the inheritance and continue enjoying the life to which your gentlemanly self is accustomed. Ah, those halcyon days of yore...

~.~
There were three of us in this marriage
http://www.imdb.com/list/ze4EduNaQ-s/

[–] esterio 11 years ago

I'm afraid you (the OP) didn't pay enough attention when watching this movie. The ending scene looks all fine and real to me.

When he was caught, Tony did show his surprise and horror and he even attempted to escape. Only when being stopped by another officer at the door, knowing he couldn't get away, did Tony calm down and be himself again.

Mark already suspected Tony, he even told Tony so. So there's no need for shoulder shrugging here.

Margot already been told Tony is the suspect of murdering her moments before Tony actually get caught. The chief inspector even got her prepared for the the shocking news: "Mrs Wendice, what I'm about to tell you may come as a shock".

[–] ufopium 10 years ago

My thoughts exactly! In fact I came to this message board to check if anybody else thought the ending was weird too.

[–] Zanza8 10 years ago

The inspector was calling the Home Office. He said they were waiting for a call from him, presumably to call off the execution.

http://thinkingoutloud-descartes.blogspot.com/

[–] goldenagefilmstv (178) a year ago

It seems implausible that either Margot or Mark would accept a drink from a man who had just conspired to kill her!

I wouldn't even want to be in the same room with him!