Remakes, Adaptations, and Parodies
One of the classic stage thrillers, it’s been revived many times since 1954, including TV film in 1981 with Angie Dickinson and Christopher Plummer.
In 1958, NBC aired a television film in which Maurice Evans (as Tony), Williams and Dawson repeated their roles from the original Broadway play.
ABC produced a two-hour color version in 1968 featuring Laurence Harvey as Tony, Diane Cilento as Margot and Hugh O’Brian as Max.
A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder is a 1998 remake directed by Andrew Davis in which the characters of Halliday and Swann are combined. The husband (Michael Douglas) both hires and coerces his wife’s lover (played by Viggo Mortensen) into a scheme to kill her (Gwyneth Paltrow).
However, the lover hatches revenge plot against the husband. Things go disastrously wrong for both, bringing in the cold police inspector (David Suchet), whose role is much reduced, as it is Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, the wife, who unravels much of the mystery.
The TV series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” premiered in the US the year after Dial M for Murder was released. The main character in an episode from the series’ first season, “Portrait of Jocelyn,” is named Mark Halliday. In the episode, Halliday’s wife Jocelyn has disappeared years earlier, and at the conclusion, it is revealed that he murdered her.
The episode “The Fifth Stair” of the TV series 77 Sunset Strip recreated Dial M for Murder, with Richard Long portraying Tony Wendice.
The third episode of the 6th season of Frasier is titled “Dial M for Martin”. The plot centers on the title character’s father believing that his younger son is subconsciously trying to kill him when he is beset by mishaps seemingly caused by Frasier’s younger brother, Niles.
In February 2008, Oscar winner Charlize Theron recreated one of the stills from the movie as Margot Mary Wendice for Variety Fair’s The 2008 Hollywood Portfolio: Hitchcock Classics spread.
The season 1 finale of the TV series “Archer” is titled “Dial M for Mother” in reference to the film. In the episode, Sterling Archer is given brain implant, which makes him subconsciously want to kill his mother Malory.
The New Vic Theatre staged a production in its main house in 2017, directed by Peter Leslie Wild, with William Ellis as Tony.
Lesbian Stage Version
In 2022, another stage adaptation of Dial M for Murder written by Jeffrey Hatcher and approved by the Knott estate opened at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Hatcher kept the original setting of 1950s London but changed the character of “Max Halliday” to “Maxine Hadley,” making the affair with Margot a lesbian one.
That and other changes garnered critical praise. The adaptation has enjoyed many productions since its premiere.
