Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:51

Perfect Murder, A






A PERFECT MURDER

US, 1998, 108 minutes, Colour.
Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen, David Suchet, Sarita Choudhury, Constance Towers.
Directed by Andrew Davis.

A Perfect Murder is based on Frederick Knott’s celebrated play, Dial M for Murder. First filmed (in 3-D) with Grace Kelly and Ray Milland in 1954 by Hitchcock, it was remade in the early 1980s with Angie Dickinson and Christopher Plummer.

This version is brought up to date – and several twists are made on the plot (by Patrick Smith Kelly, screenwriter who also wrote the Michael Douglas film, Don’t Say a Word).

The basic plot is the same: a rich man married to a glamorous woman is angry at her infidelity and plans to murder her. However, the complications in this film are that the wealthy husband has been playing the market and is in dire financial straits, employs the lover to do the murder, finding that he is a criminal and can be bought. He plans the perfect murder (but is taped by the lover) who also hires someone else to do the actual killing, surprising the mastermind. Many of the other clues from the earlier play and film are incorporated into this scenario.

Michael Douglas is perfect as the rich husband. Gwyneth Paltrow is convincing as the trophy wife who rebels against her controlling husband but is repentant, and is dismayed when she is attacked in her home and kills the assassin in self-defence. Viggo Mortensen is sufficiently sleazy as the lover. While John Williams was very entertaining as the sardonic inspector, David Suchet is very good as the enigmatic detective who investigates the case (with a touch of reference to Islam and religion).

The film was directed by Andrew Davis, better known for action films with Steven Seagal (Niko) as well as taut thrillers like The Package. He also directed Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive.

1. Dial M for Murder as a classic? Audience familiarity with the basic plot? Its being updated here? The twists on the original?

2. The affluent New York setting, the lavish apartment, the office buildings, the old warehouse and artist’s loft, country estates? The streets of New York? Atmosphere? Context for the crime? The musical score?

3. The title, Steven Taylor and his wanting to plan the perfect murder? Confident that nothing could go wrong? The variety of things that did go wrong – underestimating David Shaw, underestimating his wife’s strength, underestimating who was to do the crime, the issue of the key and his trying to cover his having made the key available?

4. The set-up, the opening, Emily and her relationship with David? The photos? Audience judgment of them? Emily and her relationship with Steven, she being the trophy wife, his control, even to what dress she wore? Going to the social functions? The discovery of the affair, Steven using it? Meeting with David at the charity function? The set-up for meeting him? Emily indicating no knowledge of phone numbers? The set-up – and the twist that Steven would employ David?

5. Steven Taylor, Michael Douglas’s screen presence? Seeing him in his business work, his speculations, underlings? His relationship with Emily, dictating to her? Public figure? Meeting David? The phone call, his arrival, looking at his artwork, admiring it? His revelation that he knew the truth? His documentation about David’s criminal record? His bargaining with him about the crime? The meeting to plan it, the irony of its being taped? The perfect plan?

6. Emily, the relationship with David, her wanting to break it? Her trying to tell Steven? The night of the planned murder?

7. Emily at home, the phone call, Steven at the card game and his listening to what happened? Diverting the call through his office? The assassin, masked, the attack, the fight, Emily and her stabbing the assassin? Steven’s arrival home, having to adapt, the issue of the key in the pocket of the assassin? The police, the questions, his treading in the blood? His shock that it was not David?

8. Emily, the aftermath, going to stay with her mother, telling her that she wanted to leave her husband? The background of Emily’s work, translations, her friendship with Raquel and being with her? The discussions?

9. The police investigation, Steven not under suspicion? The role of the detective? His personality and style? His assistants?

10. David and his confronting Steven, the money, wanting more? The blackmail with the tape?

11. Emily, all Steven’s explanations satisfying her? Her wanting to apologise? His quick thinking, adapting, the smooth action with her, covering?

12. The bank, explaining the situation to Emily, her discussions with the detective, his explanation that Steven was not under suspicion?

13. Emily, the puzzle about the key, discussions with Steven, his explanations?

14. The meeting with David, carrying the money, the exchange, the tape? The irony of the money not being in the bag? The irony of Steven getting the phone call about David’s travel? David on the train, Steven appearing and killing him? The return home, the issue of the key, Emily saying she was going out, his going to recover the key – and the irony that the assassin put the key back? Emily trapping Steven? The confrontation, the fight, her shooting him?

15. The end, Emily and self-defence, the greeting from the detective?

16. A satisfying murder mystery? Updating of Dial M for Murder – with more complex variations on the theme?

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