Natey & Katy: At the Movies
Natey & Katy are two friends who love movies and love talking about them. Join them on their cinematic journey!
Natey & Katy: At the Movies
Devious Schemes and Graceful Icons
Ever caught yourself grappling with the moral ambiguities of a well-tailored murder plot? This week on "Natey and Katy: At the Movies," we unravel the devious schemes of Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder." Katy can hardly contain her excitement about her upcoming Scottish adventure, while Natey reminisces about the glitz and glam of post-4th of July fireworks. As we dissect the gripping tale of a former tennis star orchestrating his wife's murder, Katy discovers a newfound admiration for the timeless beauty and talent of Grace Kelly. We dive into Kelly's illustrious career and personal life, reflecting on how her elegance contrasts with today's Hollywood icons.
Join us as we celebrate the intricate psychological warfare at play in "Dial M for Murder," spotlighting the tension-filled relationship between the villainous husband and his hired hitman. We delve into the historical significance of this 1950s classic, one of the first to be filmed in 3D, sharing intriguing behind-the-scenes trivia that will leave any Hitchcock fan eager for more. Transitioning smoothly, we critique the ending of "Murder on the Orient Express" and build anticipation for our next cinematic exploration: the film noir masterpiece "Chinatown." Whether you're a fan of classic cinema or a mystery enthusiast, this episode promises a rich tapestry of insights and lively discussions.
Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new episode of Nadie and Katie at the Movies. I'm your host, nathan aka Nadie, of course, and with me on today's episode is my good friend Katie. Hi Katie, how are you?
Speaker 2:I'm doing so great, I think, while we're recording this, I have not gone to Scotland yet, but I think, well, if you're listening to this, I've already been to Scotland, is that right? I think, well, if you're listening to this, I've already been to Scotland, is that right? I'm going to Scotland for a wedding for my cousin. We're going to go to the Highlands, which will be really fun. So that's exciting. Are you going anywhere? I know?
Speaker 1:you just got back from vacation? Yeah, by the time this episode drops, we've already celebrated 4th of July. People are still doing fireworks two days later, so that's fun.
Speaker 2:Listen, this is a podcast about movies, so nothing you know no politics, but tell me what you feel about fireworks.
Speaker 1:I mean, are we done with fireworks Like I've got a lot of friends that have been. We're very anti-firework this year. I like fireworks, but we live in a state that I believe unless you have, like a permit, the in the air fireworks are illegal, and so usually the fireworks that we do are, like you know, the ones that are on the ground and are like two seconds long, but you try to make them, make the most of them, even though they're not that big of a deal maybe that's why because I live in a state that they have like huge mega fire, like people drive across the board to get fireworks, so if we sat on our porch and we could just see like all kinds of neighbors just shooting them up at the end.
Speaker 1:I mean don't get me wrong. I mean don't get me wrong, people still do them. They're just not supposed to.
Speaker 2:They're just not supposed to. Anyways, other things you're not supposed to do is you're not supposed to murder people, and that is the premise of the movie watched that was a good segue.
Speaker 1:That was really nice. Yes, we're talking about dial m for murder, one of alfred hitchcock's most classic movies, so before we can talk about it we have to go over the synopsis. A former tennis star arranges the murder of his adulterous wife. Dial in for Murder stars Ray Milland, grace Kelly, robert Cummings and John Williams. We've already reviewed one Alfred H Clarke movie earlier in this season with Rebecca, so I believe this is the second Alfred H Clarke movie in our list of 250 movies of all time with Dial In for Murder. Katie, have you ever seen this movie before?
Speaker 2:I think maybe I've heard of it before but had never seen it, didn't recognize any like quotes or scenes or anything from it. Also because you know you're the one that knows more about movies than me and I'm coming in blind. But I'd actually never. I didn't even know what grace kelly looked like. I know she was like a complete icon of her time. Now that I've like researched it and she truly is like beautiful and I thought she did a great job acting.
Speaker 2:But the only reference I had to know who grace kelly was was like an old mad TV skit. Do you remember that movie theater skit where that guy's like hitting on a girl and he's like I like the back of your head, it looks ridiculous. He's like trying to get her number. Anyways, it's a random kind of went viral mad TV skit and the guy just keeps calling the white girl Grace Kelly. I went and researched her. I didn't realize she was a princess she. I went and researched her. I didn't realize she was a princess. She like married the Prince of Monaco and she's a movie star and then Mary's a Prince, so that's a cool life. And then she died in a horrible car accident at age 50.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's really sad.
Speaker 2:Anyway, all that, this is about Grace Kelly.
Speaker 1:She is one of the, like you said, one of the iconic actresses of that time. My sisters and I were talking I think it was me and my sisters were talking about how, you know, back in those times you had those beautiful actors and actresses and nowadays everyone just looks like normal people Like you don't have those stunning actresses anymore, like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn and and all those you know, iconic, beautiful people. Now you just have people are getting plastic surgery all the time and all this stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1:Natural beauty in Hollywood.
Speaker 2:She totally had the like you're saying. Like I was, I went on a deep dive and was looking at her Oscars. Look, I think that was the reference from Mad TV was because she had this famous beautiful updo that she wore to the Oscars that everyone liked. So that was the reference on Mad TV. But, yeah, you're right, and I don't know if it's also that we have more female actors. There may just have been less female actors, so we all just knew them more, like the few that there were.
Speaker 2:Like you knew, if a romance movie was coming out, it was gonna have Audrey Hepburn in it, whereas maybe today we have like way more options. But anyway, the whole thing was not just about her, but she did an incredible job. Like she was not just beautiful, she actually acted well and it was fun watching her transition. I mean, the movie starts off with her like kissing her boy, like kissing her guy on the side, not her husband, so it starts off with a bang. You're like whoa, I'm watching a makeout scene, like one minute in the movie. I don't know, but you grow to definitely feel bad for it because yeah, sure, she cheated but doesn't deserve to die. Is this going to be a spoiler episode doesn't deserve to die. Is this going to be a spoiler episode Cause we do need to talk about who who gets murdered, how they get murdered, I feel like, or do we want to keep that a secret?
Speaker 1:I mean, this movie has been around long enough. I guess we could talk about it. It's kind of hard, I mean. Or we could just stick strictly to what we liked and didn't like and then don't even talk about the plot of the well, I liked it.
Speaker 2:It's a twist, I I will say, compared to the rebecca right. That's my only other hitchcock movie I've ever watched, that movie. I spent the whole movie just kind of like I wonder what it's gonna be. I wonder what's gonna be, like I'm very bought in and like I want to know how all the pieces are gonna tie together. And I remember feeling like at the end it was just, oh, like the lady we all thought was mean and bad was mean and bad and destroyed everything. That doesn't feel like. I wanted it to be more of a twist. It wasn't really a twist, this was better, like it actually did. There was a few times I thought I'd figured it out and I I was still surprised at the end.
Speaker 1:So I really appreciate that I like how it doesn't give you all the answers right out, like if you're in the audience. It is one of those movies where you're like okay, I think I know what happened. Okay, I, I think I know how this is going to turn out, but you don't, because they don't tell you everything that happened. Like there's some things that happen off camera that the audience doesn't see, but it plays a big part in what happens later in the movie, and that's what I yeah, like you said, that's what I appreciated about that. It didn't just hand you everything out, that, oh, okay, well, obviously this guy's going to get caught because he totally just said everything he's going to do. But no, that's not how he gets caught.
Speaker 2:I mean it's, it's really, it's really good.
Speaker 2:So the boyfriend writes crime novels? I think so, like from the onset of the movie. When you first hear that this man's gonna hire to like he's gonna hire someone to kill his wife, I was like duh. The boyfriend figures it out and like, and that maybe, you know, the husband doesn't realize that the boyfriend is a crime novel person. And so I was like that is like a duh. I was like movie figured out, boom. But he doesn't. I mean, he sort of humorously does solve the murder, but not actually. He's almost saying it like a joke. So yeah, that really fooled me.
Speaker 2:There's also a detective that gets involved and wants to figure out. You know who done it and I think that they did a good job with the detective. You're, you're not really sure if he actually is catching on or not. Um, and he fools you all. Then did you get confused by the end? I mean it definitely, it was a little confusing. It starts getting and it all has to do with one of these. I can't't show it or I can't say it. It's a big spoiler.
Speaker 1:You mean the key that you just held up in front of my face? Yeah, no, but I agree there was a moment at the end where they kind of all figured it out. I'm like, but wait, when did he do that? But again it goes back to things that happen off screen and things that you don't think about, Like, oh, of course everybody has one of those things that Katie held in front of my face and didn't want me to tell the listeners what she was doing.
Speaker 1:So of course of course that would make sense, it was going on, but yeah, I just thought it was a really well done alfred hitchcock movie. To me this is like iconic alfred hitchcock, with the twists, the acting grace kelly. Grace kelly was in a lot, uh, well, maybe not a lot. I think she's in at least two other alfred hitchcock movies rear window and another one I can't think of. But he, he liked to use some of the same people because I think he trusted them to know what they're doing. Like, I think Jimmy Stewart was at least maybe two, maybe three of Alfred Hitchcock movies as well, and so he knew who he wanted and he knew who he could trust, and so that's why he put certain people in his films, and I think he, he just knew what he was doing and this movie just proves that right there. So was there anything about this movie that maybe you didn't like? Hmm?
Speaker 2:Gosh, I don't know. I really do think I liked it a lot. I wanted some. Maybe no, I guess I don't. I know I liked the ending. Now that I think about it, I don't think I have any edits for this movie. Obviously I like funny movies, but it kept me entertained the whole time and, like I said, it wasn't completely predictable and I really appreciate that. I was a little nervous that it would be. Some things were. This is very minor, but the person that murders someone gets like immediately put on death row, like they're going to get hung, and I was like. That feels like even let's like okay again, I'm not going to say who it was, but like you get hung when you like murder lots of people or murder a child or something I don't know. Just felt like from 0 to 100, this person is going to get hung and it's supposed to be taking place in what like the 60s or something. That was weird, but I guess they had to make it.
Speaker 1:you know a big deal like this person is about to get hung well, and also, I guess, because of who this person is, and I can't I mean, I we don't want to get into who we're talking about, but I think it's because they just didn't believe this person, and I'm just gonna say it, because this person is a woman, they're like let's just kill her because they just didn't believe it back then.
Speaker 2:Here's the thing yes, whatever, it's ridiculous, that was weird. No, I don't have a ton of negatives, maybe that small one. Another thing I really liked was, specifically there's a scene where the husband so he hires a hitman and that's who he's going to have murder his wife, and I loved the like psychological kind of game he was playing with this man. He sort of had him by the cojones at one point where you know this guy's like I'm not going to murder your wife and he's like actually you are, because I've got all this dirt on you and you pretty much have to. And he was a good villain.
Speaker 2:I thought he did a great job being a villain and being very sophisticated, smart villain, and so you love watching him fail in the end and lose, and I really liked the ending. Like I said, he just kind of calmly realizes like yep, I, I got caught. Is he going to get? See, here's the thing Now. Would he get hung? No, because it's kind of his, it's kind of his fault that the person that died dies, and on top of that he tried to murder his wife. That's like a double whammy I don't know.
Speaker 1:I mean, he is a man in the 60s so he could get away with it. Okay, that's fair. But anyway, that's fair. But a little fun fact alfred hitchcock originally wanted carrie grant to play the role of the husband, but carrie grant did not want to play a villain, and so this guy was like yes, please. Also another little fun fact this is one of the first films, I believe, to be filmed in 3d, and the reason, I know that is number one, I read about it. And number two I remember seeing the iconic part in this movie where the wife is being choked and she's reaching out her hand, and when you see it in 3D, it looks like she's reaching out to the audience for help, and so, yeah, but I don't think Alvin Hitchcock liked doing the movie in 3D, which is why it was also released in 2D, 2d.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's kind of a bummer we didn't get to see it in its original like in the 3D. But yeah, I saw that as well when I was first looking at the movie. That it was. That was very trendy cool new thing was 3D at the time. Yeah, movie, but it was. That was very trendy cool new thing was 3d at the time. Yeah, count me out for the scary movies today with 3d not interested and I think that's another thing.
Speaker 2:I don't know enough to say this is good or bad, but obviously it's not extremely violent. Like person gets stabbed in the back with scissors, they would not die. Maybe that's another critique. They would not die once scissors. They like got scissors stuck in the back one time, even no matter how deep it went. I mean the person died immediately. That is like I'm sure if Scott was watching with me he would just be rolling his eyes Like sure You're going to die. Let's say it pierced your heart, let's say it pierced your lungs, like you you long. It's like you're not gonna immediately die in the way that it did.
Speaker 2:But I don't know, for that time period was that actually very violent? Because, like you know, you don't see any blood and I'm sure it was a little scandals. If you're talking about the time period this was in, like watching a woman get choked, I mean it was, I don't know. It seemed pretty violent. It's just hard to watch looking back at from our time period because it's like not even that violent at all compared to what we see now there's probably a little bit of a oh my gosh, she just stabbed him with scissors.
Speaker 1:That's gotta hurt. Oh wait, he's dead. But I think it's because it wasn't just the scissors going in at first. It was like what you said when he fell on his back, you saw, you saw the scissors go all the way in and that's, he was out, he was done and you don't know, it could have it, could. She could have been really good at hitting a specific artery in the back, severing the spine, just doing some really big damage that we just don't know anything about listen.
Speaker 2:Like I said, we said we won't ask Scott. We already know his opinion on that. But yeah, it's a good movie. Dial M for Murder Go watch it. Hopefully we haven't spoiled too much. I mean, you can probably assume right, Like even if you're still listening and you wanted to watch, of course Grace Kelly's not going to die. She's like incredible actor. You can't let her die in your movie. You wouldn't put like Chris Hemsworth in your movie and then have him killed off. No, you wouldn't have Anne Hathaway or Natalie Portman get killed off, no way.
Speaker 1:Or Sean Bean, oh wait, no, he dies in almost everything.
Speaker 2:Alright. Well, let's rate this puppy. What would you give Pal M for Murder out of our six stars?
Speaker 1:I'm probably going to give it probably a 5.5. What? Me too, For the same person.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh did we just become best friends again? Yes, and again. Maybe it's maybe. I wasn't like obsessed with the movie I just can't think of many things wrong and I did enjoy it. I wouldn't like obsessed with the movie, I just can't think of many things wrong and and I did enjoy it. I wouldn't put it like it's the coolest movie I've ever seen, but 5.5 for sure, and it reminds me of those ones I really have been liking lately the um murder on the Orient express. Like I love, a good murder mystery Cause it's not extremely violent.
Speaker 1:I hated the way that ended, though.
Speaker 2:I hated the ending of that movie. Oh yeah, but that kind of movie, you know like I, I'm down for a mystery. I feel like it's never extremely scary, extremely violent, but it keeps your mind going, so I like that ah.
Speaker 1:So if you like mystery, then you're gonna love what we're gonna talk about next week. So let's give our listeners a little ear peek of what that's going to be. Yes, huh, no, okay, they lose their noses. Next time you lose the whole thing, cut it off and feed it to my goldfish. Understand, understand, I understand. Understand. We're talking about Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. It is a film noir, mystery film. So, katie, it might be right up your alley, I don't know, we'll see.
Speaker 2:That's exciting. I know I'll have to watch that on the plane from Scotland that I've already come back from. That'll be fun. Was there a quote, a poll quote you had from this movie?
Speaker 1:Guilty, guilty, she's guilty.
