DOUBLE FEATURE SPOTLIGHT: DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954) and REAR WINDOW (1954)

GRACE KELLY'S performance in HIGH NOON(1952), caught the interest of director Alfred Hitchcock, who, with the help of Edith Head, transformed Grace Kelly, into his idea of a elegant, beautiful blond. She gave Hitchcock wonderful performances in DIAL M FOR MURDER(1954), REAR WINDOW(1954), and TO CATCH A THIEF(1955).

DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954), begins as Margot (Grace Kelly) discusses with the other man in her life, Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), that she had changed her mind about divorcing her husband. And is convinced, that her husband still cares for her and wants a fresh start in her marriage. She also informs him about a blackmailer who stole a letter that Mark wrote to her, but never picked up the money. When Tony (Ray Milland), comes home, he announces that he has unexpected business to take care of and has to change their evening plans. But insists that Mark and Margot to go on without him. After they leave,Tony makes a call to Lesgate, who has a car for sale. They make plans to meet at Tony's apartment. Tony informs him and that he is aware of illegal activities, in which he is involved and blackmails Lesgate, into agreeing to do the killing.Tony warns Lesgate that going to the police would only backfire.

Lesgate, is to watch the apartment and when Margot goes into the bedroom, he is to enter using Margot's house key.. At the agreed time, Tony will call, and when Margot answers, Lesgate, is to strangle her. When he has finished, Lesgate is to whistle into the phone and hang up. He is to leave the garden window open and put the key under the stairway.

Before Tony and Mark leave for the club, Tony gets the key from Margot's handbag and requests her to stay behind to clip articles for his scrapbook. At the club,Tony leaves the table, saying he must call his boss, but calls home. During this time Lesgate has unlocked the apartment door and put the key under the stairway, he waits inside the apartment. When Margot goes to answer the phone, Lesgate tries to strangle her, but things don't go as planned. Tony, on the other end of the phone line, has to quickly come up with a new plan. He talks into the phone and Margot, hearing his voice, tells him what happened. Later, when the police start to investigate they find all evidence points to Margot letting Lesgate in and killing him because he was blackmailing her. What is to happen to Margot?

Hitchcock arranged to have Grace Kelly dressed in bright colors at the start of the film and made them progressively darker as time goes on.

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THE REAR WINDOW (1954)
Jeff (Jimmy Stewart), a professional news photographer, stuck in a wheelchair with a broken leg from an accident while on assignment. Spends his hot summer days watching his neighbors through the REAR WINDOW of his New York apartment. Dreaming up names for his new friends, like Miss Torso, the ballerina and Miss Lonely Heart, the old maid. One neighbor in particular, seems to have peaked Jeff's interest. A traveling salesman and his bed ridden, nagging wife, who lives in a apartment across the courtyard.

Everyday like clock work, Stella (Thelma Ritter) , his nurse, drops by to prepare his meals and to make his bed. She disapproves of his spying on his neighbors and encourages him to marry Lisa(Grace Kelly). Jeff, insists that Lisa is too "perfect", for his adventurous lifestyle.

In the middle of the night, Jeff hears a woman scream and glass break, but sees nothing outside. Jeff believes that he is a witness to the murder of Mrs Thorwald. Over the next few days they watch Thorwald's, suspicious behavior. Jeff comes up with a plan to write him an anonymous note, asking... "What have you done with her?" Lisa slips the note under his door. What is Thorwald's next move ?

The romance between war photographer Robert Capa and actress Ingrid Bergman is believed to be Hitchcock's inspiration for the movie, REAR WINDOW..