"Is this the man she was waiting for... or the man who was waiting for her?"
Dial M for Murder - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Do you really believe in the perfect murder?
— Margot Mary Wendice
Context:
Spoken early in the film during a conversation between Margot, Tony, and Mark Halliday. Mark, a fiction writer, is explaining how he devises his plots by putting himself in the criminal's shoes. Margot's question is posed to him, setting the stage for Tony's real-life attempt to achieve what Mark only writes about.
Meaning:
This line serves as the film's central philosophical question and a piece of dramatic irony. Margot asks it innocently, discussing her lover's crime novels, completely unaware that her husband is, at that very moment, plotting her own "perfect murder." It foreshadows the entire plot and highlights the theme of fiction versus reality.
They talk about flat-footed policemen. May the saints protect us from the gifted amateur.
— Chief Inspector Hubbard
Context:
Hubbard says this to Mark later in the film, after Mark has passionately laid out his theory of Tony's guilt. While Mark's instincts are correct, his approach is based on narrative logic, which Hubbard humorously dismisses in favor of his own police procedure.
Meaning:
This quote is a dryly witty expression of Hubbard's professional frustration. It's directed at Mark Halliday, the "gifted amateur" detective who is trying to solve the case with theories from his novels. The line underscores the difference between fictional crime-solving and the methodical, evidence-based work of a real detective. It also subtly reveals Hubbard's own sharp intelligence beneath his unassuming exterior.
In stories, things usually turn out the way the author wants them to. In real life, they don't... always.
— Mark Halliday
Context:
Said during the initial conversation about the "perfect murder." After Margot asks if he believes in it, Mark replies that he does, but only on paper. He explains that he doubts he could carry one out himself because real life has too many variables, unlike a story where the author is in complete control.
Meaning:
This line is deeply ironic and serves as the film's thesis statement. Mark, a writer, explains the difference between the controllable world of fiction and the unpredictable nature of reality. He is unknowingly predicting the failure of Tony's perfectly 'authored' murder plot, which will be derailed by the chaotic, unscripted elements of real life.