This essay compares and contrasts two films, “Dial M for Murder” and its remake “A Perfect Murder” in order to analyse how these films depict the main female characters Margo and Emily. The paper especially focuses on the remake’s intention to present a modern version of women or wives, by looking at the changes in characters, settings and the use of phone as a medium.
Firstly, “A Perfect Murder” makes several changes to the original characters in an attempt to revise the traditional gender roles. Although Margo from “Dial M for Murder” and Emily from “A Perfect Murder” are apparently similar in that they are both beautiful and wealthy blondes, Emily is portrayed as with more of a brain in the beginning of the film. Working as an aid at the United Nation, Emily represents a socially empowered woman showing off her expertise and satisfaction with career. In contrast to Margo who is a socialist supportive to Tony, Emily appears independent with her own job and more freedom at first. However, as the story goes forward, the film reveals different sides of Emily. For example, in a scene where she obediently accepts Steven’s advice to wear a red dress instead of a black one, audience can clearly recognize that she is far from the passionate Emily seen in the opening love scene or in the later office scene. With Steven following her into the closet and the images of doors repeatedly passing the screen, Emily keeps distance from Steven but cannot be totally free from him. Moreover,