IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING (1949)

Twelve years before college professor Fred MacMurray accidentally invents Flubber (and helps the basketball team) in THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR, college professor Ray Milland accidentally invents a nameless formula that's repelled by wood and helps himself become a baseball star.

Milland is a poor professor who wants to get some money together so he can marry a sexy student that's 21-years younger than him. The answer to his problem comes in the form of a baseball through the window of his laboratory. It crashes into his big experiment and Milland discovers that the liquid mess it leaves behind strongly repels wood. Instead of analyzing and patenting this new formula and then selling it for a ton of money, he secretly runs away and joins a major league baseball team! While he's out on the road winning games nonstop, his girlfriend is so worried about him she starts to believe that he's joined a gang of jewelry store thieves!

A strong suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy this film properly. First off, why does he just disappear? If he's intending on marrying this young woman then he should at least be honest with her. Secondly, how the hell does the fact that an unknown 44-year-old man can just walk off the street, join a major league team and then proceed to strike out everybody not garner more attention? Thirdly, why don't the officials get involved. I would think some guy striking out every batter he ever faces would be suspicious. And finally why doesn't he guard his secret formula more safely? He leaves it laying around everywhere. Just out in the open for any moron to mess with.

I liked IHES, but I wish it had either taken itself more seriously or just gone the full slapstick route. As it is it's a mildly interesting watch, but I can't see myself ever wanting to watch it ever again.

DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954)

Not to be confused with Dial M for Fuck You, this film is about grumpy husband Ray Milland who has had about enough of his wife, Grace Kelly.  He's found out that she's cheating on him and suddenly that Last Will and Testament where she left all of her considerable wealth to him is starting to look pretty good!  He's not in a rush though, oh no, he's taken months to plan out the perfect murder and tonight while he's out at a dinner party with plenty of witnesses around, his wife is going to be murdered at their home.  But if you know anything about Hitchcock you know there's going to be a twist or two or maybe not.

From what I've read, Hitchcock only did this film due to a contractual obligation, but I believe (I have zero proof of this) that Hitch was partially interested in turning the play into a film because nearly the entire movie takes place on a single set and he wanted to maybe use the experience as practice for his massive single set masterpiece he would make later that same year: REAR WINDOW. Don't quote me on that, it's just me thinking out loud.

Anyway, DMFM is a good film. It's nothing groundbreaking (even though some of the camerawork is very impressive), but it's good for a one time watch. One thing I did notice that impressed me was Grace Kelly's dresses change colour as the film progressed and her situation became more dire. The first five screenshots below show the progression. At first she is happy and her dress is crimson red, then a darker red, then white, gray and finally black.

Not the greatest Hitchcock film, but still a solid one that deserves to be seen.