Only Murders In The Inbox's Spotlight on Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco

The Iconic Princess Who Lit Up The Screen

Grace Kelly, 1953

Few women could ever capture an audience like Grace Kelly. She was mysterious, fashionable and iconic. She enthralled viewers with the way she glided across the screen, adding sparks to scenes and sometimes upstaging her leading man. She secured an Oscar win in her twenties and became one of the most prominent actresses in film during the 1950s. Offscreen, people in Hollywood knew how funny she could be, and how she loved to pull pranks on her co-stars. She was a dedicated actress who loved working and threw herself into her roles. However, through pressure from her elite and influential family, she eventually sacrificed her film career to become a princess.

Today, November 12th, is her birthday, so in honor of the Princess of Monaco’s legacy, we’re talking about the way she helped shape modern murder mysteries.

Kelly’s contribution to the murder mystery genre was through her collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock on two classic crime staples that set the standard of storytelling for years to come.

Rear Window

Rear Window is not only regarded by many to be one of the best in the mystery genre, but is also a favorite among cinephiles. Rear Window went on to influence numerous producers and writers in television and film, including the hit series Only Murders In The Building. The voyeuristic element of witnessing a crime, with suspicions raised and clues mounting, appealed to mystery lovers and a mainstream audience as well.

Hitchcock, rumored in the entertainment industry for being sexist and a tad too handsy, might’ve had a premature end to his career if he’d been a director in 2023 instead of 1954. And so perhaps he didn’t have the best intentions when he cast gorgeous Grace Kelly as the female lead in Rear Window. He might have also assumed she’d only serve as window dressing opposite the talented Jimmy Stewart. However, her onscreen chemistry and rapport with Stewart became a critical part of the film’s success.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Dial M for Murder

Grace Kelly’s other contribution to the mystery genre was also from 1954. This film was based on a popular British play by Frederick Knott, and even starred the same Inspector Hubbard (John Williams — the actor, not the composer) who won a Tony in 1953 for his role on Broadway.

Hitchcock wanted Cary Grant to play the lead opposite Kelly, but Warner Bros. wasn’t having it. They felt Grant was only made for good guy roles and wouldn’t work as a villain, so Hitchcock went with Ray Milland as Tony Wendice. The role of Mark Halliday was filled by Robert Cummings, who later turned to comedic roles after his stint with Hitchcock.

In Dial M For Murder, Kelly plays an innocent naïveté, unaware of the sinister plot circling around her. Kelly delivers a more subdued performance here compared to Rear Window, mainly at the direction of Hitchcock. It’s a classic murder mystery that’s great as a double feature with Rear Window.

After You Watch: Check out the documentary with rare Kelly family footage, and an interview with Jimmy Stewart about Grace Kelly on set titled Grace: The American Princess. It’s available on Kanopy through your local library.

Song of the Day — “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell