Murder Will Out
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. This week, our three films are simply killer. So are the wine pairings that go with them.
From the title, we can assume that 1965’s How to Murder Your Wife is a black comedy. We can also assume that the title probably read a lot funnier in 1965 than it does today.
Jack Lemmon and Virna Lisi star. He’s an avowed bachelor and she’s the person he winds up marrying during a drunken evening. The couple are introduced when she jumps out of a cake at a bachelor party. Talk about a meet-cute. Yes, kids. That’s how grammy and pop-pop met before there was Tinder.
With cake in mind, let’s pair this film with a nice Cakebread Cellars Grenache. It pairs well with this movie, and it could pair well with a wedding cake. Unless, of course, it’s a cake that someone is hiding in until everyone is drunk.
https://www.cakebread.com/reds/
Now it’s dark. Murder By Contract is a 1958 film noir which has held a lot more sway than its initial reception would suggest. Martin Scorsese has hailed the movie as an influence on his style of filmmaking. Vince Edwards stars as a hit man who carries no gun, has no conscience, and takes a little too much pride in his work.
He routinely kills men at the request of his bosses – guys with names like Mr. Brink and Mr. Moon. However, he experiences angst when an important witness in a big case is targeted, and it turns out she’s a woman. Nah, he’s not the hit man with a heart o’ gold. He simply thinks women are too unpredictable to make good targets. He thinks they’re trouble. He finds out that in his case, they are.
San Diego County’s Cheval Winery has their Bullet Cabernet Franc on offer for $77. It could be an offer you will refuse at your own peril.
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Alfred Hitchcock was always pouring drinks down the throats of his characters. The director used alcohol as medicine in many of his films, particularly as a cure for the nervousness his suspenseful storylines caused. If a character survived a near-death experience with a homicidal maniac, a vehicle, or some birds, the next thing heard was likely to be “Here – have some brandy.”
In Dial M For Murder Hitch really put drinking on a pedestal. Ray Milland must have had Lost Weekend flashbacks during the filming of this 1954 classic. He suggested drinks to everyone except the key grip, and that offer may have ended up on the cutting room floor.
Thanks to Milland’s character, Grace Kelly and Bob Cummings are always drinking. “Have a drink!” “Let’s meet for a drink!” “Sell the ticket and have a drink on the proceeds!” “She’s a filthy cook. Let’s have a drink!” “Dahling, you framed me for a murder??” “Yes, dear. How about that drink now?”
By the way, have you ever been bothered by the key-in-the-handbag thing? Grace Kelly had just one key? Really? Having just one key represents a rather uncomplicated life. It’s hard to imagine a one-key person getting involved in this sort of intrigue.
Further, Milland just reaches into Kelly’s handbag and pops the key right out. What else was in there, just a pack of gum? Have any of our gentlemen readers ever tried to find something in a lady’s purse? How quickly did you give up?
Another sidebar: The depiction of the rotary phone and its creepy analog workings take on an almost steampunk quality in today’s digital atmosphere.
With all that off my chest, let’s fire up the movie machine and have a drink! “Won’t you join me?” “I’m afraid it’s too early for me.” “What’s the harm in just one?” “Well, alright…”
Since brandy seemed to be Hitchcock’s favorite drink, at least in the movies, let’s pair this elixir with Dial M. Most brandy is distilled from grapes, so it’s sort of a half wine. Remy Martin VSOP Cognac is made from primarily Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes. I see it selling online for anywhere from $25 to $80, much more if it comes in a fancy bottle.
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=690022