LoginBilly Wilder had directed some wonderful movies, Some Like it Hot, Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, The Apartment and Witness for the Prosecution are all fantastic. Double Indemnity is up there with his very best. Wilder directs impeccably, but his direction is not the only great thing about Double Indemnity. Everything is great about it, it is a timeless classic and defines the term quintessential film noir.
The cinematography is gorgeous with no rough edges or shaky moments, instead it is all fluid and beautiful, and the costumes, sets and scenery also help. Also superb are Miklos Rozsa's wonderfully atmospheric score, the compelling story which sizzles with romance and sexual tension and the truly crackling screenplay.
The acting also is impressive. Fred MacMurray overplays slightly, but this is one of the cases when overplaying works, because he is still witty and charming as well. Barbara Stanwyck I think is sexy, her character appeals and her dialogue is so good as is her delivery of it, while Edward G.Robinson gives a superb supporting performance.
All in all, a stunning film and one of the very best of the genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Double Indemnity (1944) Reviews
Quintessential film noir
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago on 4 September 2022 10:13
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Double Indemnity (1944) review
Posted : 3 years, 10 months ago on 15 June 2020 09:03
Generally considered the prototypical film noir, establishing many of the genre's codes and conventions, as well as its stylistic form, "Double Indemnity" also promulgated its writer-director Billy Wilder's ascension to greatness, securing his newfound position as one of the Hollywood elite practically overnight. It is a rough diamond: hard-edged, sombre and sly, riveting and suspenseful from the outset and despite its downbeat, cynical streak, laden with mirth, but Hollywood relished this darker content with delight. Wilder tapped into the consciousness of the public, honing in on their innermost desires, anxieties and fantasies before projecting them onto the screen and crafting exceptional quality cinema.
Wilder would retain his forte for well-written dialogue, but here it dazzles and revels in its own hardboiled sharpness. Flirtation, flippancy and deceit drip from the waxy pout of the Machiavellian, surly and brash Barbara Stanwyck, whose bad wig and dangerously seductive anklet compound the film's richly detailed tapestry of shady scams, sleaze and insincerity. Stanwyck's iconic portrayal of Phyllis Dietrichson is the ultimate depiction of the phony femme fatale; Wilder assures us that she lures, corrupts and manipulates the gullible Fred MacMurray's insurance salesman Walter Neff to his downfall, and we witness said duplicity unfold in spectacular fashion. However, it should be noted that Neff's transgressions are not linked to a foul, unscrupulous temptress who takes advantage of his male pliability and weakness when faced with sexual desire, although these traits are to his detriment. Wilder's examination of a law-abiding man's descent into criminality is perversely unconcerned with how unsavoury aspects of his supposedly good nature actually are, especially when one considers that he acquiesces then essentially devises the cunning scheme owing to his knowledge of the titular policy and commits the actual murder. He just doesn't bet on his co-worker becoming his investigator and uncovering all of his heinous actions, and incidentally, that curious relationship, i.e. a platonic love being expressed between two men within an emotional context, is particularly radical for the time period, and goes some way to redeeming the film in terms of obsolescence.
An acidic, intoxicating immersion into the nefarious, nasty world of femme fatales and the innocent men they lead astray, "Double Indemnity" is now synonymous with film noir. Devoid of rain-swept mean streets and a trench-coated detective with cigarette between his lips, the film's chiaroscuro lighting techniques, strange camera angles, all of which were presumably staged to add potency to the grubby aesthetic and pervasive mood, not to mention aid the accuracy of the characterisations, compensate for such deficiencies. Its provocative, venomously delivered lines and harsh, claustrophobic framing of them are deeply incisive, and although it emphasises the higher scale of criminal behaviour, the decayed Los Angeles atmosphere, psychosexual themes, and the tragic hero's doomed voice-over more than meet the criteria of film noir and its classical elements. As an introduction to the genre, there is no better place to start, but if Poverty Row themes and low-rent, gritty B-movies are more your preference, then examine "Detour" to familiarise yourself with even less liberated, progressive and polished noir sensibilities.
Wilder would retain his forte for well-written dialogue, but here it dazzles and revels in its own hardboiled sharpness. Flirtation, flippancy and deceit drip from the waxy pout of the Machiavellian, surly and brash Barbara Stanwyck, whose bad wig and dangerously seductive anklet compound the film's richly detailed tapestry of shady scams, sleaze and insincerity. Stanwyck's iconic portrayal of Phyllis Dietrichson is the ultimate depiction of the phony femme fatale; Wilder assures us that she lures, corrupts and manipulates the gullible Fred MacMurray's insurance salesman Walter Neff to his downfall, and we witness said duplicity unfold in spectacular fashion. However, it should be noted that Neff's transgressions are not linked to a foul, unscrupulous temptress who takes advantage of his male pliability and weakness when faced with sexual desire, although these traits are to his detriment. Wilder's examination of a law-abiding man's descent into criminality is perversely unconcerned with how unsavoury aspects of his supposedly good nature actually are, especially when one considers that he acquiesces then essentially devises the cunning scheme owing to his knowledge of the titular policy and commits the actual murder. He just doesn't bet on his co-worker becoming his investigator and uncovering all of his heinous actions, and incidentally, that curious relationship, i.e. a platonic love being expressed between two men within an emotional context, is particularly radical for the time period, and goes some way to redeeming the film in terms of obsolescence.
An acidic, intoxicating immersion into the nefarious, nasty world of femme fatales and the innocent men they lead astray, "Double Indemnity" is now synonymous with film noir. Devoid of rain-swept mean streets and a trench-coated detective with cigarette between his lips, the film's chiaroscuro lighting techniques, strange camera angles, all of which were presumably staged to add potency to the grubby aesthetic and pervasive mood, not to mention aid the accuracy of the characterisations, compensate for such deficiencies. Its provocative, venomously delivered lines and harsh, claustrophobic framing of them are deeply incisive, and although it emphasises the higher scale of criminal behaviour, the decayed Los Angeles atmosphere, psychosexual themes, and the tragic hero's doomed voice-over more than meet the criteria of film noir and its classical elements. As an introduction to the genre, there is no better place to start, but if Poverty Row themes and low-rent, gritty B-movies are more your preference, then examine "Detour" to familiarise yourself with even less liberated, progressive and polished noir sensibilities.
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A great classic
Posted : 6 years, 9 months ago on 22 July 2017 06:59
Since I'm a massive movie buff, of course, I had to watch this movie at some point. Well, eventually, I wasn't disappointed, that's for sure. Indeed, it was a spellbinding film noir, easily one of the best movies in this genre, and it completely deserved its stellar reputation. What I loved the most was the simple and minimalistic way this story was told. Indeed, most of the movie was just about Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck only together in one room talking with each other and giving us some of the best dialogues ever written for a movie. Nowadays, they would give us some boring climax with some huge action scene and, of course, the usual tedious twist at the end but, here, the whole thing remained focused and sharp from the beginning and until the end. It was like the plan they came up with, it was not so far-fetched at all and it made the whole thing even more spellbinding to behold. I also loved the fact that the main character was not fooled by this girl and at first simply walked away when he found out what she was up to, even if he felt terribly attracted to her. That's another great thing about this movie, the characters were all rather shaddy and you could never be sure what they were actually thinking. Anyway, to conclude, it is a great classic, I loved the damned thing and it is definitely worth a look.
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Flawless Film Making, Baby!
Posted : 9 years, 1 month ago on 27 March 2015 10:50
If there is a keyword I would to describe Double Indemnity, its dialogue. Exposition is a very tricky line to cross; when done poorly is can come off as immensely frustrating but when done right it can be music to the ears, leaving me dying to hear more like I’m watching an engrossing documentary. Throughout Double Indemnity with the use of narration, Fred MacMurray will explain what’s clearly appearing in the frame but as nobody does narration quite like Billy Wilder. Instead of making Double Indemnity coming of as a movie which feels the need to dumb down and explain everything to the viewer, this expositional narration comes off a poetry, enhancing any scene in the film. Even with hearing noir dialogue parodied countless times, it doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the movie.
I’ve generally never thought much of Fred MacMurray as an actor; he strikes me as serviceable but never an enigmatic screen presence. His role as Walter Neff in Double Indemnity is the one major exception in his career. This casting against type may be my favourite one hit wonder performance ever; his uttering of the words “Baby” and “Hello Keyes” never gets old. When I first watched Double Indemnity I assumed MacMurray must have been an icon of film noir, turns out he was anything but. Barbara Stanwyck was a sexual siren in a number of her films, I’m not aware of what Stanwyck’s ideological or moral beliefs where but a number of her films are some of most sexually suggestive old Hollywood films I’ve seen. There is her pre-code work such as Baby Face but in the post code era she appeared in the code breakers Ball of Fire, The Lady Eve and yes, Double Indemnity. In her introduction scene as Phyllis Dietrichson she is dressed in a titillating manner with her legs crossed while wearing a skirt, almost expecting her to pull off a Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. Culminating this trio of actors at some of their greatest work is Edward G. Robinson as Barton Keyes, the claims expert. When watching his performance I don’t feel like I’m watching someone playing a claims expert, I feel like I’m watching an actual claims expert. Double Indemnity offers an intriguing insight into the profession of the insurance salesman but like being a lawyer, I’m sure this is one job which Hollywood makes out to be more exciting than it actually is.
Like a number of films in the noir genre, the ending is revealed at the beginning of the movie, leaving me not wanting to know how the film ends but rather how the story and characters got to that point and boy, am I dying to know. For an example of one of the film’s suspenseful scenes, take the moment in which Phyllis arrives at Walter’s apartment to discover Keyes is also there. All within a single frame Phyllis is hiding behind the door with Walter trying to prop it open and Keyes in the background. When Keyes walks towards the door and there is a bump in the music score, it’s moments like these which get the blood rushing, yet they look so deceptively simple.
Why do Phyllis and Walter agree that honking a car horn three times a signal when that would easily draw attention? When a plot hole or nonsensical moment (Or Barbara Stanwyck’s wig) doesn’t bother me in the slightest, it’s a testament to how great a movie is: not affecting the movie’s heart racing, tearing the leather of the sofa’s arm rest levels of suspense from start to finish. Why are so many people dismissive of old movies? Because they are corny and cheesy? Few other movies pose such an aurora of cool as Double Indemnity, baby!
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Perfect film noir...
Posted : 15 years, 8 months ago on 29 August 2008 07:02
I killed Dietrichson - me, Walter Neff, insurance salesman, 35 years old, unmarried, no visible scars...until a while ago, that is.
Yes, I killed him. I killed him for money and for a woman.
I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?"
Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity has always been regarded as the archetypal film noir. If someone was to ask you what the term "film noir" meant, the simplest answer would be to show them Billy Wilder's 1944 masterpiece. If any movie could perfectly define a genre, it would be Double Indemnity. While some consider The Maltese Falcon as the first of the genre in cinematic history, some critics feel that the first real film noir was Wilder's 1944 film. All the crucial constituents we tend to associate with film noir are present: dangerous dames, robust but ultimately malleable men, expressionistic lighting and mood, as well as an incisive and darkly witty script. Double Indemnity also embodies the fundamental skeletal plot outline for a noir: an everyman falling under the spell of a calculating siren and is thrust into a world of sex, shadows, and crime.
Wilder joined forces with the equally inimitable Raymond Chandler to adapt James M. Cain's novel, and they ultimately produced one of cinema's greatest achievements. Wilder and Chandler indeed hated each other quite passionately, however they tolerated each other for long enough to script this amazing film. Together they flesh out characters so memorable, and dialogue so lethal. It's a film of indomitable cynicism and misanthropic acquiescence; the depiction of a world ostensibly unaffected by global war, but uniformly as degenerate and murderous as anything saturating the sands of Europe. Not only is Double Indemnity the ultimate - and greatest - film noir, but additionally it's absolutely perfect from the opening frame to the last.
This cinematic masterpiece is a study of deception, mendacity, self-indulgence, murder, and sex. If you like your film noirs deep, provocative, riveting and engrossing, then it's impossible to go further than these 105 minutes. How perfect are we talking, I hear you ask? To the point that I genuinely forget I was watching a movie. I became irretrievably immersed in the stylish black & white photography and the killer screenplay.
The film commences with an enigmatic, unforgettable opening image: a silhouette of a man on crutches walking towards the foreground as the credits spill onto the screen. From there, we meet insurance salesman Walter Neff (MacMurray) who wanders into the office late at night with a gunshot wound. Neff is arriving at the office this late at night to record a long confession for friend and colleague Barton Keyes (Robinson). Then the film is told in flashback, hence we're aware that there has been lust, murder and betrayal. Double Indemnity is not a "whodunit" crime film...it's a mesmerising "whydunit" film noir. This technique is innovative, and ultimately more effective. We know the conclusion of the story, but how do we reach this conclusion? It's this thought-provoking mystery that skilfully keeps an audience powerfully engaged.
The crux of Double Indemnity is then revealed: Neff heads to an affluent mansion to visit a client with the intention of renewing his insurance policy. This visit leads him to a fateful meeting with the beautiful Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck). Phyllis appears to Neff at the top of the mansion's staircase (an emblematic position of power), wrapped in a towel. At that point she instantly has him...hook, line and sinker. From there, the scheming Phyllis seduces Neff into secretly setting up a life insurance policy for her husband (Powers). The two plan to murder Phyllis' husband and collect the insurance money. Furthermore, they plan to murder the man under peculiar circumstances that would facilitate double indemnity. Neff uses his expert knowledge of his business to conceive a foolproof plan to execute the murder and get away with it.
Billy Wilder is the master of great stories, and Raymond Chandler is the master of gab. People may remember Raymond Chandler penning stories such as The Big Sleep that were transplanted onto the screen. Howard Hawks helmed this particular adaptation. However, The Big Sleep was so convoluted and complicated. At one stage Hawks asked Chandler who had murdered a minor character...Chandler responded with "I don't know!" Yet, despite his reasonably weak stories, the dialogue he brings to the table is perfect word for word, sentence for sentence.
In the case of Double Indemnity, it was Wilder controlling the story and the proceedings while Chandler handled the dialogue. The screenplay is consequently perfect. The snappy banter between Neff and Phyllis in particular is highly memorable.
Neff: "How fast was I going, officer?"
Phyllis: "I'd say around ninety."
It's difficult for modern ears to become accustomed to the poetry of noir dialogue which has suffered severe parodying over the years. Once one has adapted, the effect is intoxicating. The film illustrates a world of dames and saps, sedition and sex. As some have observed, James M. Cain's original novella was perceived as daring (if not crude). Wilder was accordingly compelled to tread cautiously to avoid censorship. As it is, Walter Neff's fixation with Phyllis' anklet offers the film a fetishistic characteristic, and the atmosphere is constantly somewhat sordid.
Director Billy Wilder managed the production with great perception of every nuance. Wilder and his cinematographer constructed the ideal noir look: contrast of light and dark in every scene, as well as shadows and bars of light leaking through Venetian blinds.
Double Indemnity crackles with authentic hardboiled dialogue and sharp-tongued narration of such a standard that it could only have been conceived by James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler.
The entire cast gleefully spit out Chandler's words with great conviction. At the time Fred MacMurray was considered a highly unusual choice for the role of Walter Neff. Someone such as Humphrey Bogart would have been the usual go-to guy for such a job, yet Wilder changed his mind about the character and settled for an actor more clean-cut. MacMurray plays a fast-talking, snappy, intelligent character. He really shines in the role and it's impossible to consider any other actor as the crucial protagonist. This statement is further solidified by viewing the 1973 made-for-television remake with Richard Crenna (yes, that guy from First Blood) filling MacMurray's shoes.
By the 1940s, Barbara Stanwyck was the highest paid actress in the world. Stanwyck had already done melodramas and screwball comedies before really displaying her range as Phyllis Dietrichson. Like many others, she of course was a tad hesitant to accept the part until Wilder laid down the challenge..."Are you an actress or a mouse?" Needless to say, Stanwyck was an actress and anything but mousy.
Edward G. Robinson became famous for his gangster roles, such as his performance in Key Largo. Here, Robinson is a pseudo-father figure to MacMurray's Neff. Robinson's character fulfils the job of sniffing out faux insurance claims. Unfortunately for him, his only blind spot is Neff. When Robinson smells something fishy about the murder at hand, Neff would be the last person he'd suspect. The chemistry between the leads is sizzling.
Following the release of Double Indemnity, renowned director Alfred Hitchcock took out an ad to praise Wilder's accomplishment, saying, "The two most important words in Hollywood are 'Billy Wilder'." It's easy to see why, and there's also weighty Hitchcock inspiration painted on Wilder's approach to the film. For example, there's that moment of extreme tension when Phyllis can't get her car started, as well as the effective, succinct conclusion that leaves the audience in hushed suspense.
Double Indemnity is an undisputed masterpiece from an undisputed master of cinema. Personally, the film quickly reached a high position on my list of favourite movies. It's a superlative film noir that single-handedly defined an entire genre.
In one of the biggest Oscar blunders, Wilder's masterpiece was nominated for several Academy Awards but didn't receive any. Instead the forgettable claptrap known as Going My Way earned Best Picture. I guess everyone occasionally makes mistakes.
10/10
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DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Posted : 15 years, 9 months ago on 20 July 2008 06:09
"Double Indemnity" is yet another Billy Wilder classic and has a strong position in my "Top Ten" films list!! Told mostly in flashback the film holds your attention throughout with its crackling dialogue, impeccable acting from the principals and a plot full of suspense. The screenplay was written by Wilder (and Raymond Chandler) from the book by James M. Cain who also wrote "The Postman Always Rings Twice". It is amazing to realise that it was released as long ago as 1944 but the film still stands up well today and hasn't really dated at all. It was a complete change of pace for Fred MacMurray who had to be persuaded by Wilder to do the film. Both George Raft and Brian Donlevy were considered before MacMurray. Raft was interested but wanted to change his character into an FBI agent so of course Wilder couldn't go along with that and Raft lost the opportunity of being in a classic film! Dick Powell was desperate to secure the leading role in this film after he had read an advance copy of the script but he was under contract to RKO and they refused to loan him out to Paramount so he was unlucky. Edward G. Robinson as insurance investigator Barton Keyes was absolutely brilliant and dominated every scene he was in. Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson was breathtaking and this was without doubt one of her best roles ever. "Double Indemnity" had a particularly strong supporting cast including Porter Hall, Richard Gaines, Tom Powers, Jean Heather, Byron Barr and Fortunio Bonanova. Trivia note: Some reviews have listed Gig Young as being in the film but that is not correct. Young's real name was Byron Barr (another actor who was in the film) so that is probably how the error occurred. "Double Indemnity" was remade in 1973 as a TV movie in colour with Richard Crenna, Lee J. Cobb and Samantha Eggar but this doesn't come close to the Wilder version. Wilder originally filmed a different ending where Walter Neff goes to the gas chamber but this was never used.
Favourite lines:
Fred MacMurray (in dictaphone message to Edward G. Robinson): "Walter Neff. Insurance salesman, 35 years old, unmarried, no visible scars - until a while ago that is".
Fred MacMurray (in same dictaphone message): "I killed him for money and for a woman. And I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?"
Barbara Stanwyck (to MacMurray): "There's a speed limit in this state Mr Neff, 45 miles an hour".
MacMurray (to Stanwyck): "I think you're swell - as long as I'm not your husband!".
Edward G. Robinson (to Richard Gaines): "No soap Mr. Norton - we're sunk and we'll have to pay through the nose, and you know it!".
Robinson (to MacMurray): "You'll never even make the elevator!".
Favourite lines:
Fred MacMurray (in dictaphone message to Edward G. Robinson): "Walter Neff. Insurance salesman, 35 years old, unmarried, no visible scars - until a while ago that is".
Fred MacMurray (in same dictaphone message): "I killed him for money and for a woman. And I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?"
Barbara Stanwyck (to MacMurray): "There's a speed limit in this state Mr Neff, 45 miles an hour".
MacMurray (to Stanwyck): "I think you're swell - as long as I'm not your husband!".
Edward G. Robinson (to Richard Gaines): "No soap Mr. Norton - we're sunk and we'll have to pay through the nose, and you know it!".
Robinson (to MacMurray): "You'll never even make the elevator!".
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