Double Indemnity

Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Thriller, Film Noir
1944

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An insurance man (Fred MacMurray) plans the perfect murder with the help of an unhappy wife (Barbara Stanwyck) to kill her husband and collect the insurance money. However, they soon discover that no crime is truly perfect as they worry their crime will start to unravel.

Review:

Tim: Double Indemnity is one of the best film noirs ever made. It is a tightly wound, suspenseful and intelligent thriller that keeps you interested, engaged, and nervous nearly the entire film. Director Billy Wilder gives us one memorable, impressive movie. The cast is strong, the dialogue works (even though it's incredibly dated by today's standards), and the movie manages to be truly entertaining. This is one of the great movies.

Fred MacMurray was cast against type for this role, but he works very well. He is a bit tall and lanky, almost a little goofy, so at first you wonder if he was really the right choice for the role. However, he delivers in every scene, and fully wins you over. I really enjoyed him in this role. Barbara Stanwyck is quite good as well. She really keeps you guessing throughout the film- is she an innocent women driven to murder by unfortunate circumstances, or is she a conniving, murderous temptress bent on yet another seedy act? I wondered this myself as I went back and forth during the movie. This is credit to Stanwyck's performance. MacMurray and Stanwyck get along fairly well, although they never had the chemistry I expected. This made it a little difficult to believe a normal insurance salesman would turn to murder, but this is a small flaw in the film. Their scenes together are filled with tense drama, a bit of misguided romance, and work on nearly every level. I also want to mention Edward G. Robinson, in an incredibly important supporting role. While MacMurray and Stanwyck help make this movie great, it would not have reached its heights without the performance of Robinson. He is such a fine actor and does terrific work here. I loved him in this role.

The reason why Double Indemnity works so well is because of the direction of Billy Wilder. We have a very interesting story of two individuals intent on pulling off the perfect murder. What makes this work, however, is that the film is incredibly well written (as is, I imagine, the novel upon which it was adapted). The perfect murder unfolds brilliantly, and you have to be impressed with the careful thought and planning that went into it. Obviously, this movie wouldn't have happened with today's DNA testing and other forensic evidence, but it works for the 40s. Wilder has an intelligent source material and is determined to keep that cunning and intellectual qualities in the film. This movie also has some of the most dramatic and suspenseful moments I have ever seen on screen. There were quite a few moments when I was literally biting my nails, waiting breathlessly to see how a scene would unfold. This is a truly thrilling movie.

There were a few things that could have made this movie even better. I felt like the ending was a bit weak. It is not terrible, but I was hoping for a powerful, memorable finish. It sort of fizzles out just a bit. As previously mentioned, I would have liked to see more chemistry between MacMurray and Stanwyck. This might have helped the movie a bit in its day, as it was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, but did not win a single one (this happens to be a crime, as well).

They really don't make movies like Double Indemnity anymore. I really enjoyed this movie, as it held my rapt attention throughout. It is a very entertaining, suspenseful movie that is rightfully considered a classic.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Sunset Boulevard, The Lost Weekend, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep