list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Double Indemnity on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Double_Indemnity/9600/default.aspx Title: Double Indemnity
Year: 1944
Director: Billy Wilder
Plot: Directed by Billy Wilder and adapted from a James M. Cain novel by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, Double Indemnity represents the high-water mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and Expressionist lighting of modern cities. Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) seduces insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) into murdering her husband to collect his accident policy. The murder goes as planned, but after the couple's passion cools, each becomes suspicious of the other's motives. The plan is further complicated when Neff's boss Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), a brilliant insurance investigator, takes over the investigation. Told in flashbacks from Neff's perspective, the film moves with ruthless determinism as each character meets what seems to be a preordained fate. Movie veterans Stanwyck, MacMurray, and Robinson give some of their best performances, and Wilder's cynical sensibility finds a perfect match in the story's unsentimental perspective, heightened by John Seitz's hard-edged cinematography. Double Indemnity ranks with the classics of mainstream Hollywood movie-making. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 107
Number of Lists: 65
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:31:06 GMTDouble Indemnity1944Billy WilderDirected by <a href="/players/P___116768/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Billy Wilder</a> and adapted from a James M. Cain novel by Wilder and <a href="/players/P____84666/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Raymond Chandler</a>, Double Indemnity represents the high-water mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and Expressionist lighting of modern cities. Phyllis Dietrichson (<a href="/players/P____67643/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Barbara Stanwyck</a>) seduces insurance agent Walter Neff (<a href="/players/P____44291/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fred MacMurray</a>) into murdering her husband to collect his accident policy. The murder goes as planned, but after the couple's passion cools, each becomes suspicious of the other's motives. The plan is further complicated when Neff's boss Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), a brilliant insurance investigator, takes over the investigation. Told in flashbacks from Neff's perspective, the film moves with ruthless determinism as each character meets what seems to be a preordained fate. Movie veterans Stanwyck, MacMurray, and Robinson give some of their best performances, and Wilder's cynical sensibility finds a perfect match in the story's unsentimental perspective, heightened by <a href="/players/P___111419/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>John Seitz</a>'s hard-edged cinematography. Double Indemnity ranks with the classics of mainstream Hollywood movie-making. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide107Tag Target (>10)65934http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t80838p35wd.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Double_Indemnity/9600/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/6/26/42826.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 6/26/2009 4:13:50 PM
Body: Double Indemnity This blog is referring to the 1973 TV movie which is remake of the 1944 original classic film. That's right, this is not even a stab at a new adaptation of the novel, which would already be questionable since such a great version already exists. This is actually a restaging of the exact original Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler penned screenplay adaptation. This is available on the second DVD included in the DVD release for the original film. And it is the ONLY thing on that second DVD. Why it was included I have no idea. I rented it through Netflix because it listed it as a "bonus features" disc. The only reason I could imagine someone would want to watch this is for some sick curiosity. Lee J. Cobb is the only decent thing here, but even that pales in comparison to the original Edward G. Robinson interpretation of the role. I think watching this movie so shortly after seeing the original makes it look even worse. Would I have appreciated it more if I didn't have the original film so fresh in my mind to compare it to? I'm not sure, but I can't imagine anyone would argue that it would benefit from comparison, which is pretty much impossible to do. And who is this Samantha Eggar? And why are her eyes ten miles apart? Yeah Barbara Stanwyk is kind of funny looking too, but she could actually act. Rating: 3/10
]]>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:13:50 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog6/26/2009 4:13:50 PMDouble Indemnity This blog is referring to the 1973 TV movie which is remake of the 1944 original classic film. That's right, this is not even a stab at a new adaptation of the novel, which would already be questionable since such a great version already exists. This is actually a restaging of the exact original Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler penned screenplay adaptation. This is available on the second DVD included in the DVD release for the original film. And it is the ONLY thing on that second DVD. Why it was included I have no idea. I rented it through Netflix because it listed it as a "bonus features" disc. The only reason I could imagine someone would want to watch this is for some sick curiosity. Lee J. Cobb is the only decent thing here, but even that pales in comparison to the original Edward G. Robinson interpretation of the role. I think watching this movie so shortly after seeing the original makes it look even worse. Would I have appreciated it more if I didn't have the original film so fresh in my mind to compare it to? I'm not sure, but I can't imagine anyone would argue that it would benefit from comparison, which is pretty much impossible to do. And who is this Samantha Eggar? And why are her eyes ten miles apart? Yeah Barbara Stanwyk is kind of funny looking too, but she could actually act. Rating: 3/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/6/24/42793.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 6/24/2009 2:24:18 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my "movie recommendation site suggestions". Read more about that here. Double Indemnity Working in the insurance field, I don't see many movies that focus on the area of my profession. In fact I can't think of a single movie other than this one. Some films may mention insurance matters briefly, but this is the only one I can think of that is so central to the plot. They sure do make it seem interesting though. At least Edward G. Robinson's character Barton Keyes seems almost like an adventurous detective (or maybe you are all thinking I'm crazy). Then again, I don't work in claims so maybe it really is like that. Although there were many films before this film that have been labled as film-noir a lot of people, including many who speak on the special features of this DVD, maintain that this should be considered the first true film-noir. The stark black and white cinematography, the femme fatale, the degenerate characters being sucked into a world of crime. The prototypes for these features of many subsequent film-noirs were solidified here. Yet the film also features so many aspects that are so different from many subsequent film-noirs as well. The characters are a lot more wholesome. Fred MacMurray never gets more amoral than he does in his Billy Wilder films, but it still pales in comparison to many of the more well known noir characters like Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe and Mike Hammer. Screenwriters Wilder and Chandler actually made a lot of changes from the original James M. Cain story for improvement to the screen and in general. The DVD features a wealth of information on the whole process and the people involved including two audio commentaries. I wouldn't bother watching the second DVD in the set though. I'll say why in a later blog. Like a lot of fim-noirs, there are a few things that just don't make sense or are too unbelievable when you go back over the plot in your head. But like all of the good film-noirs, you aren't too bothered by it while you are actually watching the movie because everything else is just too good. Rating: 9/10
]]>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:24:18 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog6/24/2009 2:24:18 PMThis blog entry is part of my "movie recommendation site suggestions". Read more about that here. Double Indemnity Working in the insurance field, I don't see many movies that focus on the area of my profession. In fact I can't think of a single movie other than this one. Some films may mention insurance matters briefly, but this is the only one I can think of that is so central to the plot. They sure do make it seem interesting though. At least Edward G. Robinson's character Barton Keyes seems almost like an adventurous detective (or maybe you are all thinking I'm crazy). Then again, I don't work in claims so maybe it really is like that. Although there were many films before this film that have been labled as film-noir a lot of people, including many who speak on the special features of this DVD, maintain that this should be considered the first true film-noir. The stark black and white cinematography, the femme fatale, the degenerate characters being sucked into a world of crime. The prototypes for these features of many subsequent film-noirs were solidified here. Yet the film also features so many aspects that are so different from many subsequent film-noirs as well. The characters are a lot more wholesome. Fred MacMurray never gets more amoral than he does in his Billy Wilder films, but it still pales in comparison to many of the more well known noir characters like Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe and Mike Hammer. Screenwriters Wilder and Chandler actually made a lot of changes from the original James M. Cain story for improvement to the screen and in general. The DVD features a wealth of information on the whole process and the people involved including two audio commentaries. I wouldn't bother watching the second DVD in the set though. I'll say why in a later blog. Like a lot of fim-noirs, there are a few things that just don't make sense or are too unbelievable when you go back over the plot in your head. But like all of the good film-noirs, you aren't too bothered by it while you are actually watching the movie because everything else is just too good. Rating: 9/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_May_4_Express_Yourself/625/42028/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 5/4/2009 10:05:53 PM
Body: Yet another theme that I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'd like to talk this week about expressionistic film. I think maybe we should try to define it first. I'm probably not the best person for this, I think you could pretty accurately call expressionism an art movement, started in Germany in the early 20th century in which reality (the world) is distorted in order to reflect emotion..... Still with me? Its pretty easy to understand once examples are used so let's start that. As I said earlier, this art form was started in Germany so naturally, early German films are great examples. Think of the buildings and backdrops of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis. In the former, the buildings were all standing twisted and sideways to display a chaotic and unnerving feel. While in the ladder, the city was very much larger than life and completely oppressive. Later, many German directors like Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang moved to the states and continued their expressionistic style in the film noir vein with films like Double Indemnity and The Big Heat respectively. Film noir is really defined as an expressionistic film movement as a whole. Filmmakers used smoke and fog in the shots to lend more of an unsettling and suspicious feel to the films. ** from Double Indemnity - notice venetian blind shadow give the "behind bars" look ** Director Tim Burton has somewhat rehashed and revamped expressionism in modern films. His sets for Gotham in Batman and Batman Returns are throwbacks to the earlier looks of the German films. Edward Scissorhands' costume and set are both very exaggerated in their look to add a stark contrast to the character backdrop relationship. There is one more film I'd like to mention that fits this catagory to a T. But, I will wait until later in the hopes that someone else mentions it first. I will only say that its a film that came out within the past 15 years and its an obvious homage to one of the early German films. I really would like to see someone else mention it before I do. So there you have it. I absolutely love this theme and I hope I've given y'all something at least to think about.
]]>Tue, 05 May 2009 02:05:53 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme5/4/2009 10:05:53 PMYet another theme that I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'd like to talk this week about expressionistic film. I think maybe we should try to define it first. I'm probably not the best person for this, I think you could pretty accurately call expressionism an art movement, started in Germany in the early 20th century in which reality (the world) is distorted in order to reflect emotion..... Still with me? Its pretty easy to understand once examples are used so let's start that. As I said earlier, this art form was started in Germany so naturally, early German films are great examples. Think of the buildings and backdrops of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis. In the former, the buildings were all standing twisted and sideways to display a chaotic and unnerving feel. While in the ladder, the city was very much larger than life and completely oppressive. Later, many German directors like Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang moved to the states and continued their expressionistic style in the film noir vein with films like Double Indemnity and The Big Heat respectively. Film noir is really defined as an expressionistic film movement as a whole. Filmmakers used smoke and fog in the shots to lend more of an unsettling and suspicious feel to the films. ** from Double Indemnity - notice venetian blind shadow give the "behind bars" look ** Director Tim Burton has somewhat rehashed and revamped expressionism in modern films. His sets for Gotham in Batman and Batman Returns are throwbacks to the earlier looks of the German films. Edward Scissorhands' costume and set are both very exaggerated in their look to add a stark contrast to the character backdrop relationship. There is one more film I'd like to mention that fits this catagory to a T. But, I will wait until later in the hopes that someone else mentions it first. I will only say that its a film that came out within the past 15 years and its an obvious homage to one of the early German films. I really would like to see someone else mention it before I do. So there you have it. I absolutely love this theme and I hope I've given y'all something at least to think about. http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/4/22/41693.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 4/22/2009 4:37:00 PM
Body: I rate movies on so many different websites that offer movie recommendations based on those ratings that I figured it's time to actually start watching a lot of the top recommended movies. Three of the main sites I get recommendations from are Movielens, Filmaffinity, and Netflix. Below is a list of films that I will be watching based on what these websites predict my ratings would be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sholay - NF 5/5Andaz Apna Apna - NF 5/5Double Indemnity - NF 4.9/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.3/10Monster in a Box - NF 4.8/5, ML 4.5/5Otona no miru ehon - Umarete wa mita keredo (I Was Born, But...) - NF 4.6/5, FA 9.3/10La Ronde - NF 4.6, FA 9.3Kumonosu jô (Throne of Blood) - NF 4.9/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Seppuku (Harakiri) - NF 4.5/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.6/10Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away) - NF 4.8/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans - NF 5/5, ML 4/5, FA 9.4/10La Strada - NF 4.4/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.4/10Sanshô dayû (Sansho the Bailiff) - NF 4.6/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9/10The Set-Up - NF 4.4/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.3/10The Hustler - NF 4.6/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Dzien swira (Day of the Wacko) - NF 5/5, ML 4/5L'armée des ombres (Army of Shadows) - NF 4.5/5, ML 4.5/5Le trou - NF 4.4/5, FA 9.2/10
]]>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:37:00 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog4/22/2009 4:37:00 PMI rate movies on so many different websites that offer movie recommendations based on those ratings that I figured it's time to actually start watching a lot of the top recommended movies. Three of the main sites I get recommendations from are Movielens, Filmaffinity, and Netflix. Below is a list of films that I will be watching based on what these websites predict my ratings would be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sholay - NF 5/5Andaz Apna Apna - NF 5/5Double Indemnity - NF 4.9/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.3/10Monster in a Box - NF 4.8/5, ML 4.5/5Otona no miru ehon - Umarete wa mita keredo (I Was Born, But...) - NF 4.6/5, FA 9.3/10La Ronde - NF 4.6, FA 9.3Kumonosu j&ocirc; (Throne of Blood) - NF 4.9/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Seppuku (Harakiri) - NF 4.5/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.6/10Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away) - NF 4.8/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans - NF 5/5, ML 4/5, FA 9.4/10La Strada - NF 4.4/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.4/10Sansh&ocirc; day&ucirc; (Sansho the Bailiff) - NF 4.6/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9/10The Set-Up - NF 4.4/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 9.3/10The Hustler - NF 4.6/5, ML 4.5/5, FA 8.9/10Dzien swira (Day of the Wacko) - NF 5/5, ML 4/5L'arm&eacute;e des ombres (Army of Shadows) - NF 4.5/5, ML 4.5/5Le trou - NF 4.4/5, FA 9.2/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/12/9/38145.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 12/9/2008 5:22:02 PM
Body: What's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Double Indemnity is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#38)100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies (#24)100 Years...100 Passions (#84)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (Phyllis Dietrichson is the #8 villain)The Revised Top 100 (#29) I watched Double Indemnity instantly on Netflix. I had never seen the film before, though I'd heard of it. I hadn't heard much about it, though. It's notable enough to be on lots of lists, but I'd never actually read much about it or had conversations about the film with anyone who'd seen it. Isn't that funny? I guess in a way, having so little information about this film made me enjoy it that much more because, I gotta say, I loved this movie! What a gem. It climbed up 9 spots on the Revised greatest list, and I think quite deservingly. This is certainly the best film noir I've personally seen and one of the most entertaining movies I've encountered in a while. Billy Wilder both directed and penned the script, and I personally feel like this is one of his best and a much better film than both Some Like It Hot and Sunset Boulevard, but I'll get to that in a minute. Femme fatale and seductress Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) tempts clever but weak insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) into murdering her husband in order to collect on his accident insurance, which contains a double indemnity clause (which provides for double the payment in the event of rare accidents like, say, falling out of a train). Walter plans the perfect crime, but things start to go awry when his boss, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), begins to suspect a scam as he takes charge of the investigation. What's more, the act of murder and the ensuing cover-up seems to cool Walter and Phyllis' lusty jets to the point that each suspects the other's motives. Since this is film noir, the story is told almost entirely in flashback as Walter confesses his actions into Keyes' dictaphone. What a film! This is a smart and sexy little thriller that was as naughty as it was nice. Though the film was, as all films were at the time, restricted to the Hayes Production Code (which limited racy scenes, for example), Wilder and company really pushed the limits of what could be construed as acceptable Hayes material. The sexual tension between Walter and Phyllis was so hot, it was on fire, and there were some implications of consummated extramarital activities, not to mention Walter's unseemly fixation on Phyllis' anklet! They might not have talked as real people talk, trading quick but sardonic barbs in a ping pong way, but in the fantasy of this crime drama, it was hugely entertaining. The dialogue was whip-smart, and the story, based on a novel, was intricate and satisfying in just about every way. In fact, I can't think of a time I've had more fun watching a film noir at all. As the All Movie Guide and others have suggested, MacMurray and Stanwyck gave the performances of their careers. Stanwyck walked a fine line between cold and calculating and bewitchingly psychotic while a maintaining a unique sort of snake-charmer beauty. MacMurray - now keep in mind that this is My Three Sons and Shaggy Dog Fred MacMurray - infused the weak, easily-seduced male archetype of this noir story with a sort of strength that made Walter endearing, even when he was so willing to break Mr. Dietrichson's neck and devise all of the twisted details of the scheme himself. The two mixed together were an electric combination of fire and ice - even when they were suspicious and wary of each other - and all of these ingredients kept me interested from the first to the final moment. Edward G. Robinson was also good. I've mostly seen him in villain roles, so it was neat to see him as a funny and interesting supporting character who turned out to be some of the antagonistic force of the plot. He was just a joy to watch as was some of the typical yet groundbreaking cinematography, adding to the noir formula but creatively playing with shadow and light to both foreshadow and remind the viewer of details seen and events to come. My favorite scene was somewhere in the first third, when Walter was waxing on about the plan to off her husband, and Phyllis stood in a lit doorway, her face and front completely overshadowed by darkness. The line that came to my mind was actually one uttered by Mammy in Gone with the Wind - "ooh, she's sitting there just like a spider!" The film is not quite a masterpiece. The ending, as with some of these other older films, seemed too neat, too convenient, and too rushed (but for Walter's clever last lines) after the climactic events as well as being somewhat predictable. Also, other elements, such as the score, seemed kind of run-of-the-mill - nothing bad but nothing notable. Still, as I mentioned, I found this film far more entertaining and thrilling than Sunset Boulevard (which I figure earned points for being so bitingly satirical) and was far funnier than Some Like It Hot, Wilder's previous entries on the Original greatest list. I think it should be ranked higher than both but am gratified to see that it was the rare film that went up on the Revised list. I also think its placement and entry on the other lists couldn't be more appropriate. My heart pounded, and went pitter-patter with the smoldering sexual tension, and Phyllis Dietrichson was certainly an evil little vixen (even if she has a moment or two where that notion is cast into doubt). Double Indemnity is a great film, worthy of all of these rankings, and has a catchy title, and I'm inclined to rate it a 9 for being perfectly entertaining. Also, I think this film passes the test. I would watch this again, even a few times more. It made me laugh and kept me interested the entire film, and I actually had to watch the film in two parts because my internet connection died three quarters of the way into the film (you can't imagine how mad I was when I had to wait to find out how it ended!). Needless to say, I recommend Double Indemnity highly. It's two hours well spent and worth twice what it pays out!
]]>Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:22:02 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts12/9/2008 5:22:02 PMWhat's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx Double Indemnity is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#38)100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies (#24)100 Years...100 Passions (#84)100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (Phyllis Dietrichson is the #8 villain)The Revised Top 100 (#29) I watched Double Indemnity instantly on Netflix. I had never seen the film before, though I'd heard of it. I hadn't heard much about it, though. It's notable enough to be on lots of lists, but I'd never actually read much about it or had conversations about the film with anyone who'd seen it. Isn't that funny? I guess in a way, having so little information about this film made me enjoy it that much more because, I gotta say, I loved this movie! What a gem. It climbed up 9 spots on the Revised greatest list, and I think quite deservingly. This is certainly the best film noir I've personally seen and one of the most entertaining movies I've encountered in a while. Billy Wilder both directed and penned the script, and I personally feel like this is one of his best and a much better film than both Some Like It Hot and Sunset Boulevard, but I'll get to that in a minute. Femme fatale and seductress Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) tempts clever but weak insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) into murdering her husband in order to collect on his accident insurance, which contains a double indemnity clause (which provides for double the payment in the event of rare accidents like, say, falling out of a train). Walter plans the perfect crime, but things start to go awry when his boss, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), begins to suspect a scam as he takes charge of the investigation. What's more, the act of murder and the ensuing cover-up seems to cool Walter and Phyllis' lusty jets to the point that each suspects the other's motives. Since this is film noir, the story is told almost entirely in flashback as Walter confesses his actions into Keyes' dictaphone. What a film! This is a smart and sexy little thriller that was as naughty as it was nice. Though the film was, as all films were at the time, restricted to the Hayes Production Code (which limited racy scenes, for example), Wilder and company really pushed the limits of what could be construed as acceptable Hayes material. The sexual tension between Walter and Phyllis was so hot, it was on fire, and there were some implications of consummated extramarital activities, not to mention Walter's unseemly fixation on Phyllis' anklet! They might not have talked as real people talk, trading quick but sardonic barbs in a ping pong way, but in the fantasy of this crime drama, it was hugely entertaining. The dialogue was whip-smart, and the story, based on a novel, was intricate and satisfying in just about every way. In fact, I can't think of a time I've had more fun watching a film noir at all. As the All Movie Guide and others have suggested, MacMurray and Stanwyck gave the performances of their careers. Stanwyck walked a fine line between cold and calculating and bewitchingly psychotic while a maintaining a unique sort of snake-charmer beauty. MacMurray - now keep in mind that this is My Three Sons and Shaggy Dog Fred MacMurray - infused the weak, easily-seduced male archetype of this noir story with a sort of strength that made Walter endearing, even when he was so willing to break Mr. Dietrichson's neck and devise all of the twisted details of the scheme himself. The two mixed together were an electric combination of fire and ice - even when they were suspicious and wary of each other - and all of these ingredients kept me interested from the first to the final moment. Edward G. Robinson was also good. I've mostly seen him in villain roles, so it was neat to see him as a funny and interesting supporting character who turned out to be some of the antagonistic force of the plot. He was just a joy to watch as was some of the typical yet groundbreaking cinematography, adding to the noir formula but creatively playing with shadow and light to both foreshadow and remind the viewer of details seen and events to come. My favorite scene was somewhere in the first third, when Walter was waxing on about the plan to off her husband, and Phyllis stood in a lit doorway, her face and front completely overshadowed by darkness. The line that came to my mind was actually one uttered by Mammy in Gone with the Wind - "ooh, she's sitting there just like a spider!" The film is not quite a masterpiece. The ending, as with some of these other older films, seemed too neat, too convenient, and too rushed (but for Walter's clever last lines) after the climactic events as well as being somewhat predictable. Also, other elements, such as the score, seemed kind of run-of-the-mill - nothing bad but nothing notable. Still, as I mentioned, I found this film far more entertaining and thrilling than Sunset Boulevard (which I figure earned points for being so bitingly satirical) and was far funnier than Some Like It Hot, Wilder's previous entries on the Original greatest list. I think it should be ranked higher than both but am gratified to see that it was the rare film that went up on the Revised list. I also think its placement and entry on the other lists couldn't be more appropriate. My heart pounded, and went pitter-patter with the smoldering sexual tension, and Phyllis Dietrichson was certainly an evil little vixen (even if she has a moment or two where that notion is cast into doubt). Double Indemnity is a great film, worthy of all of these rankings, and has a catchy title, and I'm inclined to rate it a 9 for being perfectly entertaining. Also, I think this film passes the test. I would watch this again, even a few times more. It made me laugh and kept me interested the entire film, and I actually had to watch the film in two parts because my internet connection died three quarters of the way into the film (you can't imagine how mad I was when I had to wait to find out how it ended!). Needless to say, I recommend Double Indemnity highly. It's two hours well spent and worth twice what it pays out! http://www.spout.com/blogs/unclefestering/archive/2008/5/8/28385.aspx Post By: unclefestering
Post To: unclefestering Blog
Post Date: 5/8/2008 8:43:02 PM
Body: If you listen to the Filmspotting podcast you are familiar with their marathons. One of their recent marathons was on the Film Noir classics. After watching some great movies like Double Indemnity (1944) and the The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and some much lesser Noir films like Gun Crazy (1949) , I was burned out on the style for a while, but I was inspired to see The Big Sleep. I waited a couple weeks for my batteries to recharge and am I ever glad I did. In many films that star real life couples, the characters they play often seem like burned out versions of themselves. Not here. Bogart and Bacall are simmering in every scene together. The bodies pile up as William Faulkner's screenplay tries to make sense of Raymond Chandler's macguffins and red herrings, but in the end it is all good. We get the ending we want.
]]>Fri, 09 May 2008 00:43:02 GMTunclefesteringunclefestering Blog5/8/2008 8:43:02 PMIf you listen to the Filmspotting podcast you are familiar with their marathons. One of their recent marathons was on the Film Noir classics. After watching some great movies like Double Indemnity (1944) and the The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and some much lesser Noir films like Gun Crazy (1949) , I was burned out on the style for a while, but I was inspired to see The Big Sleep. I waited a couple weeks for my batteries to recharge and am I ever glad I did. In many films that star real life couples, the characters they play often seem like burned out versions of themselves. Not here. Bogart and Bacall are simmering in every scene together. The bodies pile up as William Faulkner's screenplay tries to make sense of Raymond Chandler's macguffins and red herrings, but in the end it is all good. We get the ending we want. http://www.spout.com/blogs/dickbuist/archive/2008/3/17/26313.aspx Post By: dickbuist
Post To: dickbuist Blog
Post Date: 3/17/2008 10:50:42 AM
Body: Great lines!
]]>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:50:42 GMTdickbuistdickbuist Blog3/17/2008 10:50:42 AMGreat lines! http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Actresses_in_Classic_Film_Noir/190/9119/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Jymkata
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 5/21/2007 6:34:35 PM
Body: Wow, great topic, since the women really make film noir sexy and mysterious 1. I loooove Gloria Grahame in everything so I guess I have to cheat and say that I would put three of her noir performances in a tie- tough and sexy Debby Marsh in The Big Heat, scheming Irene Neves in Sudden Fear, and complicated Laurel Grey in In a Lonely Place2. I think Joan Crawford gets a bad rap because of her personal life, but I think she makes every movie she's in better. I'm going to cheat again and list two favorites, as Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear and as the indomitable Mildred Pierce3. I agree with you Jim that Jane Greer's entrance in Out of the Past is one of the most memorable, maybe only rivaled by Lana Turner's in The Postman Always Rings Twice. Jane's performance makes that movie all the more mysterious and menacing. 4. Gene Tierney is a great noir actress as well. She is the haunting prescence in one of my all-time favs., Laura and she's great in the noirs Whirlpool and Where The Sidewalk Ends as well as the noirish Leave her to Heaven, 5. If you are talking about single performances it would be hard to beat the portrayal of a vicious femme fatale that Ann Savage gives in Detour. You don't root for Vera and she isn't glamorous, but she catches Tom Neal in her web and leads him to his destruction. Maybe Peggy Cummings in Gun Crazy comes close. Lauren Bacall in Dark Passage and Key Largo, Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire, Joan Bennett in Woman in the Window, and Barbra Stanwyck in Double Indemnity are my alternates.
]]>Mon, 21 May 2007 22:34:35 GMTJymkataTop 55/21/2007 6:34:35 PMWow, great topic, since the women really make film noir sexy and mysterious 1. I loooove Gloria Grahame in everything so I guess I have to cheat and say that I would put three of her noir performances in a tie- tough and sexy Debby Marsh in The Big Heat, scheming Irene Neves in Sudden Fear, and complicated Laurel Grey in In a Lonely Place2. I think Joan Crawford gets a bad rap because of her personal life, but I think she makes every movie she&#39;s in better. I&#39;m going to cheat again and list two favorites, as Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear and as the indomitable Mildred Pierce3. I agree with you Jim that Jane Greer&#39;s entrance in Out of the Past is one of the most memorable, maybe only rivaled by Lana Turner&#39;s in The Postman Always Rings Twice. Jane&#39;s performance makes that movie all the more mysterious and menacing. 4. Gene Tierney is a great noir actress as well. She is the haunting prescence in one of my all-time favs., Laura and she&#39;s great in the noirs Whirlpool and Where The Sidewalk Ends as well as the noirish Leave her to Heaven, 5. If you are talking about single performances it would be hard to beat the portrayal of a vicious femme fatale that Ann Savage gives in Detour. You don&#39;t root for Vera and she isn&#39;t glamorous, but she catches Tom Neal in her web and leads him to his destruction. Maybe Peggy Cummings in Gun Crazy comes close. Lauren Bacall in Dark Passage and Key Largo, Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire, Joan Bennett in Woman in the Window, and Barbra Stanwyck in Double Indemnity are my alternates. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmspotting/Re_Filmspotting_161_Waitress_Away_From_Her/304/8996/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: MCMikeNamara
Post To: Filmspotting
Post Date: 5/18/2007 4:43:38 PM
Body: So I held off on seeing 28 Weeks Later last week because of your split decision on it. I now realize I was wrong as I tune in today and hear Sam -- whom I tend to be more in agreement with -- COMPLETELY miss the train on Double Indemnity. Like Adam, I fell I can't even begin to respond. If someone asks the stupid question "What's your favorite movie?", I always give this one as my answer, so I'm obviously biased. But still, I want to respect Sam's opinion -- I like to think that his expectations were just set way too high, and am going to let this be a lesson for me to try to find films long before I start hearing about them in order to avoid this problem. But I must defend Fred McMurrary. Like Peter Parker as Venom, Walter Neff works as a character because he's such a schmuck but he thinks he's a bad-ass. He's an insurance agent, not a hardboiled P.I. The fact that the chemistry between he and Barbara Stanwyck works despite the fact that he's getting played is part of the film's genius. Just one of the things that makes this movie watchable again and again is the that most of the time he realizes he's getting played but either thinks he's giving as good as he's getting or doesn't seem to care until it all spins out of control. So is the fact that the greed, lust -- and even the betrayal -- seem to spring not from desperation but from boredom. That strength alone makes it a quintessential American classic.Okay, I can't possibly respond in a way that makes sense right now, so I'm just going to end my argument and get back to work.P.S. I haven't been listening long enough to know if you have a Chicago-centered audience, but don't forget that this movie will be at the Outdoor Film Festival at Grant Park this summer. Adam, you'd be invited to the picnic. Sam....we'll have to see. I just heard you sing the praises of Marie Antoinette, so you've won back many points.
]]>Fri, 18 May 2007 20:43:38 GMTMCMikeNamaraFilmspotting5/18/2007 4:43:38 PMSo I held off on seeing 28 Weeks Later last week because of your split decision on it. I now realize I was wrong as I tune in today and hear Sam -- whom I tend to be more in agreement with -- COMPLETELY miss the train on Double Indemnity. Like Adam, I fell I can&#39;t even begin to respond. If someone asks the stupid question "What&#39;s your favorite movie?", I always give this one as my answer, so I&#39;m obviously biased. But still, I want to respect Sam&#39;s opinion -- I like to think that his expectations were just set way too high, and am going to let this be a lesson for me to try to find films long before I start hearing about them in order to avoid this problem. But I must defend Fred McMurrary. Like Peter Parker as Venom, Walter Neff works as a character because he&#39;s such a schmuck but he thinks he&#39;s a bad-ass. He&#39;s an insurance agent, not a hardboiled P.I. The fact that the chemistry between he and Barbara Stanwyck works despite the fact that he&#39;s getting played is part of the film&#39;s genius. Just one of the things that makes this movie watchable again and again is the that most of the time he realizes he&#39;s getting played but either thinks he&#39;s giving as good as he&#39;s getting or doesn&#39;t seem to care until it all spins out of control. So is the fact that the greed, lust -- and even the betrayal -- seem to spring not from desperation but from boredom. That strength alone makes it a quintessential American classic.Okay, I can&#39;t possibly respond in a way that makes sense right now, so I&#39;m just going to end my argument and get back to work.P.S. I haven&#39;t been listening long enough to know if you have a Chicago-centered audience, but don&#39;t forget that this movie will be at the Outdoor Film Festival at Grant Park this summer. Adam, you&#39;d be invited to the picnic. Sam....we&#39;ll have to see. I just heard you sing the praises of Marie Antoinette, so you&#39;ve won back many points. http://www.spout.com/blogs/moviebabe/archive/2007/3/9/6248.aspx Post By: MovieBabe
Post To: MovieBabe Blog
Post Date: 3/9/2007 9:23:00 PM
Body: Back in the '40s, men were men and dames were dames, and everyone talked 100 miles an hour. At least that's how it is in Double Indemnity, Billy Wilder's 1944 film noir about an insurance salesman (Fred MacMurray) who gets sweet-talked by the requisite bombshell (Barbara Stanwyck) into secretly underwriting an insurance policy on her husband and then helping her knock him off. This thriller is an engrossing and tightly shot classic, and it's fun to hear characters seriously delivering lines such as "I knew I had hold of a red-hot poker, and the time to drop it was before it burned my hand off!" (Bonus drinking game: Shots all around whenever MacMurray calls Stanwyck "baby.") Find out how to not murder your husband when Double Indemnity screens at 7:30 p.m. at American City Diner, 5532 Connecticut Ave. NW.
]]>Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:23:00 GMTMovieBabeMovieBabe Blog3/9/2007 9:23:00 PMBack in the &#39;40s, men were men and dames were dames, and everyone talked 100 miles an hour. At least that&#39;s how it is in Double Indemnity, Billy Wilder&#39;s 1944 film noir about an insurance salesman (Fred MacMurray) who gets sweet-talked by the requisite bombshell (Barbara Stanwyck) into secretly underwriting an insurance policy on her husband and then helping her knock him off. This thriller is an engrossing and tightly shot classic, and it&#39;s fun to hear characters seriously delivering lines such as "I knew I had hold of a red-hot poker, and the time to drop it was before it burned my hand off!" (Bonus drinking game: Shots all around whenever MacMurray calls Stanwyck "baby.") Find out how to not murder your husband when Double Indemnity screens at 7:30 p.m. at American City Diner, 5532 Connecticut Ave. NW. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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]]>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:29 GMT124783381480Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMT8163121453Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspxLoved-It
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