Ryan McNeil
During a recent movie blogger meet-up, Bob and I were talking about what we haven’t seen. I feigned an expression of shock on some of Bob’s never-seens, but having already mentioned a few of mine, Bob had the ultimate comeback.
“Well yeah Hatter, I might not have seen those…..but you still haven’t seen Barbara Stanwyck command a staircase in DOUBLE INDEMNITY”.
Much as it pains me to admit this sometimes, Bob was right. My cinematic life wasn’t nearly complete with this Wilder classic missing. However, thanks to the 1001 Series, I have filled that hole in my soul. My thoughts on the film after the jump.
If I had one wish, it would be to write something that is even one quarter as clever as DOUBLE INDEMNITY.
Let’s face facts, even if I wrote every single day for the rest of my life, what are the odds that someone would spend their Saturday night reading what I have done? No, my enlightenment and entertainment courtesy of Cain, Chandler, and Wilder isn’t likely to be passed on to someone reading these paltry babblings.
I mean it – I would give my right arm to think up something as twistedly poetic as “How could I have known that murder could smell like honeysuckles?”.
Indeed it is the writing that makes much of this movie work, after all – how many murder films would have the stones to begin with the protagonist confessing to a murder? It’s a brilliant touch since it takes the pressure off “whodunnit”, and in a rare move pushes our questioning brains toward “howdunnit”, “whydunnit”, and “whodhedunnitto”. The movie is even aware enough to put meaning behind the usual dry, sombre, over-dubbed narration. By having Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) tell the story to a dictaphone, the usually cliche’d narration has meaning and context.
The crux of the narrative is nothing original – amidst a shady affair, a man and woman conspire to commit fraud and murder. What DOUBLE INDEMNITY seems hellbent on telling us, is that fraud and murder are easy – Getting away with it is the hard part. To prove its point, the movie hands us more than one moment where our eyes widen thinking our antiheroes are about to be discovered…and reminds us that sometimes an entire plan can hinge on the ability to start a car.
In a way, I feel bad for Neff, since it seems apparent very early on that Phyllis (Stanwyck) is playing him like a flute. She has her routine down pat, playing an even mix of shrinking violet, unwitting seductress, and kept woman. She measures her every word and gesture, and before he knows it can have even the most upstanding man considering doing something tremendously stupid.
But let’s face facts guys – when we consider the stupidest things we’ve ever done, doesn’t the prospect of a woman’s attention factor into it an awful lot?
The thing is though, the atrocities of DOUBLE INDEMNITY could be pinned on Phyllis, but it doesn’t take much persuasion for Neff to go along with the plan. What’s worse is the way he takes the broad strokes of scam, and with detached calculation ups the ante for the least risk and most reward. This isn’t a crime of passion – it’s cold and methodical.
Phyllis might have wanted to burn it all down…but Neff is the one telling her where to throw the match.
In a dark story like this, we can only hope that we as the audience have someone to stand up for us – to champion what is right, as opposed to what is easy. It’s possible that such a part was never played better than Edward G. Robinson as Barton Keyes. His talents as an investigator make his primary goal in life something worth believing in: the truth. He pushes those below him to search harder for the truth, and doesn’t back down when he thinks those above him are ignoring it.
This penchant for fact would be enough for most characters, but Keyes is given many of the best lines which makes him an icon of dry wit. Who else would entice someone to accept a drink by pointing out that the Martini will come with two olives? Further, who can assign such character to a stranger’s name? (“Margie! I bet she drinks from the bottle!”)
In a lot of ways, I do need to thank Bob for reminding me of how badly I needed to see this film. This film had me…From the first haunting image of a silhouette crutching towards the camera as the opening credits roll, to the poetic final shot of a cigarette being lit. This is a story about people thinking that they have cast their rotten lots in life aside, only to discover that they have drawn themselves a much worse one.
But Ryan, Is It List-Worthy?… Without a doubt. This movie is an example of story, direction, and acting all coming together and defying convention. By throwing out the playbook, Wilder has taken the onus off putting the puzzle together, and has instead allowed us the time to sit back and understand just how complicated the individual pieces are.
Nicely done! I saw this one in a film history class…we were doing a bunch of film noir, as I recall…and it has stayed with me ever since. Definitely list-worthy, and I'm glad you finally got to see it! 🙂
Excellent write-up of a truly astounding, memorable film. One of my favorite noirs, and I'd wager it's one of Wilder's best.
Billy Wilder – for me is probably the greatest director (or perhaps I should say filmmaker because he also mixed in writing credits with that) who has ever worked in Hollywood. Double Indemnity is one of many pieces of sheer genius to come from Wilder. The fact he also drifted into different genres also sets him apart from some of his contempories.
Dan
Top10Films.co.uk
Ah, but you are welcome my good sir…
"only to discover that they have drawn themselves a much worse one."
Very nicely put. As a viewer, you can simultaneously see Neff as a total Rube AND with a sympathetic eye because you're thinking "Yeah, I could see why he got sucked in…"
Of course, part of that is Stanwyck. I'm totally biased – I think she's gorgeous, smart, sexy with a voice that shuts everything else out – so like Neff I can't be trusted. When she makes that entrance at the top of the staircase, I'm toast. And you should see her in "Lady Eve", "Ball Of Fire" and "Baby Face". Sigh…
I've seen almost half of Wilder's output (as a director anyway) and Double Indemnity is still my fave, though it has close competition with "One, Two, Three" (which is totally silly with whip-fast dialogue).
As for the shock that is being "feigned" (Hatter's reaction is tantamount to having a coronary), it's a fun game we all play with each other. The best part though is when someone actually watches one of the films and sees why you were excited by it. Even better is when they write a damn fine review of it…
@ Sue… Funny given how many movies we talk about daily that this one hadn't come up yet. I vote you go take a look at today's blog post and prevent any further such scandals.
@ Alex… "Wilder's Best". I wonder how long of an argument we could all have debating that!
@ Dan… (If I haven't said so already, welcome!) Kinda piggybacking on what I just aluded to with Alex…I wonder how mind-blowing it'd be to sit through a Wilder marathon over a week or so and soak in all of those themes, techniques, and glorious bits of writing.
(I know that The LAMB did it a few months back, but I had too much else going on to participate)
Perhaps you have sparked me to double back!
@ Bob… Yeah, there were a few moments through this film where I said to myself "So that's what Bob was on about…". Thanks for that.
Now that you mention it, I'll have to chase down ONE, TWO, THREE – which will likely come into play with today's post. Likewise, I'm gonna have to find some more of Stanwyck's work so I can fawn.
Thanks for lighting a fire under me to see this one!
DOUBLE INDEMNITY is an absolutely PERFECT movie, the Wilder genius is indisputable here. Absolute perfection.
I first saw this many years ago at the ICA in London, it was me and about 30 other people… I was completely mesmirized.
I saw it again last year at the Princes Charles Cinema — if you ever get the chance to see it on the big screen, I thoroughly recommend it!
@ The Kid… Indeed, this classic really struck a chord with me. I can't wait to go and buy myself a copy, and you had better believe I'll be on the lookout for screenings.
(I'm a firm believer in getting to see films you love in a theatre).
Oh, a Billy Wilder marathon…now you're on to something. Sounds fantastic…when does it start! I have the Fortune Cookie on my Sky TV planner…haven't seen it before…I'm going to watch it tonight!
I get so sad sometimes when I look at the IMDb top 250 list and I see the truly great great films shlubbing along at like #60-ish like DI does.
This is quite possibly a perfect movie. Written, casted, acted, lit, directed et cetera…..I'm so happy that you have experienced it.
MY review is up, but it'll also be linked on the 1001 website tomorrow.
@ Dan… Looking forward to reading your thoughts on Fortune Cookie! THE APARTMENT, which I already did for this series, is one of my all- time favorites
@ Couch… IMDb lends itself to the new. Most of the fanboys who vote there aren't exactly "steeped" in classic film know-how. Thus movies like this are well down the list, while THE DARK KNIGHT and LORD OF THE RINGS, as much as I love them, are well towards the top.
It's the nature of the internet unfortunately.
Look at the bright side though – it can provide a small measure of joy turning people on to these classics.
Just ask Bob how he feels about lighting a fire under me to see this.