CONTAINS SPOILERS... Smooth talking insurance salesman Walter Neff meets attractive Phyllis Dietrichson when he calls to renew her husband's automobile policy. The couple are immediately drawn to each other and an affair begins. They cook up a...
- 10.January.2011
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- by: Netflowers
- Netflowers rated this movie
 0/10
CONTAINS SPOILERS... Smooth talking insurance salesman Walter Neff meets attractive Phyllis Dietrichson when he calls to renew her husband's automobile policy. The couple are immediately drawn to each other and an affair begins. They cook up a scheme to murder Mr. Dietrichson for life insurance money with a double indemnity clause. Unfortunately, all does not go to plan. MacMurray's narration is fun to hear as he tells the story in flashback, from the beginning by dictating into an old Dictaphone to his co-worker Edward G. Robinson. The latter is almost mesmerizing in his performance, the way he delivers his lines. He can even make a speech about something as boring as insurance and still keep you riveted to the screen. It is a story of greed, fear and lust. Greed so intense that it drives the mild-mannered MacMurray to murder. And fear, so intense that it permeates his ability to think clearly. And, of course, lust, the kind of lust for the equally bad Stanwyck that drove him to commit evil in the first place. This is the Gold Standard that most Film Noir are judged. One of the ESSENTIALS, a must for all film buffs, and film students. 5 STARS
- 10.January.2011
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- by: Netflowers
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SPOILER!!! Don't worry, there is no surprise to ruin, this one spoils itself within the first 5 minutes. It opens with a man bleeding from the shoulder recording himself. I'm paraphrasing; "I killed him. I did it for money. I did it for a woman. I...
- 17.December.2010
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- by: tapwater
- tapwater rated this movie0/10
SPOILER!!! Don't worry, there is no surprise to ruin, this one spoils itself within the first 5 minutes. It opens with a man bleeding from the shoulder recording himself. I'm paraphrasing; "I killed him. I did it for money. I did it for a woman. I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman." Cut to an insurance salesman, the same man in the first scene, knocking on a beautiful woman's door, asking for her husband. Gee, I wonder where this one is going? Where is the mystery?! There is none, he just told you that he did it. Who did he kill? Who is the woman? Who shot him? You wont need more than one guess for any of those questions. You're expected to be entertained by watching 2 hours of a story you were just told in 5 minutes. Aside from some enjoyable performances and dialogue, there is absolutely no reason to watch this. I only finished it because of my respect for Billy Wilder and its status as a classic, hoping I was wrong, that I was tricked somehow. I wasn't and you won't be either. I understand that the plot was novel (for film) at the time and that it has been imitated many times but that doesn't mean the audience of 1944 was full of morons, does it? Without the superfluous confession, it would have been so much better. It would probably still be easy to figure out, but at least the audience would be given some credit and allowed to figure it out for themselves. Argh!
- 17.December.2010
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- by: tapwater
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So many good films by Billy Wilder - but none top this. This is film noirs finest hour (and forty seven). Double Indemnity is dark, moody, and tight as a drum. The cinematographers really pushed the limits with this one - scene after scene we have...
- 16.February.2010
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- by: etragedy
- etragedy rated this movie0/10
So many good films by Billy Wilder - but none top this. This is film noirs finest hour (and forty seven). Double Indemnity is dark, moody, and tight as a drum. The cinematographers really pushed the limits with this one - scene after scene we have figures illuminated only by the slightest outline or slash of light. On top of that, the story is filled with great plot twists, and great characterization. And last, but not least, the acting is top notch, particularly by Edward G. Robinson (not playing a heavy for once) who delivers rapid-fire dialogue on a par with Bogies best.
Movies do not get any better than this.
* A caution for Neflix instant viewers - the streaming version ends very abruptly a few seconds early - when the buffering started I was fooled into thinking Id missed something, and restarted the movie (losing valuable instant time). But have no fear, it only cuts off on the fade out (and closing credits if there are any).
- 16.February.2010
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- by: etragedy
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Does this gene fit Double Indemnity?
