1940's Hall of Fame II

I think Double Indemnity is the only film in this Hof, that I've reviewed. I've seen it a number of times and love it. I'm a huge, huge fan of Barbara Stanwyck...and Fred MacMurray really does an excellent job here, as does Edward G Robinson. But for me it's the chemistry between Stanwyck and Mac Murray, that makes this special. I'll probably rewatch it again but I can't image my opinion changing much. So here's a copy of my review.


Double Indemnity (1944)

Director: Billy Wilder
Writers Screenplay: Billy Wilder & Raymond Chandler
Based on: James M. Cain's novel
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
Genre: Film Noir, Melodrama
Length: 107 minutes

Premise: A cocky insurance salesman, Walter Niff (Fred MacMurray) encounters a notorious married woman, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck)....she seduces him into murdering her husband for the insurance claim which is a double indemnity clause. Walter's friend and boss Barton Keyes (Edward G Robinson) is an insurance investigator with the uncanny ability to spot a fake insurance claim.

Review: Double Indemnity is the quintessential Film Noir. It has all of the noir elements: the 'average Joe' being lead into a dangerous situation by a femme fatale, the sense of doomed characters rushing towards a fatalistic climax...all wrapped in a potent story. The story is driven by lust, greed, self motivation and a serious lack of morals.

Director Billy Wilder co-wrote this provocative script with famed novelist Raymond Chandler...basing their work on the novel Double Indemnity by James Cain. This isn't an artsy film or a movie with deep underlying themes. What you see is what you get.

Fred MacMurray who almost always played light comic roles really nails his performance. He's completely believable as the self assured, womanizing, fast talking salesman with an eye for the ladies and a good time. When he locks his eyes on Phyllis we know why he agrees to bump off her husband.

Barbara Stanwyck is the other part of this duo. She too is utterly believable as the cheap, sexy, amoral Phyllis. She looks easy in her cheap blonde wig. From her ankle bracelet to her huge gaudy finger ring and her loud clothes, she looks and acts the part.

Edward G Robinson is the perfect balance to the story idea of an insurance murder plot. He adds the voice of reason and respect. He too is extremely good in his role.

Double Indemnity has such a strong story with gutsy characters that it's easy to overlook the skill and beauty of the cinematography. The use of select lighting in otherwise dark scenes is sublime. The shadows seem to embrace the actors. The composition and layout of the shots makes this film beautiful as well as provocative.

+

Double Indemnity is my favourite Wilder. Think Stanwyck may be my favourite femme fatale too.

I think I'll have to rewatch Double Indemnity tonight. I'm really in the mood for a noir, and I recall thoroughly enjoying that film the last time I saw it.

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Do you remember what your general impression of Odd Man Out was out of curiosity?

I didn't love it, did like it quite a bit though.

so here we are starting another great event. Good stuff!

I've seen but barely remember:
- His Girl Friday
- Double Indemnity
- Day of Wrath
- The Ghost and Mrs Muir

I've heard of:
- Gentleman Jim
- Unfaithfully Yours
- Beauty and the Beast


Never heard of:
- I Remember Mama
- Odd Man Out
- Body and Soul
- Ride the Pink Horse
- The Sea Wolf

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You can call it the art of fighting without fighting.

Visible from my review, I wasn't really that enthusiastic about Double Indemnity. I much prefer Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Lost Weekend".

Sunset Bvd. is one of my favourites of his too. The Lost Weekend is actually my least favourite of the ones i've seen though.

I liked it quite a bit. Was hoping someone would nominate it to give me an excuse to watch it again haha.

@Citizen Rules . sorry, are you going to name the names of nominators to each nom? thanks

He's leaving it secret right now as kind of an experiment.

Here - https://www.movieforums.com/communit...57#post1711057

While watching i actually thought it would be something you'd like. Was hoping for another The Third Man, didn't quite get there but i did like it quite a bit. Amazing that the dude made these very interesting Noirs then he somehow ended up making stuff like Oliver



no offence to anyone who likes oliver haha

interesting idea however I would suggest to keep it secret only first month as a kind of surprise because then eventually we shd know who's and what

I might only keep it secret for a couple days. It wasn't planned that away but I thought I'd run with it for at least a short while. Feel free to take a guess at who posted what.

My guess is 100% correct, Citizen told me. Sorry buddy the cats out of the bag.

Did anyone else have trouble with deciding on the nomination? Funnily enough, my final two choices came down to films by the same director. Also I'm curious to hear what others alternatives were, if anyone is willing to share.

The Third Man is another I rather liked, but don't seem to remember much about these days.

My problem is that I watched a lot of film noirs in a short period of time like 15 years ago, and they've all kind of blurred together in my mind somewhat haha. I'll take any excuse to rewatch them though, since I love the noir aesthetic.

i guess my guess is

Odd Man Out is to CR
Ride the Pink Horse is to Cricket
Beauty and the Beast to Jeff
Day of Wrath to CosmicRunaway
I Remember Mama to Camo

the rest of them are just kind of blending

It was between Odd Man Out, Strawberry Blonde, The Mortal Storm and Yellow Sky for me. Was hard to decide, yeah.

If i was going with something i had already watched i would have probably have went for Paisan or The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Films i liked alot which may not be high on everyones watchlists for the countdown.

This is funny. I said something last night to my mother about how these films will be revealed today. I said to her "I bet someone will nominate Double Indemnity and the French Beauty and the Beast". I also said "I hope someone nominates something like I Remember Mama", and I said "I really hope nobody nominates The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I want people to watch it, but not right now".


My whole point about The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is that if I ever thought anyone had any interest in a ghost story HoF (I would love to do one), that would've been the film that I would've nominated for that one.


As for what Raoul Walsh film this turned out to be, I had a feeling it was going to be an Errol Flynn picture. I was then hoping it would be They Died With Their Boots On, but I will take Gentleman Jim.

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I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

The films I've already mentioned seeing were all ones I considered nominating at the start. I eventually narrowed it down to two of them. If I couldn't decide, I was just going to say screw it, and go with Treasure of the Sierra Madre instead, sort of like how I was going to just go with Raiders during the 13th HoF if I couldn't decide between Nirgendwo in Afrika and Wings of Desire.