Double Idemnity (1944)

Star Rating- 4
Length of Film- 107 minutes
Director- Billy Wilder
Cast- Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward C. Robinson, Portal Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Bryon Barr, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, & John Philliber
Oscar Nominations- Joseph Sistrom (best picture), Billy Wilder (director), Raymond Chandler, Bily Wilder (screenplay), Barbara Stanwyck (actress), John F. Seitz (photography), Miklos Rozsa (music), & Loren L. Ryder (sound)




Double Idemnity is a clause or provision in a life insurance or accident policy whereby the company agrees to pay double of the face amount in the contract. This is the basis of the movie. Insurance salesman Walter Neff ( Fred MacMurray) goes to the Dietrichsons house to sell insurance. The maid answers the door, and up on the second floor, he sees her. Mrs. Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and immediately falls in love.

 

 



 Since the husband was not home, they reschedule a meeting. Phyllis calls him and reschedules, because she wants to see him alone. She confesses to Walter that she's unhappy and he confesses how he loved her the first moment he saw her. They plot to get rid of the husband, by getting him to sign an accident policy, so when he dies, Phyllis can take the money. Walter meets with Mr. Dietrichson and gets him to sign up for "auto insurance", but the form is actually accident policy. To be discreet, they aways talked over a payphone, or met at the local grocery store. Walter makes sure he has a tight alibi the night that they murder Mr. D.

Black and whites more are hard to watch, if the plot doesn't catch your attention, and this movie kept my attention the whole entire time. I was also intrigued by this movie, because Body Heat (1981) was based off of this movie. Double Idemnity is a film noir movie, and by definition, it is a "style defined primarily in terms of light- or the lack of it. Noir is a world of night and shadows. Its milieu is almost exclusively urban. The style is profuse in images of dark streets, cigarette smoke swirling in dimlynlit cocktail lounges, and symbols of fragility, such as windowpanes, sheer clothing, glasses, and mirrors. Motifs of entrapments include alleys tunnels, subways, elevators, and train cars.  Its theme characteristics revolve around greed, violence, lust, betrayal, and depravity." (Understanding Movies- Luis Giannetti)

I am not going to tell you Phyllis' and Walters plan, because that ruins the fun! I will tell you that there's a lot of twists and turns. If you've seen Body Heat, it kind of gives you an idea of the leading lady, of who she's not, but it's not the same ending for Phyllis as it was for Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner).

Watch this movie. I really liked it. I left it open ended and mysterious for a reason. I don't give out a lot 4 ratings. WATCH IT!!!