Billy wilders classic is dark, steamy and thrilling from beginning to end. Chandlers double identity adrian wootton on a writers secret cameo. Double indemnity 1944 is director billy wilders classic film noir masterpiece a cynical, witty, and sleazy thriller about adultery, corruption and murder. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936. Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Browse fun facts and trivia about at classic movie hub cmh. Double indemnity 1944 movies, tv, celebs, and more. Double indemnity is ranked 71st on the greatest films. Jun 04, 2009 chandlers double identity adrian wootton on a writers secret cameo. It followed the timehonoured noir plotline of a man undone by an evil woman.
Double indemnity is the perfect mix of talents that combined to create one of the best films of all time. Double indemnity is a 1944 film noir crime drama directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and raymond chandler, and produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom. It was strange reading this book as it times it seemed like i was watching an old black and white movie. I vaguely recall watching the movie of the same name. Double indemnity ranks with the classics of mainstream hollywood movie. A 1944 film noir, directed by billy wilder, written by him and raymond chandler, adapted from james m.
The use of such film techniques as flashback, sound, editing, lighting, miseenscene and others play a significant role in explicit, implicit and suggestive meanings of the movie. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of impending doom. Links go to the internet movie database laserdisc database buy posters from buy posters from moviegoods buy this soundtrack from. When he is seduced by dietrichson into murdering her husband, the two plot a. While there had been some intermittent films leading up to the birth of the classic noir, in 1944 the dahlia bloomed with six key films. In conclusion, it is necessary to say that the movie double indemnity of 1944 is really a classic masterpiece of the u. All of that changes when he meets phyllis dietrichson, the callous wife of a man whom she plans to murder and cash out on his accidental death claim double indemnity. May 17, 2009 if you look at any lists of best film noirs you are likely to find that many people place double indemnity 1944 at the top. During the confrontation between fred macmurray and barbara stanwyck at her house near the end of the movie, the poignant strains of tangerine, a song written in 1941, could be heard through an open window. Nominated for seven academy awards but winner of none, double indemnity instead went on to inspire countless imitators as film noir became the genre to capture the imagination of postwar america. The urgentlytold, highlystylized story was wilders third film after the major and the minor 1942 and five graves to cairo 1943. Phyllis proposes to kill her husband to receive the proceeds of an accident insurance policy and walter devises a scheme to receive twice the amount based on a double.
Nicholas pinter val kilmer, working in bulgaria for doctors beyond borders, is mistakenly identified as a secret agent by the. Directed by billy wilder, released in 1944, mpaa rated passed, with a running time of 107 min. Keep in mind, outside food or drink is not allowed in the cinema. In the 1944 movie double indemnity, it is established at the beginning that the story is taking place in 1938. First, there was a great novel by one of americas best mystery writers, james cain, who created these characters that seem will live forever in our imagination. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and raymond chandler, and produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom. Double indemnity seems to be an example of this phenomenon. Analysis paper on movie double indemnity 1944 essay. Fred macmurray, cast against type, gives a perfect performance as. Double indemnity 1944 movie mistakes, goofs and bloopers. In terms of crime fiction lore, the films pedigree could hardly be more substantial, with raymond chandler adapting a book from james m. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. In the early 1970s paramount had plans to remake double indemnity with robert redford in the fred macmurray role.
In this classic film noir, insurance salesman walter neff fred macmurray gets roped. No one knew how influential this film would eventually become. What are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. It stars fred macmurray, barbara stanwyck, edward g. It is a movie, not merely good for its individual elements, but for the whole they create. Smitten insurance man walter neff plots the perfect murder with femme fatale client phyllis dietrichson. And what does a movie need in order to belong to this notoriously slippery category. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic realism of the 1930s, with characters as. Considered by many to be the definitive film noir, and popularizer of many of its tropes walter neff fred macmurray is a successful but bored insurance salesman who encounters phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck when he comes to her house to. Supposedly not married in the film but wearing a wedding ring at 1. Double indemnity, laura, murder my sweet, phantom lady, when strangers marry, and the woman in the window.
Get an answer for what are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. A description of tropes appearing in double indemnity. Double indemnity 1935 is written by the same author, james cain, who wrote the postman always rings twice, which i also just read. Cain, written by raymond chandler and billy wilder.
I have more than once seen the great 1944 film, which was directed by billy wilder and cowritten by wilder and another wonderful noir detective writer, raymond chandler. In the early 1970s, paramount had plans to remake double indemnity 1944 with robert redford in the fred macmurray role. The highly freudian approach described by laura mulvey is not necessarily obvious or relevant in every film and genre, but it is very helpful in understanding billy wilders double indemnity, which vividly illustrates some of the points made by both laura mulvey and molly haskell. Double indemnity competed against romantic thrillers and hollywood melodramas at the 1944 oscars the film lost the best picture award to the bing crosbystarrer going my way. Classic movie hub your ticket to everything classic. Double indemnity trailer directed by billy wilder and starring fred macmurray, edward g. Walter neff is an insurance salesman whose life is largely devoid of any excitement and thrill. The hero is not a criminal, but a weak man who is tempted and succumbs. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. January 28th, 1998 not yet rated 1 hr 46 min plot summary.
Both are attracted not so much by the crime as by the thrill of committing it with the other person. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and. Double indemnity 1944 directed by billy wilder not rated narrative 1 hour 44 minutes an insurance representative lets himself be talked by a seductive housewife into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. Robinson, at turner classic movies skip navigation tcm. An indepth look at a film noir classic barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity, billy wilder 1944 it has all the characteristics of the classic forties film as i respond to it. Passed 1h 47min crime, drama, filmnoir 6 july 1944 usa. In this double story, the woman and man tempt one another. Sadly, it is impossible to determine what the book is as the film briskly moves on and chandler vanishes.
Nov 04, 2015 double indemnity is a classic film noir, with suspense and murder. As is the case with so many other things to come out of hollywood, film noir may be shaving a year or two off its age. Cains novel penned by billy wilder and raymond chandler double indemnity continues to set the standard for the best in hollywood film. Double indemnity essays are academic essays for citation. Buy double identity 1944 movie poster by dmitriyspice as a sticker, iphone case, iphone wallet, caseskin for samsung galaxy, throw pillow, tote bag, zipper pouch, travel mug, art print, canvas print, framed print, art board print, photo. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of double indemnity by director billy wilder. Double indemnity, american film noir, released in 1944, that was considered the quintessential movie of its genre. Double indemnity is ranked 71st the greatest films. A canadian dennis morgan accused of murder poses as a lookalike mountie to prove himself innocent. Double indemnity 1944 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. In the twentyfirst century it has become available, active force in the perception of gender relations in the united states.
Cain, written for the screen by billy wilder and raymond chandler, an enterprising film score by miklos rozsa and starring barbara stanwyck, fred macmurray and edward g. Double identity is a crime thriller film directed by dennis dimster and starring val kilmer and izabella miko, originally titled fake identity. Double indemnity 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Overview of double indemnity, 1944, directed by billy wilder, with fred macmurray, barbara stanwyck, edward g. Double indemnity, laura, murder my sweet, phantom lady, when strangers marry, and the woman in. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james. Double indemnity is a film classic that holds up thanks to deft plotting that puts the audience in the place of the killers, solid twists and turns, and a clear understanding of the strengths of. In our writers favourite film series, paul howlett is moved by the heartbreak in this classy film noir about an insurance salesman. Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism.
Chandler, whose novel the big sleep wilder loved, turned up drunk, smoked a smelly pipe, didnt know anything about screenplay construction, but could put a nasty spin on dialogue. Movie veterans stanwyck, macmurray, and robinson give some of their best performances, and wilders cynical sensibility finds a perfect match in the storys unsentimental perspective, heightened by john seitzs hardedged cinematography. It is quite short especially if you ignore the padding in the foreword which serves no real purpose. The sumptuous, illicit dialogue of double indemnitys pulsating script is but one of the film s luminous qualities which make it one of the finest examples of film noir ever committed to the screen. Women in film as portrayed in the movie, double indemnity. Released in 1944 it stars fred macmurray as our main protagonist, barbara stanwyck as the femme fatale, and edward g robinson as the. Cain wasnt available, so he hired raymond chandler to do the screenplay. The hazy, dreamlike nature of the flashback structure, as walter neff paints a twisted and revealing portrait of his crippling hubris, creates. Women in film as portrayed in the movie, double indemnity introduction american commercial cinema currently fuels many aspects of society. The movie is based on a brilliant novella by james m. Many critics and film historians point to april 24, 1944 as the birth date of film noir, for it was on that date that double indemnity premiered. Facts by film double indemnity by topic by person by.
Double identity 1940 a canadian dennis morgan accused of murder poses as a lookalike mountie to prove himself innocent. In the classic black and white aesthetic, it goes further and turns up the darkness. Rent double indemnity 1944 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. There are occasional times when all the elements come together to make a great film that will stand the passing of time.
Film locations double indemnity 1944 if you look at any lists of best film noirs you are likely to find that many people place double indemnity 1944 at the top. Double indemnity 1944 is the perfect film noir, filled with deception, crime, forbidden love, and suspense. The sumptuous, illicit dialogue of double indemnitys pulsating script is but one of the films luminous qualities which make it one of the finest examples of film noir ever committed to the screen. Billy wilder one of the greatest, darkest film noirs of all time and one of the best suspensethriller films of the 40s, with a brilliant script based on the 1943 crime novel by james m. This page provides links to stream this movie from amazon and itunes. Double indemnity has one of the most familiar noir themes. Feb 17, 2016 billy wilder and raymond chandlers 1944 film noir classic, double indemnity, however, achieves all of these elements with stunning mastery.
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