I was raised to believe that if someone broke the law, then that person must be prepared for any consequence. It would be imperative to accept the punishment. This is the only way our law-abiding society could function. It was all very black or white. No gray or circumstantial evidence would make a difference. I never considered the ‘why’ of each situation. I was young. Life hadn’t laid its controversial, heavy hand upon me yet. People got what they deserved, and that was that. Living longer has a way of changing that paradigm. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was called to testify as a character witness for a former student accused of a double murder. I spoke up because I could see the gray and felt his innocence, but there were nuances and split-second twists no one expected. These made a difference in the outcome. Details were significant. Juries can become overwhelmed in the examination of all the many pieces that contribute to the entire whole.
Experience, motive, common sense, and gut suspicions must prevail in life and movies. It does not mean the conclusion will change. It reinforces the concept of learning all the facts and emotional upheavals before making any decisions. This creates the finished image of corruptness, cynicism, and pure evil. Films have a special category for this…noir…which can be used to describe some of Hollywood’s crime dramas. One of the best of the best noirs is DOUBLE INDEMNITY, a story based on the year 1938 when a murdering partnership was formed between a man and a woman-centered around the age-old tale of love, lust, and money.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY was nominated for seven Oscars but failed to bring home the gold. It is the only film nominated for Best Picture and not win anything. It was based on the novella written by James M. Cain. Billy Wilder (THE LOST WEEKEND) was the creative driving force as director and co-writer along with Raymond Chandler. The two of them did not get along at all. Chandler ended up walking out several times. Even until their death, they always agreed about their sheer hatred for each other’s writing style.
No one wanted to costar in DOUBLE INDEMNITY. Hollywood actors thought the leads were too harsh and cruel. There were no redeeming qualities about these characters. Wilder finally convinced Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray to take on these roles. They thought their fans would not believe their sinister partnership. They were wrong. Their chemistry and brilliant acting skills made conniving, backstabbing, sexy scenes come alive and eventually lead to both of their demise. The two of them were a match made in heaven or perhaps somewhere much more underground. They were a box office success, and they opened a plethora of future movie offers.
Stanwyck’s hideous wig was a subject of much talk in the gossip columns. Everyone hated it, including the director, but Wilder could not afford to change it since they realized how ugly it was about halfway through filming. By then, it was too late and too costly to reshoot. Valuable lessons were learned for future projects, such as wearing short bangs.
Edward G. Robinson was outstanding as Barton Keyes. He did not want to take a third starring part in any film. It wasn’t until he learned that he would be making the same amount of money as Fred MacMurray and having fewer lines to memorize that he changed his mind. He was amazing. His physicality and verbal tone made the film so intense. Every audience member knew he would not stop until he found the truth. Oh, those little threads left dangling in his gut can be devastating. Robinson was a consummate actor who knew how to do his job well.
I thoroughly enjoyed how MacMurray’s portrayal of Walter Neff never once called Mrs. Dietrichson (Stanwyck) anything but “baby.” It was very condescending but added immensely to their relationship. The car not starting at the railroad tracks was Wilder’s improvising idea. The looks on Dietrichson and Neff’s faces were priceless.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY was created eighty years ago but is still considered one of the two top noir classics in movie history, standing next to THE MALTESE FALCON. It holds up well due to fast-paced and quick banter dialogue and monologues. It draws audiences deep inside as Neff weaves a tale of deceit and diabolical acts. It is simply mesmerizing in all its black-and-white glory. In this instance, there is no gray. It highlights how a man can be duped and forced to pay dearly with the value of his life. Case closed.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY is available on TCM.
