Double Indemnity

The Perfect Noir

Director: Billy Wilder

Release Date: 1944

Rating: PG

Running Time: 115 minutes

Genre: Film-Noir

Actors: Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck

"Yes I killed him. I killed him for money, and a woman. And I didn't get the money, or the woman. Pretty, isn't it?"

There's no denying that the 1940's pulled some incredible memorable crime thrillers out the bag and it became a revolutionary decade for cinema; it can be said that this was very much the era of Film-Noir. Originally named by French Cinema to mean "Black Film", Film-Noir took on the stylistic traits of low key black and white to create dark and ominous crime thrillers taking place in the rough ends of some of the U.S's big cities: New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Film-Noir mainly formed Hollywood crime dramas following the lives of outsiders to the developing industrial U.S society and formed an anti-hero, usually morally corrupt or with a disturbed past due to war or politics. In this way it was very much a film that would leave audiences with a bitter taste in the mouth and show viewers the outcome of what real life could be like, Film-Noir showed a much more real life that other genres that were developing around the same time. So there must be something that attracted so many audiences to Film-Noir, featuring shoot outs, heists and almost every time; murder. They were an exciting breathe of fresh air that broke boundaries on what could be shown so early on in cinema, and churned some films that are still so highly regarded today.

So what is it about "Double Indemnity" that still makes it so highly regarded 70 years on, and having it still stand out as one of the greatest Film-Noirs to date. The Story of dying man, Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) an insurance salesman who gives his final confession; being an accomplice to killing a beautiful yet evil woman's husband after falling in love with her. Their motive, to gain the insurance money left in his name and start a fresh life together. It seemed like a simple idea, but with insurance analyst and Neff's friend Keyes close to figuring out the truth, the couple have to spin a web of lies in order to avoid being found out. The name of the film "Double Indemnity" exists as a clause in a life-insurance policy where the payment is doubled if the cause of death is accidental; therefore establishing the perfect motive for murder.

It's a film that ticks all the boxes for a great noir story and we find ourselves struggling to choose which side to follow: the immoral protagonist or the law. And though we know the outcome, we've no idea how or why events have led to that particular point.

A fantastic and timeless film from the legendary Billy Wilder.

Rating: 9/10