Double Indemnity

Gripping film noir in which the two main characters, I hope this is not spoiler, are both villains! I haven’t seen a lot of film noir (working on that!) but this is one of the best ones I have seen. The storyline holds up extremely well and would work quite well in a film that came out today. The film, set in 1938 Los Angeles (released in 1944 and based on a novella by James M. Cain, written in 1927), revolves around two main characters, insurance agent Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray) and a housewife, Phyllis Dietrichson (played by Barbara Stanwyck). Walter goes to Phyllis’ house one day to renew her husband’s auto insurance and the two flirt (more it seemed to me coming from Walter, who didn’t seem to mind at all Phyllis was married). During the visit, in which Phyllis doesn’t seem entirely disinterested in the flirting, she asks Walter about getting a life insurance policy on her husband…without him knowing about it. Knowing from talking to Phyllis in that brief time she doesn’t particularly care for her husband and also as an experienced person in the insurance business why someone might want to insure someone without them knowing (murdering them and committing insurance fraud), Walter declines to sell her the insurance and quickly leaves. And then decides to contact Phyllis and the two hatch a scheme to murder her husband and get away with it, on a train which pays out a double indemnity (twice as much money as a death from most other situations). Between the two of them, with Walter’s knowledge of the insurance business (and of investigations of deaths that his company will have to pay a claim on) and his impressively cool demeanor (and later we find out as the movie progresses the villainous nature of Phyllis) it looked like the two are going to get away with it…except for Walter’s boss and friend, Barton Keyes (played by Edward G. Robinson), who has a nose for finding insurance fraud and like Columbo keeps going back again and again to investigate the particulars of Mr. Dietrichson’s death. The movies becomes a tangled web of deception and subterfuge as Walter and Phyllis try to hide their relationship, obscure investigations into the “accident,” and it becomes increasingly obvious that other people are now at risk, such as Phyllis’ stepdaughter, who may have incriminating details about Phyllis and reveals some chilling details about Phyllis’ past. It still I think a relatively rare film where the central characters plan and execute a murder and then have to hide that murder, and what’s more a murder purely for evil, selfish reasons. This seems a very bold film for the 1940s and from what I read after watching the film, was indeed seen as very risky, with many actors passing on the role and the even the two main stars, when they accepted the role, were uncertain if they had made the right choice. Happily, they made the right choice (and later knew it) and we have a great film to watch. Pacing is great, there is wonderful tension, some action, just first-rate film noir. Everyone is great in film though I especially loved Edward G. Robinson. Nice to see so many slices of life in 1940s Los Angeles, including a supermarket.

DOUBLE INDEMNITY [1944] [70th Anniversary Limited Edition] [Blu-ray + DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet] An American Movie Classic! From The Moment They Met It Was Murder! Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck star in the gripping film noir classic, ‘Double Indemnity’ directed by Academy Award® winner Billy Wilder. A calculating wife [Barbara Stanwyck] encourages her wealthy husband to sign a double indemnity policy proposed by smitten insurance agent Walter Neff [Fred MacMurray]. As the would-be lovers plot the unsuspecting husband’s murder, they are pursued by a suspicious claims manager [Edward G. Robinson]. It’s a race against time to get away with the perfect crime in this suspenseful masterpiece that was nominated for 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture. Narrated by Fred MacMurray. FILM FACT: 17th Academy Award® Nominations: Billy Wilder [Best Director]; Barbara Stanwyck [Best Actress]; Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler [Best Writing and Screenplay]; John F. Seitz [Best Cinematography in Black-and-White]; Miklós Rózsa [Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture] and Loren Ryder [Best Sound and Recording] Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, John Philliber and Raymond Chandler (cameo) Director: Billy Wilder Producers: Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom Screenplay: Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler Composer: Miklós Rózsa Cinematography: John F. Seitz Video Resolution: 1080p [Black-and-White] Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audio: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Mono and Spanish: 2.0 DTS Digital Surround Audio Mono Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Running Time: 108 minutes Region: All Regions Number of discs: 1 Studio: Universal Studios Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: Fred MacMurray's sharp-as-a-knife voiceover, which barely lets up from start to finish, is an unremitting delight in the Hollywood “film noir” classic ‘Double Indemnity.’ ‘Double Indemnity’ [1944] was directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. The film stars Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G Robinson. The “film noir” is the most intoxicating of Hollywood cocktails, and none is more potent than ‘Double Indemnity.’ It breaks the rules of filmmaking with breath-taking confidence and is all the more satisfying for it. For instance, directors usually endeavour to "show but not tell", yet Fred MacMurray's sharp-as-a-knife voiceover, which barely lets up from start to finish, is an unremitting awesome delight. Walter Neff [Fred MacMurray] is the top salesman at his Los Angeles insurance company, and his close friend, an expert claims investigator named Barton Keyes [Edward G Robinson], wants him to work in his department. But although the two have a bantering, easy-going friendship, Walter Neff decides to stay with his sales job. One day, while making a routine call on an auto insurance client, he meets the client's sexy blonde wife, Phyllis Dietrichson [Barbara Stanwyck]. Although she appears to be subtly seducing him, she coldly rebuffs his advances and sends him on his way. Soon after, however, she invites him to come by her house and discuss additional coverage for her husband. When he arrives, he finds Phyllis Dietrichson alone with no husband and no maid. Their mutual attraction quickly graduates to undisguised lust and before Neff knows it, Phyllis Dietrichson convinces him to sell her additional accident insurance for her husband (without the man's knowledge). It's just the first step in their mutual plan to murder Phyllis Dietrichson' husband and collect on a double indemnity clause in the insurance contract. Cold-blooded, brutal, highly stylised, and informed with a black sense of humour, ‘Double Indemnity’ is one of the high points of 1940s filmmaking and a prime example of a genre and style that remains highly influential in its look, attitude and storyline. Critics have argued whether or not this film can be considered the first “film noir” thriller, but it undoubtedly set the pattern for that distinctive post-war genre: a shadowy, night-time urban world of deception and betrayal usually distinguished by its "hard-boiled" dialogue, corrupt characters and the obligatory femme fatale who preys on the primal urges of an ordinary Joe. Edward G. Robinson, best known as the megalomaniac gangster in ‘Little Caesar’ [1930], was no stranger to playing characters on the wrong side of the law, but in ‘Double Indemnity’ he plays the lethal lovers' nemesis, Barton Keyes, a shrewd investigator who can smell a phony insurance claim a mile away. The film places the three leads in an unconventional love triangle especially with Walter Neff lights Barton Keyes' smokes more often and more affectionately than he does Phyllis Dietrichson' cigarettes, and he tells the other man "I love you" at least as much. At the end, it's Barton Keyes who kneels by the fallen Neff, in what Bernard F. Dick, in his 1980 book “Billy Wilder” recalls "one of the most powerful images of male love ever portrayed on the screen: a pieta in the form of a surrogate father's lighting the cigarette of his dying son." It's the most tender moment in an otherwise hard-as-steel story. Although Barbara Stanwyck has played heavies before, she had never been cast as an out-and-out murderess. She was afraid of the role, she told Wilder. "Well, are you a mouse or an actress?" he replied and just the sort of remark to get the desired reaction from Barbara Stanwyck. Never one to back down from an acting challenge, she took the part and turned it into one of her best. Known for her easy-going, non-temperamental, and thoroughly professional approach to acting, Barbara Stanwyck worked well with Billy Wilder. "She is as good an actress as I have ever worked with," he later said, "Very meticulous about her work. We rehearsed the way I usually do, Hard! There were no retakes." Indeed, Barbara Stanwyck was beloved by many directors, actors and technicians in the business. Probably the only negative comment to emerge about her performance in ‘Double Indemnity’ has nothing to do with her acting; some critics complained about the fake blonde wig she was required to wear as Phyllis. True, it does add to the character's flashy nature and insincere manner, but as one Paramount executive said after viewing early rushes, "We hire Barbara Stanwyck and here we get George Washington." Casting Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff wasn't so easy. At first Billy Wilder tried to interest Alan Ladd, then George Raft. After the director told George Raft the story, the actor asked him, "Where's the lapel?" Lapel? George Raft explained he was waiting for the moment when Neff would flip over his lapel and reveal the police or FBI badge underneath, thus identifying himself as the film's true hero in the final reel and George Raft replied, “No deal.” Then Billy Wilder came up with the idea of using Fred MacMurray, who had a much more genial screen image at the time. "I'm a saxophone player; I do little comedies with Carole Lombard," Fred MacMurray argued. Billy Wilder eventually convinced the actor to take a bold step. Years later, Fred MacMurray would look back on Walter Neff as his all-time favourite film role. The narrative romps along with the help by Miklós Rózsa's urgent, jangling brilliant score and a screenplay by Wilder and Raymond Chandler simply zings along. Billy Wilder wrote the script with Raymond Chandler, and it was a match made in hell. For a start Billy Wilder took great offence against Raymond Chandler's pipe; Raymond Chandler didn't like Billy Wilder's baseball cap and riding crop, and much besides, and later described their collaboration as "an agonising experience [which] has probably shortened my life," but despite this, both of these characters eventually produced a great “film noir” classic. But finally, in ‘Double Indemnity’ at precisely 1:24:07 when Barbra Stanwyck pulls outside the supermarket to meet Fred MacMurray, when another car pulls up directly behind Barbra Stanwyck’s car and there is a mysterious male driver watches intensely as Ms. Stanwyck walks into the supermarket, well with both audio commentary whether it is part of the plot of ‘Double Indemnity’ as nothing is explained or elaborated into whether this person was a private detective was hired to keep an eye on the movements of Ms. Stanwyck and Mr. MacMurray to eventually catching them out of their dirty deed of plotting together with the murder of her husband and making fatal mistakes and again this has really puzzled me greatly while I reviewed this Blu-ray disc and I wish someone would put me out of my misery and try to explain this very confusing sub plot of this film? Blu-ray Video Quality – Universal Studio brings us this superb brilliant Blu-ray with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio with an awesome stunning 1080p encoded image and he elements appear to be in very good shape, with no major damage.. ‘Double Indemnity’ is one of the most exquisitely photographed “film noirs” of all time and Universal Studio has done a remarkable job with the film’s Blu-ray debut by upgrading the picture image while still remaining faithful to the cinematographer John F. Seitz’s work. The transfer has a pristine crisp image and features fine beautiful textures and details, as well as excellent contrast and gets a brilliant 5 star rating. Blu-ray Audio Quality – Universal Studio has once again brought you an awesome English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio plus a Spanish 2.0 DTS Digital Surround Audio Mono. Subtitles in English SDH, Spanish and French. The audio transfer is also stellar and features ultra clean dialogue, balanced sounds and an immersive and revolutionary score by Miklós Rózsa musical score, which his boss at Paramount hated but Billy Wilder loved, supplies discordant and foreboding notes from the film's very opening. Blu-ray Special features and Extras: Digitally Re-mastered and Fully Restored from a High Resolution 35mm Film Element. Universal Archive 1944 ‘Double Indemnity’ Art and Photography: Includes 1 Theatrical Poster Reproduction; 3 U.S. Lobby Card Reproductions and 1 Alternative Ending Gas Chamber Still. Introduction by Turner Classic Movie host and Film Historian Robert Osborne [480i] [4:3] [2:29] Here we get some insightful information about this classic Billy Wilder “film noir.” Robert Osborne tells us that things would have been so oh different, if things had not come together like it did. One big problem is the story itself that was written by James M. Kain that was about adultery characters who were involved in a conspiring murder insurance scam and the storyline stepped over way too many lines to win approval from the Hollywood Production Code Office [Hays Code], which ruled film content and took eight years to get the stamp of approval. We also hear how Billy Wilder was able to convince the stars to take a leap of faith to appear in ‘Double Indemnity,’ but before that, other well-known stars turned down the parts in this classic “film noir.” But the three main actors of this film agreed that it was their best ever film they have appeared in. Feature Documentary: Shadows of Suspense [2006] [480i] [4:3] [37:55] Plunge into the world of 1940s Hollywood and a revealing look at a film masterpiece. To join us on this journey we have the following contributors to delve into this brilliant “film noir” and they are Phil Cousineau [Author of “Once and Future Myths”]; Eddie Muller [Author of “Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir]; William Friedkin [Director of ‘The Exorcist’]; Elizabeth Ward [Editor of “Film Noir Encyclopaedia”]; Dr. Drew Casper [Professor of USC School of Cinema-Television]; Paul Kerr [Film Critic and TV Producer]; Alain Silver [Editor of “Film Noir Reader Series”]; James Ellroy [Author of “L.A. Confidential”]; Paul Duncan [Author of “Noir Fiction”]; Richard Schickel [Time Magazine Film Critic]; Vivian Sobchack [Professor of Film, Television and Digital media, UCLA]; Kim Newman [Author and Film Critic]; James Ursin [Author of “The Noir Style”]; Caleb Deschanel A.S.C. [Cinematographer of ‘The Natural’] and Owen Roizam A.S.C. [Cinematographer of ‘The Exorcist’]. What is so great about this fascinating documentary about how “film noir” came about because of a sea change in the American Society, via the 2nd World War and Pulp Fiction. We also hear interesting information how ‘Double Indemnity’ evolved, especially with the director Billy Wilder. But of course it all started with the author James M. Kain who happened attended a murder trial with a wife taking out an Accident Insurance on her husband and captured the author’s imagination, which he also used as the basic plot for his novel “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” Even though the script for ‘Double Indemnity’ was sent to all of the Hollywood Studios, and it languid for years until it was taken up by Paramount Studios. One myth on why Billy Wilder was interested in making ‘Double Indemnity’ is because his secretary locked herself in the toilet until she had read it all and according to the legend and that is one reason why Billy Wilder wanted to direct the film, but again it was just a myth. Even though Billy Wilder had been a prolific screenwriter, he still liked to collaborate with other people, and that is why he eventually teamed up with Raymond Chandler, but despite hating each other, but they eventually came up with a totally witty script for ‘Double Indemnity,’ even though Raymond Chandler had never worked in Hollywood before. What is also fascinating about this documentary is the process on how ‘Double Indemnity’ finally came to the silver screen and Billy Wilder’s endeavour to get the actors to appear in the film, and everyone was so surprised why Fred MacMurray was chosen, but now everyone realises that Billy Wilder knew the main actors would be so ideal for the film. As an interesting anecdote, we hear about Billy Wilder’s attitude, especially having Barbara Stanwyck being made to buy a cheap blonde wig that made her look sleazy. Another brilliant anecdote we hear is when at the 17th Academy Award Ceremony, when ‘Going My Way’ and ‘Double Indemnity’ were both nominated, but when Leo McCarey went up to accept his award for Best Director, Billy Wilder put out his foot in the aisle and tripped up Leo McCarey, who fell flat on his face and Billy Wilder had a big grin on his face. But people now say that they cannot understand why ‘Double Indemnity’ didn’t get an Oscar. But I think Eddie Muller summed up this interesting documentary, when he says, “this film ‘Double Indemnity’ sums it up, what is “film noir” about.” Well Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler wrote it, and in a nut shell they said, “I did it for money.” But finally Leo McCarey says that Fred MacMurray really summed it all up when he says at the end of the film, “I did it for the money, I didn’t get the money and I didn’t get the woman,” pretty isn’t it, that’s it, enough said, that’s film noir.” Double Indemnity (1973) TV Movie [480i] [4:3] [74 minutes] A scheming wife lures an insurance investigator into helping murder her husband and then declare it an accident. The investigator's boss, not knowing his man is involved in it, suspect’s murder and sets out to prove it. As a final comeuppance to this ghastly remake when the TV movie was broadcast on American Television, Dr. Drew Casper was at Barbra Stanwyck’s home, with both of them watching this remake, and out of the blue Billy Wilder telephone Barbra Stanwyck after the airing and said quite simply, “missy, they didn’t get it right” and suddenly Billy Wilder put the receiver down. Well that about sums up about this 1973 TV Movie, they certainly lost the plot and it should never have been attempted in making this ghastly made for TV Movie, as people should never attempt to think they can improve on the original Billy Wilder Classic Hollywood “Film Noir” 1944 ‘Double Indemnity,’ I rest my case. Theatrical Trailer: The Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘Double Indemnity’ [1944] [480i] [4:3] [2:14] "Paramount's shocking . . . suspense-filled masterpiece of love . . . and murder!" Although it is a brilliant tour-de-force Trailer, but what is a total shame the Universal Studios could not of found a better pristine print, as it is of really bad quality, especially compared to the stunning 1080p encoded print image of the film. Audio Commentary with Film Historian Richard Schickel: Here we have a totally brilliant dedicated audio commentary by Richard Schickel, who is so totally passionate about this classic “film noir,” that is a must hear audio commentary. But what we get to hear is some totally fascinating behind-the-scene informative information about how ‘Double Indemnity’ evolved to end up on the silver screen. You hear his interesting slant on the author James M. Kain, and how originally he was editorial writer under the influence of Walter Whitman of the New York World and also becoming the managing Editor of the New Yorker magazine. Eventually James M. Kain headed for Hollywood about the time of his success with the novel “The Postman Always Rings Twice,” to finally write screenplays, which he was not very successful. Richard Schickel also gives us some really interesting facts about how the “film noir” came about especially via French paperbacks series called “series noir,” meaning “black novels” and were eventually re-printed in America and eventually French film critics started to calling films based on the “series noir” paperbacks that were turned into films, and they then started to call them “film noir” and eventually crossed over to America in early fifties and early sixties. Richard Schickel really likes to point out the brilliant dialogue between Fred MacMurray and Barbra Stanwyck at their first meeting, is pure Chandler/Wilder invention, especially their immortal dialogue where the two actors talk about speed limits and other sexual innuendoes. Edward G. Robinson is highly praised by Richard Schickel, especially pointing out that the veteran actor originally came into films via gangster Films, and especially the genius and expansion of his part in the film and his relationship with the character Walter Neff and their “bromance.” Richard Schickel heaps great praise on Miklós Rózsa edgy erotic musical score, which adds great atmosphere to the film. Another fascinating information we get to hear about is a superb invention by Billy Wilder at around 57:07 minutes of the film, with Fred MacMurray and Barbra Stanwyck in the vehicle late at night, where they cannot start the car, and Billy Wilder was shooting the scene on the sound stage and broke off for lunch, went to his car to go off the lot and his car wouldn’t start and says, “oh what a great thing and they are about to make their getaway,” so he left his car and ran back to the sound stage in the hope that had not dismantled the mock-up vehicle created for the specific scene and said, “hold it, hold it, hold it” and asked to redo the scene again where the car could not start, but Fred MacMurray commented that no one would believe the scene that Billy Wilder wanted the audience to see and was proved right all along. The critical reception to this film was quite respectful, but a little bit puzzled and a little bit uncommitted to the visual and verbal mannerism that Billy Wilder had exploited so brilliantly with this film, but at the time was not huge or popular and Richard Schickel didn’t think the studio lost any money on the film or neither was it a gigantic success at the box office, but rightly it won a number of Academy Awards Nominations. But what was also interesting is that the great director Alfred Hitchcock sent a glowing telegram to Billy Wilder after the opening Night Premiere. Also James M. Kain was at the back of the cinema and after the film finished and saw Billy Wilder coming towards him and suddenly hugged the director and said, “you so improved my story and I was writing too hasterly.” But Richard Schickel points out that although at great expense the alternative ending was filmed, where Fred MacMurray is executed in the gas chamber, but in the end Billy Wilder’s instinct not to put add that scene of the gas chamber and instead ended the film where the two “bromance” characters are in close congress, as Fred MacMurray is at the end of his life, was the perfect final solution to the plot of the film. So all in all the audio commentary by Richard Schickel is totally brilliant and so full of fascinating information of this Classic Hollywood “film noir” and it will be a great loss if you do not give this your fullest attention, as it is THE most interesting and fascinating audio commentary I have heard in a very long time and I give this a definite 5 star rating and Richard Schickel should get some kind of award for his in-depth and analysis knowledge of this film, as you will never get bored with such an intelligent voice of this brilliant narrator. So all you aficionado film fans out there, enjoy! Audio Commentary with Film Historian/Screenwriter Lem Dobbs and UK Film Historian scholar Nick Redman: With the start of this interesting audio commentary, you hear Nick Redman introducing Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman starts saying he was the screenwriter of the ‘Limey,’ ‘Dark City’ and ‘The Score,’ but Lem Dobbs has to correct Nick Redman in saying, “that I was only the co-writer of some of those films,” so sadly Nick Redman has not got off to a good start and should research his facts more professionally. But of course the conversation starts off with asking what is “film noir” and Lem Dobbs [who I really liked and especially his immense knowledge on the film history of this film], but Lem Dobbs informs us that this is a big question and especially to date there have been at least 50 books released on this subject of “film noir” and ‘Double Indemnity’ was one of the earliest film in this genre. Lem Dobbs points out a very interesting information of this film and its label “film noir” is that putting this film in perspective, that many of the well-known Hollywood actors we associate with this type of film were not on the radar yet and mentions Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Robert Mitchum, plus there has been a lot of discussion on how Billy Wilder put Fred MacMurray as the lead in the film, who previously use to be this light weight kinda comic romantic actor in minor films by and large make him into a venal character like this, well one answer to that questions who else was there and maybe an actor like Robert Ryan could have been the lead character in the film, but Lem Dobbs states that Fred MacMurray gave the performance of his career with this film. Another aspect of what I like about Lem Dobbs, is how he talks very intimately fascination about the director Billy Wilder and how he became very good friends to Lem Dobbs and was in great awe of Billy Wilder and also gives us lots of funny anecdotes about different things that happened between the two of them both over the years until Billy Wilder passed away. So to sum up with this particular audio commentary, which is so much different from the Richard Schickel audio commentary, who gave a much more concentrated comment on ‘Double Indemnity’ and its different complexities? But with the Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman audio commentary, it is more about Billy Wilder and the process of making the film ‘Double Indemnity,’ plus I also liked the way Lem Dobbs gave great insight into what made Billy Wilder ticked and also his great friendship they had. But to be honest, I cannot see why Nick Redman was allowed to be in the same room doing the audio commentary, as he hardly puts any effort into the recording, as he lets Lem Dobbs do all the talking and it would have been far superior if Lem Dobbs was allowed to be there on his own, as he was the most engaging person out of them the two of them. Finally, In a nutshell, what makes Billy Wilder’s film THE number one “film noir” is that it set the trend; perfected the formula. ‘Double Indemnity’ was one of the first films to weave all those characteristics together. Billy Wilder was one of the European directors that the “film noir” is so often associated with and he would, like fellow émigré Fritz Lang, produce additional films in the same genre. ‘Double Indemnity’ is the quintessential “film noir” and accept no substitutes. Newly released on a 70th Anniversary Blu-ray from Universal with a restored audio-visual presentation, ‘Double Indemnity’ has never looked or sounded better. Billy Wilder who first showed Hollywood how to make audiences identify with them and he did it at a time when the old Hays Production Code put much greater restrictions on what he could show than does today's ratings system. He did it so well that ‘Double Indemnity’ still plays effectively sixty years later. Highly Recommended! Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Fan Le Cinema Paradiso WARE, United Kingdom

Lo primero decir que es región libre (aunque muchos de región A funcionan en reproductores estándar, que tengo unos cuantos). Viene en Español latino (no castellano) y subtítulos en español. Los extras, son los mismos de la magnífica edición de DVD de Suevia Films: 2 Audiocomentarios de varios historiadores (sin subtitular), introducción y el documental "Shadows of Suspense". La imagen y el sonido están restaurados así que vale mucho la pena. Le doy un 5 a pesar de los extras no subtitulados porque es edición USA y no tiene porque venir subtitulado... para eso están las ediciones "Locales" (en nuestro caso, "pirata").

This is truly one of the first film noir’s to come out of Hollywood after the war, but this treasure came out in 1944. Still a crisp and tense tale of greedy people thinking they can get away with murder is timeless. Fred MacMurray... not the first choice or the most obvious, but he turns in the best performance of his entire career in this one. Much has been said about Barbara Stanwyck’s much hated cheap blonde wig but I saw it as a young man and thought nothing about it until I starting reading these things about it. Still doesn’t bother me at all. Edward G. is perfectly cast as the brainy hero-guy who is also MacMurray’s workaholic boss. I must say I have grown to appreciate Billy Wilders films much more in the last few years with the release of his works being released on blu ray format. His witty/satirist writing still holds up decades later and should be studied by writing students. The cinematography is in glorious B&W and uses for the most part real L.A. locations which I have always found better anyway. I always hated that well-lit stage set look that early films seem to have. This is a MUST for any serious film buff or even the average film goer who likes well crafted suspense. Includes a very good commentary.

Buena imagen audio y subtitulos en español e inglés Solo se pudo reproducir en un bluray multi region Título esencial del género negro y de lo mejor del premiado director billy wilder

Dit is een geweldige film noir van Billy Wilder in prachtig scherp zwart wit beeld op blu-ray disk. De film gepresenteerd in originele engelse mono geluid is helder. Naast de film zijn er nog wat interessante extras (zoals docu over de historie en making of van de film) en een mini boekje over de film. Een echte klassieker in zijn genre en aanrader voor de film liefhebber!

Billy Wilder wurde jahrelang von Cineasten und sogenannten Filmkennern, als regieführender Drehbuchautor angesehen. Seine Filme seien zu wenig filmisch, lautete der Vorwurf, wären zu literarisch, zu dialoglastig. Während, besonders die Nouvelle Vague, Filme von Otto Preminger, Fritz Lang und Howard Hawks verehrten, wurde Wilder als 'auteur' vollkommen übersehen. Wilder war der Überzeugung, man dürfte als Regisseur den Zuschauer niemals daran erinnern, dass da Einer an einer Kamera sitzt, der den Film gedreht hat. Man wird kaum eine Kameraeinstellung in einem Wilder-Film finden, die auf sich selbst verweist, keinen 'fancy shot', den Wilder dazu benutzt, eine starke Metapher zu etablieren. Wilder selbst hätte das zu plump gefunden. Wilder dazu: 'Ich versuche einen Film so einfach und elegant, wie möglich zu drehen, ohne Mätzchen, ohne Eisenstein-Einstellungen.(') Das ist doch alles Kunstgewerbe. Nein, so einfach und elegant, wie möglich. (') Ich will eigentlich, dass die Leute in meinen Filmen vergessen, dass es da eine Kamera und einen Regisseur gegeben hat.' (aus Billy Wilder, Seine Filme-Sein Leben von C.Seidl, Heyne Verlag 1988) Dadurch hatten Wilders Filme immer eine Leichtigkeit im Erzählen, die sein Werk oft oberflächlich erschienen ließ. Kurz: seine Filme waren zu leicht und zu erfolgreich, als das sie große Filmkunst sein konnten für Filmintellektuelle. Dabei gibt es genügend 'Images' aus Wilder-Filmen, die berühmt geworden sind. Marylin Monroe in 'The seven year Itch', wie sie überm U-Bahn-Schacht steht, zum Beispiel, oder der 'Swimming-Pool'-Shot am Anfang von 'Sunset Boulevard'. Der Beginn von 'Double Indemnity' ist auch berüchtigt, wenn auch nur in Filmkennerkreisen. Ein Auto düst durchs frühmorgendliche LA und überfährt ein Stop-Schild. Das ist simple 'film action'. Kein Erzähler, der erst einmal klarstellen muss, wo wir sind und wovon die Story handelt. Es ist klar: da hat jemand schon längst die Grenze überschritten, ist zu weit gegangen. 'Double Indemnity' entstand 1944, nach einem Roman von James M. Cain, den Wilder zusammen mit dem Schriftsteller Raymond Chandler fürs Kino adaptierte. Es geht um einen Versicherungsvertreter, der einer Frau verfällt und mit ihr deren Mann umbringt, dem er vorher noch eine Lebensversicherung verkauft hat. Es ist Wilders erster Noir. Anfang Mitte der Vierziger war der Film Noir noch ziemlich am Anfang seiner Entwicklung und viele der größten Filme dieser Reihe sollten erst noch entstehen. 'Frau ohne Gewissen' kann jedoch als prägendes Werk vermerkt werden, da in ihm viele der typischen Noir-Elemente vertreten sind, die die 'Schwarze Serie' noch prägen würden. Der obsessiv Liebende, der, verwickelt in ein Netz aus Verbrechen und Begierde, versucht die verlorengegangenen Teile seiner Biographie zusammenzuklauben. Die Femme Fatale, die Sex als Waffe benutzt, um den Mann in ein Netz von Widersprüchen zu verwickeln. Ein Spiel von Macht und Ohnmacht. Die Geschichte wird nur noch in Rückschau erzählt, denn es gibt nichts was der Held noch ausrichten könnte, um das Schicksal selbst in die Hand zu nehmen und es zu beeinflussen. Die Erzählung ist nur noch Botenbericht. Im Western gibt es noch so etwas wie eine göttliche Ordnung, die Weiden sind grün, die Kühe sind zahlreich und irgendwo gibt es eine Bank, wo Geld gehortet wird. Im Film Noir ist nichts da. Nichts ist gegeben, alles ist verloren gegangen und man kann nur noch aufzählen, was verloren gegangen ist, finden wird man es nicht mehr. Die göttliche Ordnung ist aufgelöst, denn Gott scheint tot zu sein. Im Western kann man einfach in ein neues Territorium reiten, sollte man zum Tode verurteilt oder einfach in den Knast gesteckt worden sein. Irgendwo gibt es einen Ausgang. Das Versprechen einer neuen Welt, dass es einen Traum gibt vom Leben im Überfluss, besteht noch immer. Im Film Noir ist dieses Versprechen nur noch Illusion. Der Kosmos der Großstadt ist ein Gefängnis, aus dem man stetig versucht auszubrechen. Die Hölle ist in Einem. Es gibt keinen Ausweg. Es bleibt nur noch die Analyse der heillosen Verstrickung, die Aufzählung der Sünden. Eine Lösung des Dramas gibt es nicht. So wenig die Sonne im Western Schatten wirft, so sehr schluckt das Dunkel der Stadt jede Hoffnung auf Erlösung. In dieser Hinsicht ist 'Indemnity' ein absolut typischer Noir. Geschrieben wurde das Drehbuch von Wilder gemeinsam mit Raymond Chandler, seines Zeichens hard-boiled Autor von meisterhaften Detective-Stories. Chandlers Bücher waren voll von blumigen Redewendungen und trocken-zynischen Beschreibungen, was ihnen aber fehlte war eine gute Dramaturgie. Plotting, dafür brauchte Wilder bestimmt keinen Chandler, denn was Timing in Filmen angeht, war Wilder ein Genie. Nein, er brauchte eher immer einen Partner beim Drehbuchschreiben, weil die englische Sprache nicht seine Muttersprache war. Die Anekdoten über Wilders und Chandlers Zusammenarbeit sind zahlreich und sehr unterhaltsam. Der Amerikaner, der in England groß geworden war und sich nach Europa sehnte, konnte schwer mit dem Mitteleuropäer Wilder, der Amerika liebte. Wilder fuchtelte gerne mit einer Reitgerte herum beim Schreiben. Das irritierte den Schriftsteller. Chandler irritierte auch, dass dieser Wilder nach dem Mittagessen gerne einen Drink zu sich nahm. Für den trockenen Alkoholiker Chandler eine schwere Ablenkung. Zudem trug Wilder gerne einen Hut in seinem Büro; für den englischen Amerikaner ein klarer Verstoß gegen die Regel, dass in Innenräumen keine Hüte getragen werden. Einmal soll die Sonne durch die Jalousie ins Büro geschienen haben. Wilder habe daraufhin mit dem Reitstock unter Chandlers Nase rumgefuchtelt und gesagt: 'Could you please fix that, Ray?' Chandler beschwerte sich bei den Studiobossen, er würde nicht mehr mit diesem frechen Wilder arbeiten wollen, der ihm ständig Befehle erteile, wie 'Machen Sie das Fenster zu' oder 'Holen Sie mir mal Dieses oder Jenes'. Zudem mochte Chandler das Buch von James M. Cain nicht, welches die beiden bearbeiteten. Wie dem auch sei, herausgekommen ist ein wunderbares Script. Dabei kann sich Chandler bestimmt glücklicher schätzen mit Wilder gearbeitet zu haben, als andersrum. Denn Wilder war bestimmt einer der besten Drehbuchautoren in der Geschichte Hollywoods. Niemand war öfter für ein Drehbuch bei den Oscars nominiert, als der gebürtige Wiener. Er war ein Vollprofi, ein Hollywoodtier und kannte das Handwerk des Drehbuchschreibens aus dem Eff-Eff. Chandler war aber neu in Hollywood. Ein Drehbuch hatte er nie geschrieben. Seine Eintrittskarte in die Traumfabrik war gewesen, dass man sich, nach dem Erfolg von 'The Maltese Falcon' nach Dashiell Hammett und der erfolgreichen Adaption seiner eigenen Stoffe, 'The Big Sleep' und 'Farewell, My Lovely' viel von einem hard-boiled-author, wie ihm versprach. Man kann Chandlers Stil sehr gut in Walters Monolog, seiner Beichte wiederfinden. Da ist dieser trockene, zynische und doch wortverspielte Ton aus seinen Marlowe-Romanen. In den Dialogen wiederum, die Stanwyck und MacMurray in Gewehrsalventempo abfeuern, meint man eher Wilder herauszuhören. Walters Geschichte, ein kleiner Versicherungsagent, der die Großen bei ihrem Spiel schlagen will: das ist eher eine Wilder-Figur. Phyllis wiederum, ist eine ehemalige Krankenschwester, die jetzt in eine reiche Familie eingeheiratet hat. Eine Geschichte des sozialen Aufstiegs. Chandler-Territorium. Trotzdem sind beide Charaktere typische Wilder-Kreationen. Phyllis, obwohl sie kalt und berechnend ist, ähnelt in ihrer No-Nonsense-Art sehr stark anderen Wilder-Frauen, z.B. der Marlene-Dietrich-Figur aus 'A Foreign Affair', die, bevor sie mit einem GI eine Affäre beginnt, vorher mit einem SS-Mann zusammen war. Wilder-Frauen kennen ihren Wert in der Männergesellschaft und täuschen sich nicht darüber hinweg, mit welcher Währung sie werden bezahlen müssen. Fran Kubelik fällt einem da ein. Zudem sind diese Frauen wieder den Frauen bei Hawks sehr ähnlich. Rosalind Russell in 'His Girl Friday' zum Beispiel, Hepburn in 'Leoparden küsst man nicht', um nur einige zu nennen. Das ist kein Zufall, denn Wilder hatte bei Hawks das Regiehandwerk gelernt und ist ein starker Einfluß für den Exil-Österreicher gewesen. Walter Neff wiederum ist, wie CC Baxter oder Joe Gillis, ein rückgratloser Opportunist, der sich nicht nur von Phyllis manipulieren lässt, sondern auch von Phyllis Stieftochter, wenn es darum geht, dem Vater zu verheimlichen, dass sie sich mit ihrem italo-amerikanischen Freund trifft. Man kann sich sehr gut vorstellen, wie dieser Walter, hätte er Phyllis nie getroffen, in der Hierarchie der Versicherungsfirma aufsteigt, erst ein Claims Manager wird, um dann langsam aber stetig ein Mr. Sheldrake zu werden, der Präsident der Consolidated Life aus 'The Apartment'; die Rolle, die MacMurray tatsächlich 16 Jahre später für Wilder spielen sollte. Nach der Arbeit an dem Script, wandte sich Chandler wieder der Flache zu. Zuvor war er trocken gewesen, aber die Arbeit mit Wilder hätte ihn einige Jahre seines Lebens gekostet, so Chandler selbst im Nachhinein. Trotzdem schätze er sowohl das fertige Drehbuch als auch den Film, und hielt sie beide für geglückt. Jedoch hinderte ihn das alles nicht daran, sich wiederholt bei seinem Verleger und jedem, der es wissen wollte, darüber laut zu beschweren, wie schlecht Hollywood und Wilder ihn, den sensiblen Künstler, behandelt hätten. Wilder wiederum drehte danach das Alkoholikerdrama 'The Lost Weekend' mit dem er zum besten Regisseur bei den Oscars gekürt wurde. Der Film selbst wurde als bester Film des Jahres 1945 ausgezeichnet. Um sich Chandler zu erklären, hätte er den Film gemacht, so Wilder später dazu. Es ist die Beichte eines Mörders, erzählt in einer Nacht. Gleich zu Beginn, in Diedrichsens Haus, während Walter auf Phyllis wartet, fällt der Schatten der Jalousien auf ihn. Schon da wirkt er wie ein Gefangener, der ins Netz gegangen ist. Er ist ein leichtes Opfer, denn er verfällt Phyllis nur allzu bereitwillig. Bei der ersten Begegnung merkt sie schon, dass ihm ihr Parfum gefällt. Er macht zweideutige Bemerkungen. Sie warnt ihn, es gebe ein Speed Limit in Kalifornien und er sei viel zu schnell gefahren. Als er geht, bleibt sein Schatten auf ihr, bis die Tür zufällt. Sie hat ihn am Haken. 'The Hook was too strong', sagt Walter später, nachdem er Phyllis' Plan ihren Mann umzubringen durchschaut hat. Zuerst sträubt er sich, zu ihrem Komplizen zu werden. Doch dann kommt sie in seine Wohnung, um ihn umzustimmen. Sie hat ein wenig mehr von dem Parfum aufgetragen, das ihm so gefällt. Lange dauert es nicht und er erliegt ihrem Sex. Sein Hunger, sexueller und materieller Art, ist einfach zu groß, um zu widerstehen. Der Traum des kleines Mannes, reich und begehrt zu sein, dieser Walter träumt ihn auch. Wilder hat immer wieder mit den Grenzen des Production Codes gespielt, dem Hayes Code, der den Filmemachern moralische Spielregeln vorschrieb. Wilder machte es immer wieder Spaß mit diesen Regeln Schindluder zu treiben. Es ist wohl kein Zufall, dass seine große Zeit als Regisseur vorbei war, als die jungen Männer des New Hollywood das Ruder übernahmen, Ende der Sechziger, Anfang der Siebziger und die alten Moralvorstellungen umgeworfen wurden. Im Jahre 1944 war das alles noch ganz anders. Es gibt eine Szene zwischen MacMurray und Stanwyck, in der er rauchend auf dem Sofa liegt und sie ihren Lippenstift nachzieht. Es ist klar, und war bestimmt damals den Zuschauern klar, dass die beiden grade miteinander geschlafen hatten. 'Straight down the line for both of us,' sagt er zu Phyllis: Wenn sie den Plan richtig durchführen würden, dann müssten sie ihn bis zum Ende durchführen. Er erzählt Keyes auf Band, dass er sich als Versicherungsangestellter immer vorgekommen wäre, wie ein Angestellter eines Casinos, der den Leuten dabei zusieht, wie sie immer wieder die Bank sprengten. Er hätte schon lange den Wunsch verspürt, selber mal die Bank bei ihrem Spiel zu schlagen und sie zu sprengen. Dieses Straight down the line klingt demnach, wie ein Gelöbnis eines Spielers, so lange zu spielen, bis er verliert. Phyllis verführt ihn, ja, aber er gehorcht ihr nur allzu bereitwillig und nimmt den Plan in seine eigenen Hände. Sie soll nur machen, was er sagt, immerhin sei er ja der Versicherungsprofi und wisse, wie man so ein Ding durchführen müsse. In Walter steckt schon von Anfang an genügend kriminelle Energie, Phyllis braucht ihn nur anzutippen. Trotzdem ist 'Double Indemnity' vor allem eine Geschichte über Manipulation. Es ist furchtbar mitanzusehen, wie geschickt sie diesen Walter manipuliert und ihn glauben lässt, er hätte die Zügel in der Hand. Dabei bleibt immer sie die Strippenzieherin. Diese Phyllis ist keine verträumte Psychopathin, wie Diane aus 'Angel Face', keine hysterisch Verliebte wie Ellen aus 'Leave her to heaven', keine Verwirrte wie Joan Crawford in 'Posessed'; diese Phyllis Dietrichsen ist bei klarem Verstand. Sie weiß was sie tut und sie weiß was nehmen will. Und sie ist ein Narziß. Als Walter fragt, was auf ihrer Fusskette eingraviert wäre, sagt sie 'Phyllis'. Sie ist so schnörkellos, wie der Film selbst. Denn auch 'Double Indemnity' wird ziemlich geradlinig heruntererzählt; keine verschachtelten Flashbacks (Out of the Past), keine komplizierten Sub-Plots (Laura). Walter Neff setzt sich hin und erzählt langsam und schmerzhaft den Untergang eines Mannes ohne Eigenschaften, und, wie er zum Spielball einer bösen Frau wird. Das ist schlimm mit anzusehen, und meisterhaft in seiner Simplizität. Zu Beginn erscheint Phyllis, nur mit einem Handtuch bedeckt, auf der Balkonempore in ihrem Haus, über Walter. Schon da wird klargemacht, wie die Machtverhältnisse verteilt sind. Phyllis steht über Walter und guckt auf ihn hinab. So wird es, in einem symbolischen Sinne bis zum Schluß bleiben. Er geht ins Wohnzimmer und wartet auf sie. Dort, in dem gitterartigen Muster der Jalousien, erscheint er schon gefangen in ihrem Netz. Als er den Mord begangen hat für sie, bleibt die Kamera auf ihr. Das Gesicht spiegelt eine fast sinnliche Freude wider, ob des grade neben ihr stattfindenden Mordes. Auf dem Weg zurück in die Stadt, befällt Walter ein Ekel. Phyllis merkt das und sagt 'Ain't you gonna kiss me,' worauf er, wie ein Schuljunge die Verführerin küsst. Über eines darf nicht geschwiegen werden, und zwar über Barbra Stanwycks Perücke. Schlichtweg ein Fehler Phyllis lächerlich aussehen zu lassen, um noch einmal zu unterstreichen was für ein Idiot Walter ist, auf sie hereinzufallen. Trotzdem verleiht diese Perücke dem Film einen Makel, der ihn 'lebendig' macht. Wilder, wenn man ihm etwas vorwerfen kann, neigte dazu, im Erzählen, in seiner Dramaturgie zu perfekt, zu dramaturgisch einwandfrei zu inszenieren, so dass seine Filme dadurch eine Makellosigkeit hatten, die sie zu glatt erscheinen ließ. Gleichzeitig ist es ja auch in 'Double Indemnity' so, dass grade der perfekt durchgeführte Mord als Inszenierung, dazu führt, dass die Beiden scheitern. Das Spiel vom Sehen, dass Wilder so oft in seinen Filmen spielt (seht Ihr nicht, dass das keine Frauen sind - Some like it hot (Verwandlung)/ siehst Du nicht, dass dieser englische Lord in Wahrheit Dein Freund Nestor ist ' Irma La Douce (Maskerade)), er spielt es auch hier. Siehst Du nicht, dass diese Frau 'phony' ist, dass sie falsch ist? Walter selbst sagt zum Schluß zu seinem Freund Barton Keyes (meisterhaft, der wunderbare Edward G. Robinson), er hätte nicht gesehen, dass der Mörder direkt vor ihm gesessen hätte, die ganze Zeit. Keyes antwortet, und sagt den schönen und traurigen Satz, 'closer than that, Walter'. Man kann den Film nämlich auch anders lesen, nicht als girl-boy/love-hate-story. Sondern, als Vater-Sohn-Drama. Als Geschichte eines jungen Mannes, der dem Älteren beweisen will, dass er schon mehr kann, dass er gewiefter und ausgekochter ist. 'I love you, too,' ist die Antwort, die Walter seinem Freund Barton immer gibt, wenn dieser mal wieder über Gott und die Welt geschimpft hat. Und gibt ihm ein Streichholz für seine Zigarre. Am Schluß, als Walter seine letzte Zigarette rauchen will, ist es Barton, der ihm Feuer gibt. Aber auch da ist Walter noch ein Träumer. Er denkt, er könne es bis nach Mexiko schaffen, dabei ist es klar, wie Barton sagt, dass er es nicht weiter, als bis zur Tür schafft. Walter schafft es nicht in die Freiheit, er stirbt in der kleinen Vorhölle des Büros. Gute DVD, nettes Making-Of. Gehört in jede ernsthafte Filmsammlung.