Double Indemnity (1944)

The perfect murder is so hard to come by. Although I've never tried it, (and hopefully, if everything goes right in my life, I never will) I have seen countless movies in which characters plot and plan and plot some more to commit "the perfect crime". In The Killing, everything almost went right for Sterling Hayden's character. He had just committed a great racetrack heist that left him and his girlfriend sitting on loads of dough. He was even at the airport with the money all set in his briefcase when he suddenly became exposed by an obnoxious poodle. In Fargo, William H. Macy's character hopes to set up the perfect kidnapping of his wife, but temperemental henchmen and stubborn fathers foil the plan. In Double Indemnity, which I caught late last night on TCM, insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is tempted by depressed housewife Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck) to kill her husband and walk away with a $100,000 insurance policy on his life. Neff, who has seen all the tricks in the world that people will pull to get a fake "accidental death" payout, devises what he believes to be the perfect plan to get away with it. But of course, nothing is ever that easy.

It was pretty late when I watched Double Indemnity, so I couldn't throw on my analytical goggles (not a metaphor, my goggles are blue with lightning bolts on the strap that goes aorund my head) and study the settings of the film. However, I was still awake enough to be engulfed in this film's suspense. What started off as a rather slow film that I was questioning if I should watch any further, ended up as a very engaging film that had me glued to my seat. Even though the film begins with Neff going into his boss' office and recording his confession, I was still eager to see how things would turn out. I kept getting fooled into thinking maybe they could get away with it. That is probably from the writing and directing of Billy Wilder, who I am told is a masterful film-maker. I have not been exposed to Wilder much, (and by much I mean this is the first film I have seen from him) but I would like to see more of his work now that I enjoyed Double Indemnity so much.

I really enjoyed the screenplay of this film, only because people don't talk that way anymore. I loved the wit that characters spoke with, because not many people anymore possess such a quality. I don't have nearly as much of it as I would like to. Here are just a few examples that I particularly enjoyed. You may not see what I see, but I would still like to share them. (I couldn't find all of them, so I posted some from memory)

Barton Keyes (Neff's boss)- "I picked you for the job, not because I think you're so darn smart, but because I thought you were a shade less dumb than the rest of the outfit. Guess I was wrong. You're not smarter, Walter... you're just a little taller."

Edward S. Norton (Keyes' boss)- "The witness from the train, what was his name?"
Keyes- "His name was Jackson. Probably still is."

Neff- "Where would the living room be?"
Maid- "It's over there, but they always keep the liquor locked up."
Neff- "That's OK. I carry my own keys."

Phyllis- "I wonder if I know what you mean."
Neff- "I wonder if you wonder."

There were a few more but this'll do.