Saturday, March 12, 2016

Double Indemnity (1944): Barbara Stanwyck, Femme Fatale and Film Noir


     Directed by Billy Wilder, and co-written by Raymond Chandler, Double Indemnity (1944) was an adaptation of James M. Cain's novel of the same name… which was inspired by the real-life 1927 murder perpetrated by Ruth Snyder and her lover, Judd Gray. The story concerns a provocative housewife who convinces her lover, an insurance salesman, to murder her husband to collect on an expensive life insurance policy with a double indemnity clause. The production is quintessential Film Noir, and ranks on many lists of the greatest films ever made. Fred MacMurray is great as Walter Neff, the insurance salesman and co-conspirator. Barbara Stanwyck is alluring in her role as the Femme Fatale, Phyllis Dietrichson. Edward G. Robinson is shrewd as the insurance claims adjustor. The supporting cast is good as well, including Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Byron Barr, Richard Gaines and John Philliber.

Double Indemnity: Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Edward G. Robinson and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Edward G. Robinson and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray

Double Indemnity: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray