Double Indemnity

I was always interested in the film noir genre from the war period. I have enjoyed it mostly in the American detective and crime movies from the nineties, which were referencing that time. But when I really started watching something like that, I did not find in it what I’ve always imagined. And most of all, I lacked anything that would resemble the mystique and the atmosphere connected to it. (04/15/2016)

The absence of color in movies is usually a way for the filmmakers to enhance their vision. However, in bad filmmaking, it's more of a desperate attempt to convince viewers they're watching a piece of art. This film falls into neither of these categories. It's black and white simply because it remembers World War II, with no Technicolor added. Yet, even its age didn't stop it from thoroughly entertaining me. Sure, I was deprived of the opportunity to test my deductive abilities; when the narrator is the killer, you don't have to rack your brain. But that wasn't the point here. It was about the story, which was interesting, wonderfully shot and acted, and filled with brilliantly written dialogues like, "There's a very good osteopath down here I want to see before I leave." "Okay, Mr. Jackson. Just don't put her on the expense account." / Lesson learned: Do you have a perfect plan in mind? Assume it will be as fail-safe as the Titanic. (06/01/2022)

Noir quality with an excellent and well acted main (anti)hero, suspenseful from the very beginning to the very end and with perfect music by Rózsa. I liked the confrontations with the investigative bulldog Keyes even more than the scenes with Fred MacMurray and the uncompromising femme fatale Barbara Stanwyck. I'd be interested in a non-Chandler book to compare with a very Chandler film. (12/02/2014)

A voiceover. A femme fatale. In black and white. Classic. As far as the plot goes, it's indeed a relatively straightforward spectacle where you can anticipate the hint of every twist, but when Billy Wilder presents noir, the form doesn't let you down with even a single misstep. (10/01/2011)

I will not concern myself with how high the film Double Indemnity would rank in the imaginary hierarchy of the best film noirs, but I must say that it is an example of a highly professional genre film where all elements from the screenplay, direction, casting, performances, to the last technical profession, work as they should, and the result is a spectacle that is impressive even today, and considering the time of its creation, it is simply a top-notch film. This is how I imagine a genre film classic. Although the screenplay is essentially very simple, the execution is a delight. Overall impression: 90%. (06/30/2012)