Criterion Collection: Double Indemnity, dir. Billy Wilder

The Wiz RECOMMENDS Double Indemnity It can't be denied that Double Indemnity is, indeed, as good as people say it is. It's a noir film that, instead of making it a story about "whodunit?", it's a story of "why did he do it?" This twist in the narrative makes it a more interesting to watch as Neff spills his guts as to why he committed murder and insurance fraud with his lover Phyllis. And while Fred MacMurray doesn't exactly captivate the screen (he's fine for what his character is), two performances really stand out: The obvious one is Barbara Stanwyck as the femme fatale. Her character goes from damsel to villain as the film moves forward and he performance keeps up with the story, making Phyllis much more entertaining as the story moves forward. But my honest favorite performance is Edward G. Robinson. Robinson takes over every scene he is in with his lovable curmudgeonly performance as an insurance claims investigator and Neff's friend and co-worker. But the dialogue is one of the big highlight. Acid tinged and cynical, it gives the feel of a noir right away when Neff and Phyllis talk and never lets up. Double Indemnity has been known as a peerless gem of the noir genre...and I can't disagree with that statement. It's performances and dialogue entertain and surprise as the film goes through its paces.