Double Indemnity
The hairstyle of the main character makes me go @.@ But, unlike “The Big Sleep”, that is the only thing that could possibly confuse me. “Double Indemnity” is impressively clear. As expected of Billy Wilder, his characterization of characters is precise, clear and strangely understandable. He doesn’t follow clichés, he sets them.
In many ways, the film was indeed full of clichés. We have the incredibly evil female, the gullible male who falls in love with her (even though he might not be completely stupid) and the alternative girl who is sweet and loving and worried. The aforementioned disturbing hairstyle is perhaps the only thing that makes you wonder about the film – how can you truly feel attracted to a woman like that? Nevertheless, though, Barbara Stanwyck is a top actress. The beauty of her face helps, but I’d say she is no worse than Jean Simmons when it comes to playing the role of the dangerous femme fatale. I also really liked Fred MacMurray as the poor, gullible dude and the wonderful triangle Neff-Mrs. Dietrichson-Keyes is probably the reason why the film worked so well for me. The superb acting really brings out all those characters.
There is one slightly strange, very Hollywood-ish thing with femme fatales. Men are smitten by them and commit the strangest crimes for them, yet they never actually love the woman. It’s like a occupational disease typical for femme fatales that they never feel loved, at least not by the person who loves them.
I have actually not seen so many film noirs, but the ones I have seen were brilliant. I’d say “Double Indemnity” is at least equal to the likes of “Out of the Past” or “Laura”, and yet again establishes Billy Wilder as an impressive multi-talented director. No wonder he is the source of the subtitle to this blog.