Review of Double Indemnity (1973) by Kyle V — 15 Aug 2009

I don't know what it was, maybe her incredible legs or her puppy dog eyes but Barbara Stanzwyk had me drooling all over the place as if I was in a Tex Avery cartoon. A good lookin.

dame like her makes it so much more believable that this lowly insurance salesman (who, for some reason, is an amazingly smooth sweetalker. You don't see too many suave insurance salesmen like this guy.)would help assist this beautiful woman in the murder of her calloused husband.

Billy Wilder helms the Director's chair for this flick and never fails when he's behind the camera lens. The atmosphere of the film was dark and brooding while also giving barbara stanzwyk's character this sexy but sadistic look to her.

The music is beautiful is this film! This is also the case in Sunset Boulevard (the other Billy Wilder film i've seen of this kind of nature). Billy Wilder knows how to edit a movie so that the music weaves together with the visuals and the movements of the characters. The sharp stings of the ensemble come in at just the right time with beautiful sweeping glory. The music gets dark at just the approriate times it needs to.

I particualarly loved Edward G. Robinson, who plays the good guy of sorts ( or is he the bad guy? I don't know who i'm really rooting for!) in this later film of his. He's a fast talking man with some great dialogue in this film and Ed Robinson plays his part convincingly well. i'd have to say his acting is above all the rest. But, I gotta give Barbara Stanzwyk credit for playing A sexy dame while also giving the audience this brooding feeling that she shouldn't be trusted. Should she? Well, folks, you'll have to watch and find out for yourself.

Some cite this as one of the first film noirs (although I think M should helm that honor myself) and the film has all of the elements that makes one great. The moonlight shining into a dark room, the smoke, the gritty feeling throughout. It's one of the first entries into the night life of the big city and the characters, seductions and deceptions that lay underneath when the lights go out.