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ON THE SHELF: Billy Wilder, Double Indemnity (1944)
04/06/2009 When I think of classic Hollywood film noir, I think of this. Black and white picture, cigarettes smoked like they were made of candy, crazy dames, some unintentionally funny, dated dialogue (“They know more tricks than a carload of monkeys”). It’s the perfect rainy day companion, and for a movie made in the early ‘40s, it never gets old. The Double Indemnity Legacy Series DVD has Turner Classic Movies’ Robert Osborne introduce the film with a nice piece of interesting tidbits, and that’s always a bonus. He is for movie buffs what Mr. Rogers was to the neighborhood: a warm, friendly personality who always seems as if he’s talking only to you. Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck may have gotten the lion’s share of the attention back in the day (and why not, they are the leads), but for my money, Edward G. Robinson is the best part of the picture. Glad to know (thanks to Osborne’s quick intro) that Robinson decided to do the movie after initially having reservations about not being a lead. His part is pretty significant, actually, and as he once put it himself, he is kind of the third lead. It’s not a flawless movie, nor is it Wilder’s best (I think I would give that honor to Some Like it Hot), but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one nonetheless, and it picks up a great deal once it hits its stride about 40 minutes in. Plus, if you’re desperate for a few bucks, there may be a few helpful hints hidden around here. That is supposen, of course, you don’t mind knocking someone off in the process. Comments [post a comment]Comments are closed |
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Saturday, March 13, 2010
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Film Film Noir Billy Wilder Double Indemnity