Double Indemnity (1944)
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler, from the novel by James M. Cain
Stars: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Byron Barr
Insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) uses his inside knowledge of insurance fraud to help Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) knock off her husband and collect his insurance money.
However, as inevitably happens in these films, the scheme doesn't come off exactly as planned, and guilt, doubt, and fear begin to gnaw at the conspirators, leading to the final betrayal.
A time-tested formula, never done better than it is here.
The photography, the sharp dialogue, the tense direction, and the fine acting all lead to a very satisfying film.
The scenes between MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson, as the insurance investigator who closes in on MacMurray and Stanwyck, are the highlights of this excellent film.
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