Double Indemnity (1944)

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

James M. Cain (novel)
Billy Wilder (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 September 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

It's Love And Murder At First Sight !

Plot:

An insurance rep lets himself be talked into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigator's suspicions.

Plot Keywords:

Criminal | Atmospheric | Extramarital Affair | Crime Gone Awry | Insurance Agent

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Walter Neff
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Phyllis Dietrichson
Edward G. Robinson	...	Barton Keyes
Porter Hall	...	Mr. Jackson
Jean Heather	...	Lola Dietrichson
Tom Powers	...	Mr. Dietrichson
Byron Barr	...	Nino Zachetti
Richard Gaines	...	Edward S. Norton, Jr.
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Sam Garlopis
John Philliber	...	Joe Peters
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Anderson	...	Warden at Execution (scenes deleted)
Al Bridge	...	Execution Chamber Guard (scenes deleted)
Edward Hearn	...	Warden's Secretary (scenes deleted)
Boyd Irwin	...	First Doctor at Execution (scenes deleted)
George Melford	...	Second Doctor at Execution (scenes deleted)
William O'Leary	...	Chaplain at Execution (scenes deleted)
Lee Shumway	...	Door Guard at Execution (scenes deleted)
James Adamson	...	Pullman Porter (uncredited)
John Berry	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Nettie, Dietrichsons' Maid (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Norton's Secretary (uncredited)
Miriam Franklin	...	Keyes' Secretary (uncredited)
Harold Garrison	...	Redcap (uncredited)
Eddie Hall	...	Man in Drug Store (uncredited)
Teala Loring	...	Pacific All-Risk Telephone Operator (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Man (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel	...	Charlie, Garage Attendant (uncredited)
Frank Billy Mitchell	...	Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Clarence Muse	...	Man (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Fat Shopper in Market (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Pullman Conductor (uncredited)
Floyd Shackelford	...	Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Oscar Smith	...	Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Douglas Spencer	...	Louis L. ('Lou') Schwartz (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
James M. Cain		(novel "Double Indemnity in Three of a Kind")
Billy Wilder		(screenplay) and
Raymond Chandler		(screenplay)

Produced by
Buddy G. DeSylva	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Joseph Sistrom	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
John F. Seitz		(as John Seitz)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Bertram C. Granger		(as Bertram Granger)

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Al Trosin	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stanley Cooley	....	sound recordist
Walter Oberst	....	sound recordist
Loren L. Ryder	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Henderson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Walter McLeod	....	key grip (uncredited)
Otto Pierce	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Harlow Stengel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Paul Tranz	....	dolly grip (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Doane Harrison	....	editorial supervisor
Lee Hall	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Victor Schertzinger	....	composer: song "Tangerine"
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Gage	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Nancy Lee	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Dorothy Staton	....	stand-in: Ms. Stanwyck (uncredited)
John R. Woolfenden	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 4 Front Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Atlantic Film (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2000) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

107 min | Argentina:110 min | Canada:90 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Norway:16 | Germany:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | USA:Approved | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

1825 N. Kingsley Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The blonde wig that Barbara Stanwyck is wearing throughout the movie was the idea of Billy Wilder. A month into shooting Wilder suddenly realized how bad it looked, but by then it was too late to re-shoot the earlier scenes. To rationalize this mistake, in later interviews Wilder claimed that the bad-looking wig was intentional.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Phyllis prepares to meet Neff for the last time, the effect of "moonlight" through the blinds appears in the room just before she turns out the lamps.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Building attendant: Well, hello there, Mr. Neff.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Billy Wilder Speaks (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Tangerine

A Superb Noir Film

If you are a noir fan then this film is an absolute must see. The screenplay itself is a work of art in its charater construction, plot structure and dialogue which is delievered by an ensemble of first class actors divying up first class performances. Barbra Stanwyck as the deadly, smouldering, scheming Phyllis Dietrichson turns in a performance that is right up there with Mary Astor's Brigid O'Shaughnessy. Fred McMurray delievers a performance of a smart but desperately lovelorn patsy and Edward G. Robinson is perfect in the role of Barton Keyes and just about steals the moment every time he appears on screen.

I personally love a good Noir film and this is right up there with the best of them. Billy Wilder should be proud of this work eventhough the Academy didn't see it fit to reward him for his efforts, however I personally think this film is an absolute winner.