It's a classic film noir with an interesting approach. It's set in Los Angeles, California during 1943. Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), an insurance salesman, confesses to a murder at the movie's beginning and then narrates the story as a confession to Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), the experienced claims investigator for the insurance company.
We learn the unfolding of a murder plot between Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) against Dietrichson's husband (Tom Powers). It involves selling Mr. Dietrichson a double indemnity accidental death policy without his knowledge. We also meet Mr. Dietrichson's daughter with his deceased first wife, Lola (Jean Heather), and Lola's hot-tempered boyfriend, Nino Zachetti (Byron Barr).
The film follows the development of the murder plot, its execution, and the fallout as Barton Keyes begins to investigate and suspect murder.
"Double Indemnity" is a marvelous movie with all the fast-paced dialogue of film noir, many shadows, and great performances by Neff and Stanwyck. Their lack of chemistry is cold, deliberate, and effective. Robinson is good as the number-crunching investigator. The other characters make less of an impression.
I would have given this a 10, but some of the twists at the end don't work as well as they should.
We learn the unfolding of a murder plot between Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) against Dietrichson's husband (Tom Powers). It involves selling Mr. Dietrichson a double indemnity accidental death policy without his knowledge. We also meet Mr. Dietrichson's daughter with his deceased first wife, Lola (Jean Heather), and Lola's hot-tempered boyfriend, Nino Zachetti (Byron Barr).
The film follows the development of the murder plot, its execution, and the fallout as Barton Keyes begins to investigate and suspect murder.
"Double Indemnity" is a marvelous movie with all the fast-paced dialogue of film noir, many shadows, and great performances by Neff and Stanwyck. Their lack of chemistry is cold, deliberate, and effective. Robinson is good as the number-crunching investigator. The other characters make less of an impression.
I would have given this a 10, but some of the twists at the end don't work as well as they should.