Spotlight

Spotlight Date: 1-April-07
Spoiler Rating: Medium

Double Indemnity (1944)

When movie buffs recollect "Double Indemnity," Billy Wilder's epitome of film noir, the first thing they probably think of is Barbara Stanwyck's hair. You know, that blond dye job with the jelly roll bangs which set off the "I don't give a rip" look in sunglasses. But what stuck with me for over 10 years after first watching "Double Indemnity" is that it's the only film I have ever seen that ends with a guy telling another guy he loves him. And kind of meaning it despite the grimness of the situation.

Yes, what makes this classic work isn't Stanwyck's femme fatale, the twists and turns of the protagonists' schemes, or the archetypal voice-over with lines like, "How could I have known that murder can sometimes smell like honeysuckle?" Rather, it's the poignant reminder that people capable of emotions like friendship can be prompted to kill with little provocation, which renders life altogether disappointing. So it is with insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), a self-satisfied bachelor who enjoys quick jobs, cold beer, and a pretty ankle on a high heel. He is only flirting when he meets Phyllis Dietrichson, the wife of a client, and bandies suggestions on the joy of adultery. Yet when he sees her a second time, and then a third, and she starts talking about her husband's cruelty and how one might go about buying accident insurance without the policyholder knowing it, Walter finds himself in Obsessionland. Which beguiles him more, Phyllis' tight sweater or the possibility of scamming a hundred grand? With men this cool it's hard to tell, but both lures have him hooked.

Walter's fascination with the perfect crime derives from his office pal Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), and this is one of the few things they have in common. Keyes is a workaholic claims investigator whose gruff exterior belies a romantic idealism, a yearning for morality and order which occupies all of his time. Outwitting such a bloodhound would be an accomplishment for Walter and Phyllis if only they could keep their wits about them. Inevitably, mutual suspicion joins Keyes' persistence to thwart them, and then Walter spends time with Phyllis' stepdaughter (Jean Heather) and reacts to her innocence. He is almost surprised to learn he still has compassion. Maybe he's even disappointed, but his is nothing compared with Keyes' disappointment upon discovering the truth. That's why "Double Indemnity" hits home. The guys in this type of movie may be hard-boiled, but in both their failings and friendships they're distressingly human.

Copyright © 2007 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.