Verdict:
Released at a time when half the world was in flames, Double Indemnity has become the primary example of the Noir genre. It is a smart movie for most part, though it has a few lapses in its intelligence for the sake of the plot, as it assumes that the general public does not know about the existence of fingerprint identification or the fact that strangulation leaves marks on a victims neck.
The murder at the center of the story is handled rather poorly from a technical perspective. Everything else around it is interesting. The movie is far more intelligent and refined at the emotional level than at the technical level.
The main character dictates the story into a recorder, narrating what happened before each scene. He also explains straight from the start that he kills someone, which is a missed opportunity for a little mystery and a twist, but ok. The tension builds towards the second half, as Walter Neff, played by Fred MacMurray, descends down the dark path of murder and betrayal. The story is good at keeping you sucked in.
There are a couple of very good performances and a couple of not so good ones. Richard Gaines plays the head of the insurance company. You do not see him for long, but has a very weird delivery of lines. Among the more well-known actors is Edward Robinson (Little Caesar, Key Largo) as the claims adjuster and it is a delight to watch this sharp observant character. Barbara Stanwyck is the next strongest character, playing the femme fatale with a mesmerizing and reserved performance.
The main male character is one of the weakest, with a fast delivery, like a machine gun, and the quick use of “baby”, like that is his Tourette’s word. Fred MacMurray was one of the highest paid actors at the time and I do not understand the appeal at all. Perhaps, the character was not well written. His lines in the first part indicate that he is an intelligent person. Other characters comment that he has above average capabilities. Yet he falls for a silly plan. And this happens rather suddenly too, as he straight up narrates that he is falling for it. There is also a disconnect between his performance and that of Stanwyck. Hers is realistic like in a modern movie, while his is stylistic, like was often expected back in that time period. She acts with her eyes and hands. He spits fast lines.
Competent noir-style visuals wrap this movie in a dark atmosphere. The genre is known for Dutch angles, but I (thankfully) haven’t seen that many here. The movie is well paced; the tension is good, and the writing is fine as long as you do not mind a little bit of that 40s stylization, like when the lady stares up at the guy with teary eyes and the screen is blurred as the dramatic violins play. Either it works for you or makes you want to laugh. Still, there is no denying that Double Indemnity is one of the strongest and most influential femme fatale movies.