The urgentlytold, highlystylized story was wilders third film after the major and the minor 1942 and five graves to cairo 1943. It was remade in 1981 with jack nicholson and jessica lange, from a script by. A remake of white christmas with donald oconnor as phil davis instead of danny kaye, as the director intended. Double indemnity 1944 is the perfect film noir, filled with deception, crime, forbidden love, and suspense.
Disc 2 contains the 1973 tv movie remake of double indemnity di2, which is worth watching at least once, if only to appreciate how much better the original is. Did these wellknown movies steal from lesserknown ones. The screen guild theater broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on february 16, 1950 with barbara stanwyck again reprising her film role. He was known as a comedic writer but he wanted to do more. Its loaded with spoilers, so dont watch it before the feature. You can even glean this from the fact that its not based on any book or novella. Double indemnity scene remake by thomas leedham, robert hunt and jake goodall. And in the choice of shot, lost all of phyllis mystique. A term of an insurance policy by which the insurance company promises to pay the insured or the beneficiary twice the amount of coverage if loss occurs due to a particular cause or set of circumstances. Lets break down all that insanity 100 essential movies any serious film fan should see by collider staff september 18, 2019. This 1973 remake of the classic 1944 billy wilder film, double indemnity, is a textbook example of how to destroy a great script.
Double indemnity remake original clip by david roberts. Muller also states that noir is hollywoods only organic artistic movement, making indemnity a movie that is a symbol of a watershed era in american film. Double indemnity tv movie 1973 double indemnity tv. This remake of the 1946 movie of the same name accounts an affair. Ask someone to name a great noir, and double indemnity is likely to be the film of choice or in the top few at least. A tv remake of billy wilders film classic 1944 about a scheming wife who inveigles an insurance agent into helping her bump off her husband and of the dogged investigator, the agents boss, who. The filmmakers of the remake gave her a towel because thats what wilder did. Double indemnity 1944 in this classic film noir, fred macmurray plays a bachelor insurance salesman who falls for a seductive housewife barbara stanwyck and joins her in a plot to kill her. Even if you cant go along with that, there can be no disputing that it is. Wilders double indemnity was one of the earlier films noir.
If you like double indemnity you are looking for serious, realistic and suspenseful movies about with investigation, murder, killer, insurance fraud, crimes, love triangle and crime themes of crime, drama and romance genre shot in usa. Double indemnity is the seasons nattiest, nastiest, most satisfying melodrama. Double indemnity 1944 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. The 1973 tv remake of double indemnity 1944 didnt have a chance to begin with, so i guess they just decided to film the script reading of one of hollywoods untouchable classics. This gradeb tv fodder also illustrates the folly of remakes in general. In celebration of its greatness, here are 10 facts about how double indemnity got. The perfect material for wilder to remake himself as hollywoods dark jester for decades. In the early 1970s, paramount had plans to remake double indemnity 1944 with robert redford in the fred macmurray role. Double indemnity clauses are found most often in life insurance policies. Cains novel penned by billy wilder and raymond chandler double indemnity continues to set the standard for the best in hollywood film. This is important, because although double indemnity attempts to portray a realistic story, it still uses a expressionist structure.
The film is about a woman wrongfully imprisoned for murder who, while eluding her parole officer, tracks down her husband who had framed her. The classic film gets a modern treatment in this stunning update. Its as if someone decided to remake double indemnity and cross it with a raisin in the sun. Double indemnity, book versus movie adamtroy castro.
A calculating wife encourages her wealthy husband to sign a double indemnity policy proposed by smitten insurance agent walter neff. Double indemnity was directed by billy wilder who used his movie making instincts to create a classic film noir all others would be measured by. Robinson, tom powers, porter hall, jean heather, byron barr, fortunio bonanova. Kathleen turner body heat 1981 double indemnity remake uk. Critics debate whether double indemnity was the first true film noir. The 5 worst and 5 best american remakes of french comedies by. Those dirty double crossers are stealing our schtick. When it was over, wilder immediately phoned stanwyck, said, missy, they just didnt get it right, and hung up. Taking a necessary break from watching a movie i know practically by heart, billy wilders double indemnity. Universal home entertainments new legacy series dvd release does the movie proud, offering a 2disc edition of billy wilders classic film noir that boasts an outstanding transfer of the picture itself, two audio commentaries, an introduction by tcms own robert osborne, a documentary on the films making, a trailer, and even a long. The two commentary tracks the first by film historian. If i had one movie to explain to people what noir is, its double indemnity states author eddie muller at the start of shadows. Double indemnity 1973 a classic movie, played for a sucker. In the classic black and white aesthetic, it goes further and turns up the darkness.
Movies dont get much better than double indemnity 1944. This film has the perfect cast, with characters who are very believable in their respective roles. It was a remake of double indemnity 1944 based on the film rather than the. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. Double indemnity legal definition of double indemnity. The new package includes a good behindthescenes documentary shadows of suspense and the 1973 tv remake of double indemnity starstar, directed by jack smight, with richard crenna. Wilders first few films as a director in hollywood showed no signs of the shadowy world of film noir he would help create. Double indemnity 1944 is director billy wilders classic film noir masterpiece a. Billy wilder the cowriter and director of the original version, double indemnity 1944 and barbara stanwyck who played phyllis in the original version both saw the film in their respective homes when it broadcast. Double indemnity 70th anniversary limited edition blu. The same year we got a remake of postman, we also got this directorial debut from lawrence kasdan that is heavily inspired by cains double indemnity.
All that said, its proper film noir, and among the best film noir movies of all time. Movie remakes that improve upon the original classics. C ameron crowe called double indemnity flawless filmmaking. Double indemnity appears to have borrowed a few aspects of the early german expressionists. Critics debate whether double indemnity was the first true film noir, but the real question may be what took so long for billy wilders 1944 pic to finally get the deluxe dvd treatment. The top 100 essential movies any serious film fan should. Double indemnity 1944 full movie online free no download double indemnity 1944 full movie online free hd. The manicured lawns and donna reed coffee klatches are all too familiar. Double indemnity is a 1973 american made for television crime film directed by jack smight and starring richard crenna, lee j.
The double indemnity knockoff faceoff double indemnity 1944 is perhaps the bestknown and most loved picture in the classic hollywood a film noir cycle. Like caligari, double indemnity utilizes a flashback structure. Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Its hard for any world war ii movie made in hollywood while the actual war was. Double indemnity 1944 is director billy wilders classic film noir masterpiece a cynical, witty, and sleazy thriller about adultery, corruption and murder. New waves 2006 docu shadows of suspense is a longform 38 minutes study of the movie from all angles. As a bonus item we get an entire 1973 tv movie remake of double indemnity starring richard crenna, lee j.
Amazingly enough, as you can see above, the house has remained virtually unchanged since 1944 when double indemnity was filmed. A woman seduces an insurance man to help her murder her husband and. Double indemnity trailer directed by billy wilder and starring fred macmurray, edward g. Dietrichson becomes increasingly accident prone after his icily calculating wife encourages him to sign a double indemnity policy proposed by a smoothtalking insurance agent. Woody allen declared it the greatest movie ever made. Bfi what marks double indemnity out from other great film noirs is that sense, among all the crazy, twisted, duplicitous shenanigans, of real, human heartbreak. The photography by john seitz helped develop the noir style of sharpedged shadows and shots, strange angles and lonely edward hopper settings.
Double indemnity as a television movie in 1973 starring richard crenna who also starred in body heat, lee j. Double indemnity finally made it to the screen in 1944, and the postman always rings twice followed with its own wellreceived film version in 1946. What marks double indemnity out from other great film noirs is that sense, among all the crazy, twisted, duplicitous shenanigans, of real, human heartbreak. Watch double indemnity full movie video dailymotion. The film is a masterpiece in the filmographies of wilder and stars barbara.
These instances of double indemnity s repute and standing in film history help make clear why critics such as leitch openly match up body heat to wilders version, but do not take heed to double indemnity had previously been more honestly remade as a lesserknown movie. Double indemnity, book versus movie posted on november 6th, 2016 by adamtroy castro. Double indemnity as a television movie in 1973 starring richard crenna who also starred in body heat, lee. The double indemnity of the title refers to a clause in the policy which stipulates that in the case of certain more unlikely accidents, i.
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