Double Indemnity

(Late review) TCM Two For One w/ Nathan Lane Nathan Lane picked an absolute heater for his double feature for TCM, starting with Billy Wilder’s classic noir, Double Indemnity (1944) and then Roman Polanski’s neo-noir Chinatown (1974). Both films are five star films for me, in my top 100 favorite films of all time, and both are up there as two of the greatest screenplays of all time. But starting with Billy Wilder’s incredible Double Indemnity, this film still mesmerizes me on a rewatch. Barbara Stanwyck became one of my favorite actresses ever after watching this outstanding performance for the first time. She alone is mesmerizing, and as much of a “femme fatale” her character Phyllis is, I felt like I could understand why Walter (Fred MacMurray) was too entranced by Phyllis to notice she’s not as she seems. And I think that’s thanks to the genius of Billy Wilder’s incredible screenplay. I absolutely adore this film. Billy Wilder is also one of the my favorite directors and screenwriters in cinema, I don’t think I’ve seen a film of his I didn’t enjoy. So saying Double Indemnity is one of Wilder’s finest works is truly saying something. I highly recommend viewing this film, and hopefully not knowing much about it if it is a first watch. First Review