AFI Top 100: #29
Billy Wilder has become one of my favorite classic directors since I began the AFI Top 100 list and over the course of his work, I've learned to really appreciate his use of comedy and romance. His 1944 feature Double Indemnity, however, is not at all what I would have expected from a filmmaker of his magnitude. This film is an incredibly interesting look at Wilder's dip into noir and there is a lot that I love about this and some elements that I feel like could have been greatly improved upon. Although this movie is a dramatic and romantic noir throughout, I feel like it had the potential to cross genres more than it already did. I know Wilder as the director of some hilarious, classic comedies and I just feel like this film could have tapped into that more. Even though this is one of his earlier works, I was still expecting a bit more and was let down when I could not get past my mild annoyance of the noir genre.
Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is an insurance agent who is tasked with tracking down Mr. Dietrichson (Tom Powers) and his wife Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck) for a payment. When Neff begins to fall in love with Phyllis, she convinces him to help her kill her husband in order to get the insurance payout that would come with his death but Neff soon realizes that the crime is a much deeper investment than he thought. One of the biggest aspects of this film is its obvious genre of noir and how Wilder is really unafraid to dive headfirst into the nearly ridiculous story. Other noirs of this time seem to be much darker and more relentless in tone but I really loved how this film feels fairly lighthearted, despite the violent subject matter at times. Wilder and Raymond Chandler's script was entirely wacky and the constant tugging and pulling that can be expected from a story like this were very much prevalent. I loved how characters kept getting introduced and deepening the conflict between Neff and Dietrichson and even though it felt like a bit much at times, it only kept me on my toes. I also loved the framing narrative that Wilder decides to use with the constant utilization of flashbacks throughout the movie. This tactic is rarely seen in classic films of this era but I thought it was an excellent choice given the plot material. However, if there's one thing I can really appreciate about this film, its how dedicated Wilder is to going all-out and making a full-on noir. I can see myself bringing this film up when asked about examples for classic noir and his decision to not hold back on the tropes and clichés of the genre actually becomes respectable. Like I've mentioned before, I am not a fan of the genre and find them to be quite dull but with the direction and wonderful craftmanship from Wilder, it was difficult for me to not at least enjoy this movie.
Despite Wilder doing the best he could with Double Indemnity, I felt like there was something missing throughout and I've come to realize that it's the comedy that one can usually find within a Wilder film. This movie is a drama through and through but with its lighthearted and almost bouncy pacing, it was begging for some comedy. Despite the occasional line that garners a chuckle, this film leans on the side of satire and I feel like much more comedy could have been introduced into its world to make it that much more enjoyable. Perhaps it's because of the outlandish plot points and how Wilder seems to want to make exactly what his audience wants, but this movie had so much more potential for greatness that I was expecting. Another part of the film that I feel could have been greatly improved was the script and how generic so much of the dialogue came across. I frankly would not be able to reiterate to anyone the characteristics or personality traits of this cast of characters and even though all of their performances were fantastic, I just was not on board with many of the plot choices. A good, noir thriller has to have its twists and turns but I feel like a lot of Wilder and Chandler's choices were too far-fetched for their own good. This plays into one of my many issues with the genre and how unmoved I am by the spontaneity of noirs. So many classic films can be relegated into this type of drama and while I know there are plenty of amazing examples, this one never really seemed to rise above mediocrity. I will always adore Wilder's filmmaking and love to educate myself with his vast array of stories but just like with other movies in the genre, I was less than impressed.
Double Indemnity is a film that I have heard only spectacular things about but one that I just feel like was not exactly for me. While I am already unaffected and unamused by the noir genre, I feel like this one was not quite different. For a film of the genre to really impress me, I need to see something unlike anything I have seen before or could predict and while Wilder's film came close, it just wasn't enough to fully make me appreciate the story. Wilder proves himself a better director in his later films and I would recommend those as opposed to this addition to his filmography.
My Rating: ★★★½
No comments:
Post a Comment