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What can I possibly write about Double Indemnity that hasn’t been written already? For the two of you who read this and haven’t seen the film, it is far and away the best example of film noir ever shot, and arguably one of the greatest films ever made. Double Indemnity combined a taut, dark story with outstanding acting and direction in a truly original way.
 The story involves an insurance salesman and a seductive housewife, plotting to cash in on her husband’s accidental death policy by arranging his not-so-accidental demise. In the words of one historian, it’s the story of an adulterer and a fornicator plotting to commit murder. Subject matter doesn’t get much darker than that, especially within the strict moral guidelines of the censors of the day. In short, this was not the sort of film anyone expected to come along in 1944, when standard fare was WWI movies, westerns and romantic comedies.
That in itself is not enough, though, to make this movie a classic. What puts it over the top is a combination of great acting, a taut script and cinematography that, at the time, was truly groundbreaking. The term “film noir” is a reference not only to the dark subject matter, but also to the dark lighting that permeates the film. John F. Seitz, cinematographer on the film, captured shadows in ways that were truly unique. Shadows of Venetian blinds across the actors, dust motes in the air, scenes where the actors are half cast in pitch black, these were things that helped bring the darkness of the script into physical being on the screen.
Fred MacMurray, cast against type as the insurance salesman, is a standout as an amoral man who, in many ways, you can’t help but root for. Barbara Stanwyck portrays the femme fatale so well that her performance launched a thousand copycats. Then there's Edward G. Robinson playing Keyes, MacMurray’s boss and friend who just can’t leave well enough alone as he investigates the claim. All of these performances are excellent and, amazingly, none of the performers initially wanted to be in the film.
This brings us to Billy Wilder, the man who directed the film and co-wrote the script (along with Raymond Chandler). It was Wilder who convinced each actor to take  these “out of character” roles. It was Wilder whose ingenuity got his vision on the screen despite the censors. Without Wilder, there would be no Double Indemnity.
It’s a must see, and not just as a study in film history. It’s plainly and simply a great film that bears repeated viewings. It was nominated for seven academy awards in the year of its release and, though it didn’t win a single one, I’ll bet you would be hard pressed to tell me the plots or even the titles of the movies that did. If you’ve never seen Double Indemnity, stop reading this right now and get your ass to the video store.
Presentation
This is not the first release of this film on DVD. In fact, I’ve read more than one complaint about the fact that Universal made this a two-disc set in an effort to cash in one more time on a classic. I would have to agree with those complaints, but we’ll get into that in the bonus features.
 As for the main feature, I don’t remember it ever looking better. I studied this film in college and I can easily say this transfer blows what I saw out of the water. The blacks are rich and the grays shimmer.
The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 mono and sounds fine.
Bonus Features
Here’s where this set both excels and pisses me off. First up, the short feature Shadows of Suspense is a fantastic look at the film and its place in film history. Many of the stories surrounding the making of Double Indemnity are examined and, while it features plenty of talking heads, the short running time and liberal use of scenes from the movie help it move along briskly.
 Next, there are two commentaries. The first is a commentary by Richard Schickel, a film historian who does a passable enough job talking you through the film. He spends a lot of time discussing the script and its comparisons to the novel. This is good stuff, though much of it is also covered in the featurette.
The second is a commentary by historian/screenwriter Lem Dobbs and film historian Nick Redman. This commentary is peppered with first person stories from Dobbs, who had the pleasure of interacting with Wilder among others. This commentary is pretty entertaining and my favorite of the two.
Rounding out disc one is the trailer for the film.
It’s time to discuss disc two. At this point, I would like to address Universal Films directly.
Dear Sirs,
It has now come to everyone’s attention that you are bent on sucking every last dollar from film fans in any way you possibly can. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I take heart in the fact that one day you will lay rotting, clutching bills you will never be able to spend. You can’t take it with you, assholes, so stop bleeding us dry.
Affectionately yours,
Cary Christopher
 The only thing on disc two is a 1973 television remake of the movie starring Richard Crenna and Samantha Eggar. Had this never seen the light of day ever again, no one would give a damn. It’s not a terrible effort, but it adds absolutely nothing to this set unless you view it as an example of how much more effective the story is in Wilder and Seitz’s hands. Thus, this was a blatant attempt to make this a two-disc set in order to charge you, the fan, a few dollars more for it.
Bottom Line
Aside from the second disc, which is clearly an effort on Universal’s part to push this into a two-disc release, this is a must own for film fans. Watching the film and listening to the commentaries is akin to taking a class on how to write and direct an effective thriller. Double Indemnity is highly, highly recommended.
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