When in July 1944 Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity hit American cinemas, it was only moderately successful. The movie performed well enough at the box office to be considered reasonably profitable, with estimated earnings between $2.2 and $2.6 million, which was sufficient to return a good profit for Paramount Studios.
The film ranked 51st in box office revenue for 1944, but, over the years, its impact grew, owed to its stylistic and thematic innovations that eventually cemented its status as a seminal work in the film noir genre. Authors Alain Silver and James Ursini, recognized scholars in the field of movie criticism, especially for their contributions to the study of film noir and classic Hollywood cinema, devoted the book at hand to the history of the entire production process.
This comprehensive approach examines topics such as true crime influences, the transition from real-life events to fiction, and the legacy of noir. As in this case, the original true crime story inspired hard-boiled author James M. Cain to write the novel Double Indemnity in the first place. As the notorious 1920s “Snyder-Gray” murder case was all the rage for a long time. Ruth Snyder, an unsatisfied homemaker, and her lover Henry Judd Gray conspired to murder Ruth’s husband for a life insurance payout. The crime attracted widespread media attention, with Ruth being dubbed as the “Tiger Woman.”
This story was picked up in Cain’s novel and then later adapted into the iconic film by Wilder. Silver and Ursini on 350 pages highlight how this true crime narrative established the thematic tone of noir. “The Snyder-Gray case laid the groundwork for future noir narratives with its themes of betrayal, moral ambiguity, and the darker side of human nature.” This focus on psychological motives, particularly in the context of love and greed, strongly influenced the narrative arc of Cain’s works and later their film adaptations. (Several other novels of his were turned into movies later, such as The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Mildred Pierce (1945), Serenade (1956), and as late as 1982 Butterfly).
In seven chapters focused on the creative forces behind Double Indemnity, the book emphasizes the contributions of Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and others involved receive at least one respective chapter that goes into detail in chronological order.
Wilder, a filmmaker who brought his European sensibilities to Hollywood, was integral to adapting Cain’s novel into a screenplay that embraced a dark, fatalistic tone. Despite their strained relationship, the collaboration produced a tightly written script that explored the moral decay of its characters. Chandler was not actually a fan of James M. Cain’s writing style, calling it “everything I detest.” He did not want to simply adapt Cain’s work as-is, which may have caused him to feel less inclined to take the project on alone. His unfamiliarity with Cain’s original material as well as his disapproval of its tone contributed to his reluctance to lead the adaptation solo. Wilder was equally critical of Chandler and his attitude towards writing and editing the script: “There was something about him … bad-tempered, kind of acid, sour, grouchy.” On the other hand, Wilder’s direction and his collaboration with cinematographer John Seitz was smooth and quite successful, it helped visually establish film noir’s “haunting, oppressive atmosphere” using deep shadows, stark lighting contrasts, and confined spaces. This aesthetic became foundational to the noir style and has influenced countless films since. Wilder’s use of low-key lighting and stark contrasts between light and dark is credited with giving the film its haunting, oppressive atmosphere. The shadowy interiors and nighttime exteriors symbolize the moral murkiness of the characters’ decisions, while the famous Venetian blinds motif, casting shadows across characters’ faces, visually represents their entrapment in the schemes they’ve concocted. These visual techniques not only enhance the tension but also underscore the film’s themes of deception and manipulation.
The movie plot, although simple, was superbly turned into a masterpiece by Seitz and Wilder; it centers on how the main characters Phyllis Dietrichson and Walter Neff, portrayed by Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, embody central noir archetypes – the femme fatale and the anti-hero – as they devise and execute a murderous plan. Phyllis, a manipulative and seductive figure, drives the film’s plot through her cunning use of Neff’s weaknesses. Walter Neff is transformed from a confident insurance salesman to a morally compromised character, highlighting themes of obsession, moral ambiguity, and fate. “Stanwyck’s portrayal of Phyllis shaped the archetype of the femme fatale, emphasizing her ability to control and exploit the men around her for her own gain.” Phyllis’s motivations remain intentionally ambiguous, making her one of noir’s most memorable villains and solidifying the femme fatale’s place in the genre. Although the characters of the original novel differ from their screen representation; as in Cain’s novel, the character is named Walter Huff, and he is much more cynical, detached, and perhaps even sociopathic compared to his film counterpart. Huff’s initial attraction to Phyllis and the murder plot stems as much from his own amorality as it does from Phyllis’s manipulations. She (Phyllis Nirdlinger in the novel) undergoes significant character changes in the adaptation, as in the novel, she is portrayed as outright evil, with a history of murderous intent, including previous husbands and possibly even children, which casts her as a cold-blooded psychopath.
Her motivations are clear: she is driven by power and the thrill of killing. In the film, Phyllis is still manipulative and ruthless, but her character is softened slightly. Generally, Cain’s novel is more straightforward, following a linear progression of events. Wilder’s film, on the other hand, employs the important flashback structure, which adds to the suspense and tension. Edward G. Robinson’s portrayal of Barton Keyes, the sharp-witted insurance investigator, serves as the moral counterbalance to Neff in both novel and movie. Keyes represents justice and intellect, further heightening the dramatic tension as Neff’s double life begins to unravel.
Ursini and Silver also examine the broader societal themes reflected in the film, that was produced during a period of significant social change in America, so Double Indemnity speaks to the growing anxieties of post-WWII society. The film’s exploration of betrayal, crime, and fate mirrored the era’s disillusionment, aligning with the disillusionment of Depression-era America and the aftermath of the war. As such, it “… became the quintessential example of film noir, with its exploration of the seductive power of evil, the fragility of human relationships, and the inevitability of fate.” These elements, combined with an incisive critique of American capitalism, where financial gain overrides moral considerations, contributed to the film’s cultural resonance. The movie was one, if not “the” catalyst for film noir’s rise, setting the standard for subsequent films with its use of voice-over narration, morally complex characters, and fatalistic story line. Its success helped usher in the era of film noir, with studios across Hollywood embracing similar stories of doomed criminality, shadowy atmospheres, and complex moral questions. Naturally the authors mention some of the restrictions imposed by the Hollywood Production Code, that influenced the film’s creative direction, necessitating subtlety in the portrayal of violence and adultery. Wilder’s ability to navigate these constraints while maintaining a dark tone was pivotal in defining the genre’s sophisticated style.
The lasting influence of Double Indemnity and the film noir genre as a whole is undisputed, due to the expert blending of strong narrative techniques, groundbreaking visual styles, and nuanced performances. This is all owed to “… Wilder’s obsessive, probing intellectual curiosity, his insatiable inquiry into the impenetrable inscape of human consciousness, a strikingly aggressive and personalized descent into the subterranean world of noir.” The movie’s legacy continues in neo-noir films, where contemporary directors build on the visual and thematic foundations laid by Wilder and his contemporaries. It has inspired filmmakers, critics, and audiences for generations, solidifying its place as a benchmark for noir storytelling – blend of romance, betrayal, and the inexorable pull of fate. And Silver’s and Ursini’s new study that contains dozens of black-and-white set photographs, movies stills and press releases make it difficult to find a more exhaustive book on the movie.
Review by Dr. A. Ebert © 2024
Alain Silver and James Ursini. From the Moment They Met It Was Murder: Double Indemnity and the Rise of Film Noir. Running Press Adult (Turner Classic Movies), 2024, 352 p.
