Double Indemnity

Movie review by Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media
Double Indemnity Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 12+

Dark, dialogue-heavy classic of grim suspense.

NR 1944 104 minutes
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 4 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 6 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is a grim, downbeat "film noir" narrative. Evil doesn't triumph, but the main character makes bad choices and is pretty much doomed from the inception. He falls for another man's wife and tries to help her kill her husband (the woman also turns out to embody the worst sort of wicked-stepmother image, late in the story). There is nothing explicitly sensual in this narrative, even as much later "steamy erotic thrillers" copied the vibe and used it as an excuse for graphic sex and nudity. This one would merit just a PG today.

Community Reviews

ahmed aiman 99
ahmed aiman 99 Adult
April 15, 2019
age 9+

Double Film-Noir!

With overtones of moral failure that almost make you remorse on behalf of the protagonist, undertones of lust, crackling dialogue that's as cynical as it's extremely classy and sharp-witted, a grim atmosphere of impending doom created by the stunning black-and-white photography, it's safe to say that my first Billy Wilder has all the trademarks of film-noir. That said, I wouldn't be wrong in saying that this film is kinda subversive; only on its own terms. In saying that, I mean that the jaw-dropping nuances Wilder has sizzled this film with, and the painstaking attention to details gave Double Indemnity unique taste, and made it stand out from all the films of its kind. Giving away the plot synopsis usually tarnishes the experience of watching your typical film noir because the toughness of them are their small details, let alone doing so with this one in addition to explaining why I find the subtlety of it so mesmerizing. Watch Double Indemnity and you’ll know what I mean straight away! Alas, It seems that this very meticulous attention to detail came at the expense of making the most important the most crucial moments and the turning points convincing. The academic nature of the film's plotting made a lot of decisive moments a bit hard to swallow. It also made the movie drag, surprisingly, at what should have been the most intriguing part. All the performances here are fine, but it's Edward G. Robinson who steals the show for me. He plays the quick-witted, determined investigator, Barton Keyes, who may be a bit too smart and clever to be believable; but thanks to Robinson's fierce performance, Keyes hands down is my favorite character in the movie. Double Indemnity is an extremely well-crafted moody crime film that transcends the nature of its plotting with an unprecedented, unmatched, unsurpassable subtlety that made the main characters lifelike, and made the story thought-provoking in the first place. It raised the bar and set the standard for film-noir making at its time, and continues to inspire every neo-noir film, nay every crime film to this day. (8.5/10)

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
sarge123
sarge123 Adult
October 2, 2015
age 18+

Excellent but dark. 14+

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Told in flashback, this classic film noir centers on insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who pays a call to the home of Phyllis Dietrich (Barbara Stanwyck) and is immediately smitten with her. Glamorous Phyllis makes no secret about her unhappy marriage to an older man, and how much she'd like to see her husband get insured heavily -- and then die. Lovestruck Walter tells Phyllis that since he knows the business inside and out, he can stage a foolproof murder that will pay double. When Phyllis' husband "accidentally" breaks his neck, even Walter's sharp-eyed partner seems fooled -- temporarily. As the screws tighten on Walter, he starts to realize just how devious Phyllis can be.

Is It Any Good?

DOUBLE INDEMNITY has all the hallmarks of film noir – it's a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific black-and-white photography, and overtones of impending doom. This is one of the best, all right, even if, like Casablanca, it's practically all talk.

Even today, these characters' jaded attitudes toward taking a life is bracingly sinister; as if right and wrong don't matter in this milieu, only getting caught or getting away with it. Add to this lack of remorse themes of obsession and betrayal and the power of great film noir is revealed.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Walter Neff, and why a smart, successful insurance salesman would throw away his life for a scheming woman. Are his motivations realistic, or more of a crossover from "film noir," the wave of pessimistic detective movies and moody crime thrillers that suddenly came out of 1940s Hollywood? What modern movies have you seen that remind you of the classic film noir style? You might get history-minded kids to look into the life and work of writers James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler who inspired this film, and even further back to the real-life 1927 Ruth Snyder/Judd Gray murder case that inspired this movie.

Movie Details

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