Double indemnity 1935 is one of the classic, toughtalking murder stories of the late 1930s. He quotes generously from the films dialogue and waxes. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james. Double indemnity director billy wilder, an austrian born scriptwriter with jewish ancestry, was one of these filmmakers.
These relationships also have power dynamics that emphasize and help push the story forward. The function of the male gaze in vertigo and double. Oct 09, 2008 double indemnity director billy wilder, an austrian born scriptwriter with jewish ancestry, was one of these filmmakers. Double indemnitys tale of a femme fatale seducing a man to help her kill her husband, but this time its to inherit the diner that they run together. Jeffrey meyerss introduction provides hilarious anecdotes about the turbulent collaboration as well as background. The novella was adapted for the movie by another american crime writer raymond thornton chandler 18881959 along with director billy wilder 19062002.
The story first appeared as an 8part serial in liberty magazine in 1935. Born in baltimore, the son of the president of washington college, cain began his career as a reporter, serving in the american expeditionary force in world war i and writing for the cross of lorraine, the newspaper of the 79th division. Cains hardboiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man walter neff fred macmurray, who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck. Other articles where double indemnity is discussed. Double indemnity is based on a novella of the same name by american crime novelist james m cain 18921977. Cains first novel, the postman always rings twice, published when he was 42. Jun 22, 2016 great dialogue often makes a great scene. It is quite short especially if you ignore the padding in the foreword which serves no real purpose.
Yes, there were so many quotes i could have pulled from this book, but that kiss was a must. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and raymond chandler, and produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom. Jan 05, 2018 double indemnity does not cover natural death or one that results due to natural causes, such as aging, or a health condition, suicide, and gross negligence. On every level writing, direction, acting double indemnity 1944 is a triumph and stands as one of the greatest achievements in billy wilders career. First published in book form in the volume three of a kind 1943.
Double indemnity legal definition of double indemnity. Cain novel by wilder and raymond chandler, double indemnity represents the highwater mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m. A term of an insurance policy by which the insurance company promises to pay the insured or the beneficiary twice the amount of coverage if loss occurs due to a particular cause or set of circumstances. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. Double indemnity is a 1934 detective novella by james m cain. Cain novel by wilder and raymond chandler, double indemnity represents the highwater mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and expressionist lighting of modern cities. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Double indemnity is a clause or provision in a life insurance or accident policy whereby the company agrees to pay the stated multiple i. I need to reread postman at some point, and ive also. Respected for his vision and craft, he nevertheless remained something of a mystery to the public. Background adapted from a short novella by james m cain adapted for the screen by raymond chandler a detective novelist directed by billy wilder a jewish emigre who went on to direct a list films like sunset boul.
Double indemnity definition of double indemnity by the free. Directed by billy wilder and written by billy wilder and raymond chandler, based on a novella by james m. Also like double indemnity, this novel was adapted into a successful movie, so if you prefer to view rather than read, check out the film starring lana turner. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and. Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. Double indemnity definition of double indemnity by merriam. But all of a sudden, she looked at me, and i felt a chill creep straight up my back and into the roots of my. Barbara stanwycks phyllis dietrichsona platinum blonde who wears tight white sweaters, an anklet, and sleazykinky shoesis perhaps the best acted and the most fixating of all the slutty, coldblooded femmes fatales of the filmnoir genre.
Double indemnity was not wilders first film as director but it was the one that established his career and he is still regarded today as one of the all time great directors. James mallahan cain 18921977 was a firstrate writer of american hardboiled crime fiction. Cain, virtuoso of the roman noir, gives us a tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful story in double indemnity, an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on tuesday, march 24, 2015. In the film characters get caught up in relationships that they have to keep hidden. Double indemnity was not wilders first film as director but it was the one that established his career and he is. Double indemnity 1944 frequently asked questions imdb. The second film in the series, double indemnity by billy wilder 1944, was screened yesterday evening, june 23, 2009. Cain novel by director wilder and novelist raymond chandler, it tells the story of an insurance salesman, played by fred macmurray, who is lured into a murderfor.
Double indemnity definition is a provision in a lifeinsurance or accident policy whereby the company agrees to pay twice the face of the contract in case of accidental death. More than 50 years after its release, the classic double indemnity is one of the best films of all time. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming city of hollywood. Sep 17, 2016 the film double indemnity directed by billy wilder is a wonderful work that focuses heavily on relationships between characters. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. Cain novel by director wilder and novelist raymond chandler, it tells the story of an insurance salesman, played by fred macmurray, who is lured into a murderforinsurance plot by barbara stanwyck. Learning investigate paper about dissertation record collection retail store. Robinson, and in 1973, a tv film directed by by jack smight and starring richard crenna and samantha eggar. But all of a sudden, she looked at me, and i felt a chill creep straight up. Walter huff was an insurance salesman with an unfailing instinct for clients who might be in trouble, and his instinct led. Thus, it covers murder of the insured committed by a person other than the beneficiary of the policy and accidents, e.
Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Double indemnity by florencemcc tuesday, july 14, 2015 0 book vs movie adaptation, books, double indemnity, film, film noir permalink 0 ive been on a real film noir kick recently, probably because i signed up for tcms summer of darkness. Cain 18921977, double indemnity is based upon a true story about a weakwilled insurance agent, walter huff, who falls for sultry blond, phyllis nirdlinger. Double indemnity is the second book i read of james m. However, i shall throughout this paper employ the generally accepted name. Double indemnity, american film noir, released in 1944, that was considered the quintessential movie of its genre. It was strange reading this book as it times it seemed like i was watching an old black and white movie.
The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james m. Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, double indemnity gives us an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. Double indemnity is a 1944 film noir about an insurance rep who lets himself be talked into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigators suspicions. These are the sources and citations used to research double indemnity. Contracts between an author and publisher generally contain a clause or clauses in which the author warrants and represents a number of things including that he or she is the sole author of the work, that the work does not infringe on the rights of others and additional. Double indemnity first vintage crimeblack lizard edition 1992, isbn 0679723226, p. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic realism of the 1930s, with. Cains novel three of a kind, on which the film was based. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936.
Thus, it covers murder of the insured committed by a person other than the. Review essentials job and components with rules trilogy, diaries integrated. Directed by billy wilder and written by billy wilder and raymond. An exlibrary book and may have standard library stamps andor stickers. Double indemnity essays are academic essays for citation.
Double indemnity clauses are found most often in life insurance policies. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer. Double indemnity is the basic story of an evil lady motivated by greed who corrupts a weak man motivated by lust. It was first published in serial form in liberty magazine in 1936 and then was one of three long short tales in the collection three of a kind. Double indemnity does not cover natural death or one that results due to natural causes, such as aging, or a health condition, suicide, and gross negligence. Mar 24, 2005 buy double indemnity read a great movie by james m. Buy double indemnity read a great movie by james m. Double indemnity in life insurance policies 9 quite as reasonable and is economically decidedly more defen sible than one for death which resulted from bodily injury effected solely by violent, external and accidental means. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of double indemnity by james m. Double indemnity director billy wilder sunset boulevard and writer raymond chandler the big sleep adapted james m.
These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of double indemnity by director billy wilder. Cinematography in double indemnity media design and criticism. Double indemnity quotes showing 17 of 7 i had killed a man, for money and a woman. The film double indemnity directed by billy wilder is a wonderful work that focuses heavily on relationships between characters. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The novel later served as the basis for the film of the same name in 1944, adapted for the screen by the novelist raymond chandler and directed by billy wilder. Cain novel by director wilder and novelist raymond chandler, it tells the story of an insurance salesman, played by fred macmurray, who is lured into a murderforinsurance plot by barbara stanwyck, in an. From double indemnity and the lost weekend, through sunset boulevard and the seven year itch, all the way to some like it hot and the apartment, wilder is responsible of some of the best works hollywood ever produced. Billy wilder only made one proper film noir, but it was a doozy. Double indemnity by billy wilder, raymond chandler, jeffrey. This facsimile edition contains wilder and chandlers originaland quite differentending, published here for the first time.
This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of double indemnity. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic realism of the 1930s, with characters as. It followed the timehonoured noir plotline of a man undone by an evil woman. It was tried for obscenity in boston and was said by albert camus to have inspired his own book, the stranger. Walter huff is an insurance coverage investigator like some other till the day he meets the gorgeous and harmful phyllis nirdlinger and falls beneath her spell. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. I was initially worried going into double indemnity as found a few scenarios sounded almost identical to what i read the postman always rings twice where the wife of a rich business man teams up with her lover to plot her husbands murder. Cains novel and talks about how screenwriters wilder and raymond chandler tried to improve upon it. Double indemnity is one of the most unrelentingly cynical films the genre produced, with a pair of careerchanging performances from barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray and a script by wilder and raymond chandler every bit as blackhearted as james m. This shrewd, smoothly tawdry thriller, directed by billy wilder, is one of the high points of nineteenforties films. This scene occurs early in the movie where walter neff fred macmurray, smoothtalking insurance salesman, first. First published in 1936, this novel reaffirmed james m. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of impending doom. Before showing the film, i spoke for a few minutes about the movie.
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