Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)
I didn't realize it at the time, but it was actually nominated for several Academy Awards. I know it is considered by many to be one of the best movies ever made, and after a bit of disappointment with Golden Eye I'm really looking forward to watching this movie. I know a lot of the older movies that people suggested I watch tend to be the better movies from those years, but I'm glad this challenge is giving me the opportunity to watch a lot of older movies. I may not have seen any of these movies other wise.
After having watched the movie:
(Possible spoilers below)
To be perfectly honest, I really didn't expect to like this movie. I was a little afraid that it would be a long drawn out. I was surprised to realize it's a Film Noir, a style and genera that I really like and wish I had seen more of. I'm excited now that I've realized I will get to watch two Film Noir movies in kind of back to back manor, because The Maltese Falcon is also on the list of movies I'll be watching this week. Hooray! The other movies on my list are: Sunset Blvd., Laura, Key Largo, and M.
I guess it is just something that kind of goes along with the times, but I also didn't realize at the time what a big deal it was for Barbara Stanwyack to take on the role as a femme fetal and for Fred MacMurray to take on a role that allowed audiences to see him in a different light. One of the features that I really liked about the DVD that I had, I used Netflix for this one, was a brief bit of history around the movie before it started.
For instance, it actually took eight years to get the movie made. A lot of the problems the movie faced focused around the Motion Picture Conduct Code as well as a little hesitation from the actors. In fact both Fred MacMurray, who stared in many family oriented and romantic comdies, and Barbara Stanwyck, who also had many similar family oriented roles, almost turned their roles down. The reason, because they were worried about the public perception and effect it would have on their careers. In the end, Double Indemnity would become one of their greatest performances and earned Barbara a nomination for an Academy Award. Actually, the last modern day film that I've known to face similar problems was Brokeback Mountain.
The movie was great, at times it felt a little like something Hitchcock could have done. I felt myself getting anxious after having put Mr. Dietrichson's body on the train tracks and the car not starting. There were actually several moments like this throughout, that it seemed fresh and didn't seemed to get played out. And once Lola, confessed about Mrs. Dietrichson's past I was stunned. I couldn't believe that she had set Walter up! I grew sympathetic for him once we realized what Mrs. Dietrichson's motives really were and also felt sympathetic towards all of the people she effected as a result.
Final thoughts: She was nominated, but why Barbara Stanwyck didn't win an Academy Award in 1945 for her role in this movie is beyond me. I love Ingrid Bergman for her role in Casablanca, but really? I guess I just have to add Gaslight to a list of must see movies to know if the Academy got this one right.
OFFICIAL COUNT: 10 DOWN 355 TO GO
Up next: Weekend at Bernie's
No comments:
Post a Comment