Noir Classic Re-Watch: Double Indemnity

"It was a hot afternoon. I can still remember the smell of honeysuckle all along that street. How could I have known that murder can sometimes smell like honeysuckle?"

Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) has just met Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and murder is in the air.

There's a reason this film is a classic. The opening credits run over an image of a man on crutches walking toward the camera. A car rushes through the Los Angeles night running through an iconic "STOP/GO" light. Walter Neff stumbles into his office to dictate his story of murder for his co-worker Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson.) 

The narration makes sense here based on the close relationship between Neff and Keyes. Neff wants to explain how he and Phyllis Dietrichson planned the murder and how they dealt with unforeseen problems and complications.

The three main actors shine in strong performances. This film was shown as part of the evening line-up when Robinson was star of the month. Robinson is excellent, even in a scene where MacMurray listens to him on a dictaphone. The supporting cast is also good. 

I really enjoyed seeing this movie again. It reminds me that there's always something more in good films. It can be something you didn't notice before or something you forgot. It can be a look, a prop, a shadow. There is always something more to discover in good films.