Double Indemnity.

Review #1825: Double Indemnity.

Cast: 
Fred MacMurray (Walter Neff), Barbara Stanwyck (Phyllis Dietrichson), Edward G. Robinson (Barton Keyes), Porter Hall (Mr. Jackson), Jean Heather (Lola Dietrichson), Tom Powers (Mr. Dietrichson), Byron Barr (Nino Zachetti), and Richard Gaines (Mr. Norton) Directed by Billy Wilder (#106 - Some Like It Hot, #194 - Ace in the Hole, #422 - The Fortune Cookie, #641 - The Apartment, #809 - Sunset Boulevard), #1384 - Stalag 17, and #1390 - The Seven Year Itch)

Review: 
"I never heard that expression film noir when I made Double Indemnity  ... I just made pictures I would have liked to see. When I was lucky, it coincided with the taste of the audience. With Double Indemnity, I was lucky."

If you can believe it, this was only the fourth directorial effort from Billy Wilder (along with his third since moving to America), who had more experience with scriptwriting (such as Ninotchka (1939), for example). It would also be his first notable effort, one that received considerable attention from audiences and critics (nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture) that he later called one of his best films. It was an adaptation of the crime novel of the same name by James M. Cain, which was first published in serial form for Liberty magazine in 1936 before being published in 1943 alongside two other stories (Career in C Major and The Embezzler were those stories); he based his novella on a 1927 murder by Ruth Synder, who had her boyfriend kill her husband after having him sign an insurance policy (with a certain clause), with the novel having an insurance agent as the inside man, inspired by conversations had with insurance men. Cain was a journalist before he was a writer, which he started with his first novel in The Postman Always Rings Twice in 1934 (which has had numerous film adaptations). His other most notable work was with Mildred Pierce (1941), which was adapted into a film as well. The plot changed slightly from translation onto the film screen, most notably with the final fate of its main characters, since it wasn't exactly something the Production Code would approve of (of course in the novella, the leads almost escape on an ocean liner together). In fact, the story was mired in development hell for years because of it being deemed "thoroughly unacceptable for screen presentation"; one of the biggest objections made by the Hays Office was to the omission of a gas-chamber execution scene (Wilder did film the scene, but he felt that the closing scene between the two male leads served as a more fitting one). The writers tasked to adapt the film was none other than Wilder and Raymond Chandler, a noted crime fiction writer who dabbled as a screenwriter; Wilder guided the structure and some of the dialogue while Chandler (in Wilder's words) comprehended the dialogue and start his own construction (i.e., not simply just incorporate Cain's words into dialogue). Cain was quite proud of the final result, one that he loved for the changes made because he wished he had thought of those himself.

It may be a cliche to say this by now, but this is one of the prime film noirs of its time (amusingly, not even a moral panic complaint by Kate Smith could stop audiences). It has all the aspects of a great film that would become a habit for its director in later years, one with tight execution and a solid acting trio. It is the kind of movie where 107 minutes runs so smoothly, doing so with great arrangement from Wilder and cinematography by John F. Seitz that capture the shadows one requires from a movie filled with such compelling people and dark corners. One can see the pulpy dialogue from Chandler and Wilder come across with such vivid effectiveness, one that glides across the screen with how it moves the process along in terms of pulp brilliance. MacMurray was generally known for his work in "nice guy" roles (at one point, the filmmakers actually considered George Raft, and yet it is this role that proved one of his most memorable in a lengthy career, one that sees him work so well in cultivating malleable curiosity, driving the story along with dutiful energy (not exactly just a "weak-willed guy", for example); one will find something interesting about the final scene before the climax in the little scene that happens afterwards, where MacMurray tells another character about going to the person they love. Stanwyck (as with her co-star) had a bit of reluctance in doing the role, but she makes it count for such alluring double-sidedness, one who glides across topics like murder without batting an eye, smoldering the screen in a way that makes the interactions between the two of them all the more interesting, right down to their fateful last scene; truly, she exemplifies the femme fatale role to a T. Robinson proves the contrast in a character role that has plenty of time to share with MacMurray in a mentor role that is graceful along with making a bond just as interesting as the MacMurray-Stanwyck sequences. The others (such as Powers as the limp mark) do fine in sharing the stage with the key three. As a whole, the movie is balanced in its aspects that work for any viewer (with or without experience in the noir sense), maneuvering through its quick setup (a man confessing his story on phone) with no cheap tricks that result in a kinetic success. There are a handful of interesting noirs but only so many that are really considered great, and this one belongs firmly in the latter category with no question, serving as one of Wilder's finest achievements in effective casting, music, and all-around atmosphere. 

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Donovan's Brain.

Review #1094: Donovan's Brain.

Cast: 
Lew Ayres (Dr. Patrick Cory), Nancy Davis (Janice Cory), Gene Evans (Dr. Frank Schratt), Steve Brodie (Yocum), Tom Powers (Donovan's Washington Advisor), Lisa Howard (Chloe Donovan), James Anderson (Chief Tuttle), Victor Sutherland (Nathaniel Fuller), Michael Colgan (Tom Donovan), and Peter Adams (Mr. Webster) Directed by Felix E. Feist (#723 - The Threat)

Review: 
Independently made by Dowling Productions (with distribution from United Artists, Donovan's Brain is based off the novel of the same name by Curt Siodmak, who you may recognize as the writer behind films such as The Wolf Man (1941) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943). The novel had already been adapted into a film before by Republic Pictures as The Lady and the Monster (1944), with a radio drama adaptation on the CBS Radio program Suspense featuring Orson Welles being transmitted that same year. Another adaptation occurred in 1962 named The Brain. 

In any case, this is a movie that banks on you being invested into its concept of a megalomaniac brain for its 83 minute run-time. Unfortunately, I don't think the film is entirely successful in its goal, falling just short at both science fiction and horror, although it is certainly average enough to be harmless. The best thing that I can say is that this is a pretty competent movie, not one to insult the intelligence of the viewer with any sort of overwhelming junk - for the most part. The exposition parts are fairly familiar, but the movie doesn't bungle that up too much. Ayres plays the scientist role fairly okay, but it is his scenes under the control of the brain where the film is a bit more interesting, in part because of his mannerisms when acting as the title character. It isn't so much overacting as just a bit of scenery chewing that is certainly energetically amusing. Davis is okay for the material that she is given, but it proves to make a character that isn't too interesting to really follow with, at least for me anyway. Evans fares a bit better, albeit with a marginal amount of meaningful time on screen to make this role slightly interesting to watch and how it stands out a bit from the other two. The rest of the cast is okay, with Brodie's sneaky reporter role being a fair standout. I can't fault the movie for trying to have some faithfulness with the novel it is made from, but I really do wonder if the book was more interesting with its premise than the film presented here, particularly since that one apparently ended with some sort of mental battle. Maybe if we actually saw more of Donovan than just being told of his miserly ways (not counting the brain sequences) or even saw his offspring more often, then there would be something a bit more interesting. The shots involving the lab room and the brain are fairly nice, and the movie as a whole is decent to look at, with credit going to cinematographer Joseph Biroc. It's a film that doesn't fall too much into being corny nor too much into being creepy, falling in the middle. All in all, this is a fairly average movie that won't be a tremendous waste of your time. It won't be anybody's favorite film even for 1953 (with its quality being more akin to stuff like Cat-Women of the Moon (#668) or Spaceways (#833), basically), being hit or miss with getting enough satisfaction with its premise and execution, but if you are curious about it, I can't really blame you for doing so.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Destination Moon.

Review #617: Destination Moon.

Cast
John Archer (Jim Barnes), Warner Anderson (Dr. Charles Cargraves), Tom Powers (General Thayer), Dick Wesson (Joe Sweeney), and Erin O'Brien-Moore (Emily Cargraves) Directed by Irving Pichel.

Review
In honor of the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing today, I've decided to do a double feature of films dealing with expeditions to the moon, both movies being released in 1950, this one being released second. This was made way before Sputnik helped begin the Space Age, and 19 years before Apollo 11. This was produced by George Pal, who would later produce the 1953 version of The War of the Worlds and later direct 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (#430). So how is this film? This is a really interesting movie that manages to seal itself and its premise in a 90 minute window, with really dazzling special effects to boot. While there is a small cast, it more then makes up for it by being exceptionally entertaining, the cast itself is fine, Wesson steals the show and makes for a good wisecracking relief character. The effects by Lee Zavitz are really astounding to watch, even the matte paintings by Chesley Bonestell are nice to look at. My favorite scene for some reason is the scene in which a cartoon is shown to would-be funders of the spaceship Luna to help explain how a rocket can get from the Earth to the Moon and how it lands, starring none other than Woody Woodpecker. It's a amusing scene, but it also is a informative scene that just shows how cool space travel can be. The story (written by the trio James O'Hanlon, Rip Van Ronkel, and Robert A. Heinlein) is pretty good, it's balanced well and certainly adds to the level of entertainment, The movie is fun to watch, especially in the last half hour, which is actually pretty riveting. In the end, this is a good film to watch not only on this day, but any day, for anyone looking for a good sci-fi flick. That, and one with the Moon in it.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.