There are thrillers, there is film noir, there are procedurals and then there's Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity." His smoldering adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novella set the bar for all the aforementioned genres, with enough heat and sexual tension for two movies. And if you need a reminder of just how good this film is, let William Friedkin tell you.
The director, along with a handful of other film experts and writers, take viewers through the making of the movie in this 42-minute documentary "Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity: A Look Back." It's a great examination of the path the film took, from serialized story to landing on Wilder's desk. It also gets into the film's ending, which differs from the book, and elaborates on an alternate finale that wasn't used. If you don't know that piece of film lore, we won't spoil it here, but it's fascinating stuff. Click below, it's well worth your time. [35MM]
