WHY IS THIS MOVIE NOT AVAILABLE?!?

The DVD (released July 1998) of "Double Indemnity" is out-of-print.

This classic movie is considered by many to be the greatest and most influential film noir ever made. "Double Indemnity" boasts a stellar cast that includes Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, and Fred MacMurray. It was directed by one of the most honored and worshipped directors in American cinema: Billy Wilder. It received no less than seven Oscar nominations. It is #38 on AFI's Top 100 Greatest Movies List. It was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1992. And Woody Allen, one of the smartest and most respected filmmakers of the last and current centuries, considers this to be the greatest movie ever produced.

Yet this movie, "Double Indemnity", is no longer in print. It is of the greatest shame that this very special movie -- arguably one of the finest in all of cinematic history -- is not readily available to its fans, collectors, film historians, and to all consumers in general.

An open plea to Universal Home Video on behalf of everyone: Please, please consider re-releasing this title in the very near future. And in a package befitting this masterpiece.

Double Indemnity is a classic example of film noir. Rich with lies, deceit, blackmail, murder, and of course a beautiful femme fatale, the film recalls the story of a smooth talking insurance salesman named Walter Neff (Fred McMurray) who meets attractive Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) when he calls to renew her husband's automobile policy. The couple are immediately drawn to each other and an affair begins. They cook up a scheme to murder Mr. Dietrichson for life insurance money with a double indemnity clause. Unfortunately, all does not go to plan. To say anymore would ruin the fun, and boy, is Double Indemnity fun.

For the generation that grew up thinking of MacMurray as the kindly father-figure on "My Three Sons" and Stanwyck as the regal matriarch of "The Big Valley," it's a jolt to see them playing such devious, money-hungry types. But though Stanwyck and MacMurray (try counting how many times he calls Phyllis "babe") both shine under Billy Wilder's crackling direction, "Indemnity" is stolen by the fast-talking Robinson, who turns what could have been a colorless supporting role into a showcase. Though largely dark and foreboding in the classic film-noir style, "Indemnity" does provide a few giggles when seen today -- imagine a time when drive-ins served beer, secretaries didn't mind being called "sweetheart" by their bosses and people were free to smoke while perusing the aisles of the local Piggly Wiggly.

Woody Allen once called "Double Indemnity" the finest American movie ever made. That may be going out on a limb a bit, but then again Allen is more than a film-maker. He is a historian, a listener, a writer and a supreme judge of movies. While I am not going to agree that this is the finest movie ever produced in the U.S., I am still going to say that this is easily one of the very best films in the film noir genre, and because of that reason, has been countlessly ripped off.

Wickedly brilliant, fun to watch, dramatic, darkly comical, superbly written and flawlessly directed, "Double Indemnity" is one of those movies that should be embraced by all fans of the national and international cinema. Now, if we can only get a decent DVD transfer!

An absolute knockout film noir masterpiece. Fred MacMurray is the insurance salesman who plots with Barbara Stanwyck to bump off her husband in order to collect on an accident policy. They plan the "accident" meticulously (try riding on the back of a train and not think of this picture), but a combination of Edward G. Robinson's claim investigation and the killers' own two-timing each other, do them in. The dialogue is brilliant (Raymond Chandler wrote it with dircetor Billy Wilder); it crackles. The story is great, too, told in a flashback by MacMurray into a dictating machine: it's cold and ruthless and sinister, with characters to match. And it's all done in dark and shadows, the perfect film noir atmosphere. Just terrific all around.

(Note [I read this somewhere]): The film originally ended with MacMurray going to the gas chamber in San Quentin, but was cut before the final release by the Hays Office.)

From the James M. Cain novel this is the finest film of its genre under the masterful of Billy Wilder and an absolute must-see for any devote of film noir. Barbara Stanwyck is at her peak as a lying, cheating, double-crossing blond tramp(who can ever forget her ankle bracelet?) who schemes with Fred Mac Murray to murder her husband for the most base reason - his insurance money. Edward G. Robinson is fine as the insurance investigator who goes by his hunch that there's more than meets the eye than just a simple suicide.With a brilliant script (the double entendres when Stanwyck fobs off the attentions of Mac Murray are a gem!) by Wilder and Raymond Chandler "Double Indemnity" is a spellbinding rollercoaster into a world of murder, lust and betrayal moodily set in 1944 Hollywood. Double Indemnity stands as a towering achievement in cinema when a brilliant script, superb acting and excellent art direction and lighting are under the hands of a master. They just don't come better than this and not to be missed.

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, of all people:

If the opening credits contain the name Raymond Chandler, the author best known for creating detective Philip Marlowe...you might be watching film noir, even if, like "Double Indemnity," Marlowe is not involved.

If critical scenes are almost completely dark, especially if it's shot in black and white and your scheming central characters are just as dark...you might be watching film noir.

If the dialogue contains lines like "The whole place smelled like honeysuckle. I never knew murder could smell like honeysuckle"...you might be watching film noir.

If the lead male character is an ultra-tough guy who's sleazy enough to make you check to see if your wallet is still in place...you might be watching film noir.

If the lead female character slithers down the stairs with her hips and shoulders moving enough to register on the Richter scale...you might be watching film noir.

If said male repeatedly looks at said female like a tiger prowling for his next meal...you might be watching film noir.

If he refers to her almost exclusively as "baby"...you might be watching film noir.

If he lights a match with his thumbnail more than twice during the first act...you might be watching film noir.

If the plot includes characters double-crossing each other at least twice...you might be watching film noir.

And if you're watching "Double Indemnity," you're watching one of the two or three best examples of this much-discussed genre of film, a uniquely American style of highly stylized thriller. If you're still not sure what "film noir" is, watch this movie. It's unforgettable.