Frau ohne Gewissen

All my life I've passed noir films as a slightly inert viewer, but that's just me. But I've always admired Billy Wilder's ability to layer dialogue on top of dialogue, and here I've had a blast again. Too bad about two things, though. Firstly, I would have liked some refreshing visual ideas, in this respect Orson Welles, for example, was unmatched, but here where there's nothing. And then the laboriously invented idea of the murder seemed quite banal and in some places very naive. Barbara Stanwyck, however, was perfectly chosen for the role of the femme fatale. She is seductive, but at the same time, there's something off about her from the first look .... you just see her dark side before she turns out to be a cynical bitch :o) (07.02.2024)

I was always interested in the film noir genre from the war period. I have enjoyed it mostly in the American detective and crime movies from the nineties, which were referencing that time. But when I really started watching something like that, I did not find in it what I’ve always imagined. And most of all, I lacked anything that would resemble the mystique and the atmosphere connected to it. (15.04.2016)

Voiceover. Femme fatale. Black & White. Classic. In terms of plot, it's indeed a relatively clear spectacle where you can anticipate the hint of every twist, but when Billy Wilder presents noir, the form doesn't give in even for a step. (01.10.2011)

I will not concern myself with how high the film Double Indemnity would rank in the imaginary hierarchy of the best film noirs, but I must say that it is an example of a highly professional genre film where all elements from the screenplay, direction, casting, performances, to the last technical profession, work as they should, and the result is a spectacle that is impressive even today, and considering the time of its creation, it is simply a top-notch film. This is how I imagine a genre film classic. Although the screenplay is essentially very simple, the execution is a delight. Overall impression: 90%. (30.06.2012)

Eine der vielen James-M.-Cain-Verfilmungen aus den 1940er Jahren, alle sind verdächtig, alles ist dunkel, die Femme fatale ist natürlich eine kalte Blondine. Alles ist so, wie es sein sollte, außer dass es für mich nur einen Referenzwert hat. (10.11.2019)

Eine Noir-Qualität mit einem ausgezeichneten und super gespielten (Anti)Helden, vom Anfang bis zum Ende spannend und außerdem mit Rózsas perfekter Musik. Die Konfrontationen mit dem harten Ermittler Keyes haben mir noch mehr als die gemeinsamen Szenen von Fred MacMurray und der kompromisslosen Femme fatale Barbara Stanwyck gefallen. Es würde mich die literarische Vorlage ohne Chandlers Einfluss interessieren, die ich mit Chandlers Film vergleichen könnte. (02.12.2014)

A pitch-black, crystalline and almost Hitchcockianly precise noir about a near-perfect crime that defines a defunct genre with everything that made it so special: a deceitful femme fatale who collects men's hearts like scalps of enemies, a likeable hero who foolishly allows himself to be scalped, the elaborate and original murder of a poor husband and the tension patiently thickening until the emotion-filled finale. Wilder plays skilfully with the simple story, and even though it’s clear how everything must end, the viewer eats it all by the spoonful. A must for film-noir fans, for others I can only sincerely recommend it. 90% (24.08.2013)

The absence of color in movies is usually a way for the filmmakers to enhance their vision. However, in bad filmmaking, it's more of a desperate attempt to convince viewers they're watching a piece of art. This film falls into neither of these categories. It's black and white simply because it remembers World War II, with no Technicolor added. Yet, even its age didn't stop it from thoroughly entertaining me. Sure, I was deprived of the opportunity to test my deductive abilities; when the narrator is the killer, you don't have to rack your brain. But that wasn't the point here. It was about the story, which was interesting, wonderfully shot and acted, and filled with brilliantly written dialogues like, "There's a very good osteopath down here I want to see before I leave." "Okay, Mr. Jackson. Just don't put her on the expense account." / Lesson learned: Do you have a perfect plan in mind? Assume it will be as fail-safe as the Titanic. (01.06.2022)

This is exactly how I imagine a noir film - perhaps except for that lighter tone at the beginning. From the start, you know that something went wrong, you just need to figure out how. The innocent beginning, more or less innocent, quickly changes after meeting the femme fatale, played by Barbara Stanwyck - mainly thanks to her voice - she is absolutely brilliant. The character of the detective seems unnecessary, but she is not here to investigate, she is here to give the whole thing that metaphorical crown. Excellent film. (22.09.2014)