DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Paramount, 1947, B&W, 107 mins.- Universal DVD

Edward G. Robinson: "To me, a claims man is a surgeon. That desk is an operating table. Those pencils are scalpels and bone chisels."

When you work with a guy who talks about his job like that, you should know better than to try and fool him. But that's just what insurance man Fred MacMurray does, in cahoots with femme fatale Barbara Stanwyck, whose husband could be quite the cash cow if he died in a certain way and had a certain type of insurance policy.

This solid-gold example of film noir has an impeccable pedigree- director Billy Wilder co-wrote the screenplay with mystery author Raymond Chandler, from a novel by James M. Cain. It's full of crackling, wise-mouthed dialogue, suspenseful situations, and iconic performances from screen greats Robinson, Stanwyck- and yes, MacMurray too. Best known for his genial roles in Disney pictures, MacMurray had to be talked into doing this part- and he's perfect as the halfway-decent guy who's just sleazy enough to get suckered-in by Stanwyck's charms.

As the criminal pair carry out their plot, the one obstacle is Robinson, a claims investigator with a sharp instinct for skullduggery- and, without realizing it, a prime suspect right under his nose. As the story gets twistier and twistier, and the tension mounts, you just know that things are going to get really ugly- and that's part of the enjoyment of a movie like this. It may not be noble, but it's very entertaining to see a character who's not as smart as he thinks he is step into quicksand and struggle to get out. It's part of the dark side of human nature- and that's what noir is all about. The disc is a bare-bones affair, but well-worth checking out.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST
MGM, 1959, 136 mins.- Warner Bros. DVD

Cary Grant: "-In the world of advertising there's no such thing as a lie, there's only the expedient exaggeration..."

Ad-man Grant finds himself caught in somebody else's expedient exaggeration in this classic from director Alfred Hitchcock. Grant is a cynical, fast-talking New Yorker who thinks he's on top of the game, until he is accidentally thrust into a new game with much higher stakes- a game where nobody is who they seem to be. Grant himself is mistaken for a spy by evil smoothie James Mason, and winds up getting involved with mysterious blonde Eva Marie Saint. The deadly contest they're in is being played for "Government secrets" -and Grant's life is on the line.

As the story unfolds, we are treated to killings which are variously attempted, staged, and successful, their methods including forced drunk driving and a rather farfetched but eerie attack by a crop duster(!). Watching over it all is Leo G. Carroll of the "U.S. Intelligence Agency," whose false-identity scenario has unwittingly drawn Grant into the game of Cold War espionage. This is one of Sir Alfred's most entertaining films, and he brings his expertise to bear in a number of outstanding scenes of suspense, comedy, and even romance.

Highlights include the above-mentioned killing-type unpleasantness, and some classic Hitchcockian bits wherein deadly business plays out in public places- climaxing in an outrageous chase scene on Mount Rushmore. The sterling cast keeps up with Hitchcock and screenwriter Ernest Lehman, with most of the weight of the story carried on Grant's able shoulders. His "Everyman" character makes mistakes and takes some hits, but rebounds with courage and determination, and even manages to drive home some moral points about the spy business. The disc comes with audio commentary by the screenwriter, a documentary hosted by Saint, a still gallery, and an isolated score.

THE LAVENDER HILL MOB
Ealing, 1951, 81 mins.- Alec Guniness Collection DVD

Stanley Holloway: "By Jove, Holland, it's a good job we're both honest men."

Well....not exactly. You see, for many years, bank employee Alec Guiness has dreamt of being wealthy, as he supervised shipments of gold bullion for his employer. His carefully-cultivated manner of propriety is a screen for his criminal ambitions, which have hatched a plan that is lacking only one thing- a means of smuggling stolen gold out of England. But his new friend Holloway's cast-metal souvenir business seems to offer the perfect solution, and with the aid of a pair of seasoned thieves- whom they recruit in a rather unorthodox manner- they stage the heist. Of course, it all goes comically awry, climaxing in an inspired bit of slapstick with the London police force.

If you like a good, old-fashioned comedy, you can't do any better than this. The Ealing films are beloved by cinema buffs, and it's easy to see why- you can tell that everyone involved is at the height of their game. Guinness in particular is a delight to watch, whether he's engaging in crooked behavior or reading hard-boiled detective novels to his landlady. You can't help rooting for this gray little man's quest for happiness, and when he and Holloway find themselves at one point racing down the steps of the Eiffel Tower, laughing like schoolboys, it's a genuinely joyous moment.

Fun for the whole family- just remember to tell the younger set that it's wrong to try to steal half a million in gold......unless you're sure you can get away with it. The disc comes with a Guiness bio and a rather silly trailer for the film.

© Melt Magazine 2002