July 6, 1944: "Double Indemnity" Premieres

July 6, 1944: Double Indemnity premieres, directed by Billy Wilder, and based on the 1943 novella by James M. Cain. Two other Cain works were turned into 1940s film noirs: Mildred Pierce and The Postman Always Rings Twice.

Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray) is an insurance salesman. He makes a house call to Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), about her husband's automobile insurance. Phyllis asks about getting a policy on her husband's life without his knowledge. Neff deduces she is contemplating murder, and wants no part of it. Phyllis visits Neff's apartment. He concocts a plan to murder Mr. Dietrichson, and trigger the "double indemnity" clause, increasing the payout. Neff commits the murder.

The president of Neff's insurance company believes the death was suicide. But Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), the company's claims manager, scoffs at the idea, but he does find it strange Dietrichson did not file a claim after breaking his leg. He grows to suspect Phyllis. He deduces she had an accomplice who will split the insurance money. The company refuses to pay out the accidental death clause, because Dietrichson was unaware of the policy.

Dietrichson's daughter Lola (Jean Heather) befriends Neff. She thinks her stepmother Phyllis killed her father and his first wife. Neff fears Phyllis will murder her, since Dietrichson changed his will in Lola's favor.

Neff warns Phyllis that pursuing the insurance claim in court risks exposing the murder. He urges Phyllis to lie low while he convinces his boss to pay out the claim. Neff learns that Lola's hotheaded boyfriend Nino (Byron Barr) has been visiting Phyllis every night since the murder. Trying to prevent Lola's death, Neff confronts Phyllis. 

Neff tells Phyllis he knows about her and Nino. He figures her plan was to manipulate Nino into murdering Lola and maybe him. He threatens to kill Phyllis and blame Nino. Phyllis shoots him. He dares her to shoot again. She does not, and he takes her gun. She says she never loved him "until a minute ago, when I couldn't fire that second shot." As they embrace, Neff shoots her twice.

Nino comes to the house. Neff warns him not to go inside. Neff drives to his office and starts recording a confession: "I did it for the money, and I did it for the girl. I didn't get the money, and I didn't get the girl." (Of course not: The Hays Code was still in effect, meaning that evildoers cannot profit from their scheme. Phyllis doesn't, either.) Keyes arrives, and hears the truth. Neff plans to flee to Mexico, but collapses before he can leave the building.

Wilder originally shot an ending with Neff surviving being shot, but being sent to the gas chamber for the murder. Paramount Pictures dropped the scene.

The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Wilder for Best Director, and Stanwyck for Best Actress, but won none.

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July 6, 1944 was a Thursday. It was also the day of the deadly Hartford Circus Fire. I have a separate entry for that event.

These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians, 4-0 at Yankee Stadium. Hank Borowy pitched a 4-hit shutout to beat Mel Harder.

* The New York Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-1 at Sportsman's Park in St. Loius.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 10-4 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 13-3 at Fenway Park in Boston.

* The St. Louis Browns beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 5-0 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Bob Muncrief pitched a 4-hit shoutout.

* The Washington Senators beat the Chicago White Sox, 5-0 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Mickey Haefner pitched a 4-hit shutout.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

* And the Chicago Cubs beat the Boston Braves, 11-6 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.