“I picked you for the job, not because I think you’re so darn smart, but because I thought you were a shade less dumb than the rest of the outfit.”

The Bosque Film Society cordially invites all members to attend its monthly members-only FILM APPRECIATION NIGHT AT THE MOVIES featuring 1944 crime thriller film noir “DOUBLE INDEMNITY” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 28 at The Cliftex Theatre in Clifton with an introductory presentation by Bosque Film Society historian and founding board member Bryan Davis.

Directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom, the screenplay was based on James M. Cain’s 1943 novel of the same title, which appeared as an eight-part serial for Liberty magazine in February 1936.

Double Indemnity stars Fred MacMurray as an insurance salesman, Barbara Stanwyck as a provocative housewife who is accused of killing her husband, and Edward G. Robinson as a claims adjuster whose job is to find phony claims. The term “double indemnity” refers to a clause in certain life insurance policies that doubles the payout in cases when the death is accidental.

In 1938, Walter Neff, an experienced salesman of the Pacific All Risk Insurance Co., meets the seductive wife of one of his clients, Phyllis Dietrichson, and they have an affair. Phyllis proposes to kill her husband to receive the proceeds of an accident insurance policy and Walter devises a scheme to receive twice the amount based on a double indemnity clause.

When Mr. Dietrichson is found dead on a train track, the police accept the determination of accidental death. However, the insurance analyst and Walter’s best friend Barton Keyes does not buy the story and suspects that Phyllis has murdered her husband with the help of another man.

Praised by many critics when first released, Double Indemnity drew seven Academy Awards nominations, but failed to win any. Widely regarded as a classic, the film remains cited as having set the standard for film noir.

“Suddenly it came over me that everything would go wrong. It sounds crazy, Keyes, but it’s true, so help me. I couldn’t hear my own footsteps. It was the walk of a dead man.”

Specifically serving its membership, the 2024 Film Appreciation Night At The Movies Series will include The Thin Man (1934) Jan. 23 introduced by Angela Smith, Moulin Rouge (2001) Feb. 27 introduced by Simone Voss, The General (1926) March 26 introduced by E. Brett Voss, The Great Escape (1963) April 23 introduced by Nathan Diebenow, Double Indemnity (1944) May 28 introduced Bryan Davis, The Sting (1973) June 25 introduced by Angela Smith, The African Queen (1951) July 16 introduced by Kaye Callaway, Driving Miss Daisy (1989) Aug. 27 introduced by Bryan Davis, Seven Samurai (1954) Sept. 24 introduced by E. Brett Voss, 2nd Annual Halloween Party featuring Young Frankenstein (1974) Oct. 29 introduced by Miriam Wallace, Legends of the Fall (1994) Nov. 26 introduced by William Godby, and the 5th Annual Christmas Party featuring Die Hard (1994) Dec. 17 introduced by J Matt Wallace.

Since this will be a private showing, BYOB will be allowed, and the theatre concession stand will be open for purchases. Although the event will be closed to the public, those wishing to become Bosque Film Society members Tuesday night will be admitted.

For those wanting to become members in 2024, annual fees are $30 per individual, $50 per couple and $70 per family. For more information about joining the Bosque Film Society’s non-profit efforts to support The Cliftex Theatre, visit our website at: https://bosquefilm.com/membership/.