Double Indemnity – The Pep-Up Speech That Never Was

aka: The “Benefits” Of Living & Working In Mid-Century America

The classic American film, Double Indemnity has a scene in which Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is meeting with his boss, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) in Neff’s office.

Neff’s life is rather humdrum as an insurance salesman. Besides the allure of being with Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and getting big money, what would motivate Neff to contemplate murder?

Somehow this piece of dialogue never made it into the final film. Hmmm…..

Scene 38 – INTERIOR NEFF’S OFFICE

(Keyes sits down on a desk puts his hand on Neff’s shoulder)

Keyes: Listen, Walter, maybe you don’t get paid that much. Maybe you do work lots of extra hours. I know there are no long vacations. True, you don’t have a gorgeous secretary. And yes, you have to share an office with two other guys.

But at least we let you wear a hat and smoke inside the office!

SPOILER ALERT BELOW

In reality, an important scene from Double Indemnity, the finale, was to take place at San Quentin Penitentiary in the death chamber. The scene was shot and it was decided by studio executives and director Billy Wilder to be too depressing and it was omitted from the final cut.