this 1973 remake of the classic 1944 billy wilder film and double indemnity and be a textbook example of how to destroy a great script . this grade b tv fodder also illustrate the folly of remake in general . while hollywood have go after greedy executive that colorize black and white film and seek disclaimer on wide screen movie that be show in pan and scan version and the industry have ignore the hack that insist on take a classic film and diminish it with a shoddy remake . the first step in produce a bowdlerized version of a classic be to edit the script . the billy wild raymond chandler work be cut by a half hour to fit the finished film into a specified time slot with room for commercial . then update the production with bland and color photography and smart and upscale set and and tv familiar actor . thus and the brand new double indemnity eliminate the atmospheric black and white film noir cinematography that enhance the mood and characterization of the original . go be the dusty and shadowy and claustrophobic set that explain the protagonist desire to escape their situation at whatever cost . go be the close bond between keyes and neff and the erotic attraction between neff and phyllis . the look of jack smight take on double indemnity be more dynasty than film noir . phyllis dietrickson have a designer home to die for and and neff comfy pad would be hard to afford on an insurance salesman salary and not to mention the sporty mercedes convertible that he drive . neither character have any apparent motive to murder for a paltry $ 200 and 000. if not money and then perhaps murder for love or lust . not in this version . richard crenna show little interest in samantha eggar and and their kiss be about as lusty a those between a brother and a sister . crenna fail to capture the cynicism of neff and and his attempt at double entendre and sexual suggestiveness fall horribly flat . eggar be little well and lack sensuality and the depth to suggest the inner working of a supposedly devious and manipulative mind . only lee j. cobb manage a creditable performance a keyes . director jack smight and his three principal have all do much well work . there be no conceivable reason to produce this wretched remake except to fill time in a broadcast schedule . there be no conceivable reason to resurrect this dud on dvd and package it with the original film except to fill out a double disc package . the only lesson that can be learn from this misfire be that even a great script and great dialog can be ruin with poor casting and lackluster direction and and tv grade production value . the 1973 double indemnity should be title 10 % indemnity and because view it only underscore the 100 % perfection of the original movie .