Postman Always Rings Twice

Year: 1946

Grade: C+

Country: USA

Director: Garnett

Review

starts off well enough, but is too long-winded and lacks the snappy script that sets great noirs apart from imitators. the end was good, though preachy, but the middle sagged too much. the primary theme necessitates this fact. everything happens twice – they try to kill him twice, he goes to trial twice, etc. it’s just too long for a noir and its structure amplifies this fact.

if you compare the dynamic between garfield and turner to that of macmurray and stanwyck in double indemnity you see that the male is more in charge here, and less a victim of the femme fatale. here the motivation seems to be more greed and lust and less about love.