I’m pretty sure I have an old edition like this of The Postman Always Rings Twice floating around my apartment somewhere. I’m sure there’s a story behind these and several other name changes, but for the life of me, I can’t imagine what it would be. MacMurray’s character is Walter Huff in the book and Walter Neff in the movie. Tell me what director thought that Dietrichson was a better name than Nirdlinger. What startled me was the Barbara Stanwyck’s character in the book is Phyllis Nirdlinger and in the movie is Phyllis Dietrichson. Since I remembered Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck played the leads, I wasn’t really picturing anyone else in the parts. I know I’ve seen it but don’t remember it. Now for the movie, which I intend to watch. There is a reason why these novelettes are considered classics. Totally creative, totally fitting, totally satisfying, totally chilling. In both The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity, I never in a million years would have conceived of his endings. What I’ve come to realize, however, is that not only does Cain know how to tell a tale, he also knows how to create an ending that the readers won’t figure out. It’s the perfect murder, but it isn’t that perfect. It’s the same old story, murder for insurance, but it’s not the same old story in the way that it’s told. Cain conveyed all he needed to in order to tell a chilling tale of murder and betrayal.
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