The Femme Fatale
Barbara Stanwyck’s most famous role was Phyllis Dietrichson, the femme fatale of Double Indemnity. Many people consider her character the definitive femme fatale – but it almost didn’t even happen. Even though she was the first choice for director Billy Wilder, the actress almost turned down the part because she was terrified of playing an “out-and-out killer.”
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But Wilder didn’t have to do a lot to convince her. The actress said that he “looked at me and he said, ‘Well, are you a mouse or an actress?’ And I said, ‘Well, I hope I’m an actress.’ He said, ‘Then do the part.’”