All film noirs have very similar themes and notions - a crime of sorts, money, a woman, betrayal, etc - so it obviously isn't an easy task to make a noir that stands out. The weaker noirs that I've seen are an enjoyable watch in the moment, but don't give you anything to think about after they fade to black, or a reason to revisit them.

What really sets this film apart from the rest is Billy Wilder's writing. Through dialogue, and habits and mannerisms assigned to different characters, He adds layers of personality to his characters that are not seen in the characters of most film noirs. I especially enjoyed any scene with Barton Keyes, a supporting character who is excellently brought to life by Edward G. Robinson, who I think gave an even better performance than Fred MacMurray, who played the main character.

Billy Wilder's take on a film noir failed to disappoint, and left me eager to further explore his rich and diverse filmography.