CLASSIC FILM NOIR REPORT - DOUBLE INDEMNITY

The 1944 film noir ‘Double Indemnity’ is widely considered one of the best classic noirs and reinforces many of the genre’s stereotypical characteristics.

The feeling of threat and insecurity which this film is known for is felt immediately from the opening credits sequence which contains bold lettering and shows a man dressed in a top hat walking slowly closer and therefore getting bigger. He is shown up only in silhouette immediately demonstrating the visual characteristics of these films. This is accompanied with dramatic foreboding music to create a sense of suspense in the audience.

As mentioned in an earlier post this film follows a non linear storyline in which the same scene is shown at the beginning and the end. The first character we are shown is the insurance salesman Walter Neff who has recently been shot although at this point the audience does not know why. At this point he is in his office beginning to record his confession over a Dictaphone and thus begin the story. During this scene there is no music or background noise and the only noise that can be heard apart from the talking is his heavy breathing. This is most likely due to his injury but nevertheless still creates a sense of insecurity. Throughout the film it often cuts away from the story to re-visit Neff in his office and each one of these scenes is almost identical with a dark room and very little background noise. The manner in which Neff tells his story is very reflective and seemingly full of regret; lines such as “I didn’t get the money, I didn’t get the woman” show this. This style of narration is used throughout.

We are introduced to the femme fatale Phyllis Dietrichson fairly early on as Neff makes his call to her house to renew insurance. She is immediately represented as slutty and flirtatious as she is first seen wearing clothes which would be considered revealing at the time and she talks to Neff in a flirty manner. Neff is attracted to her straight away and this starts to show the evil and manipulative nature that femme fatales were known for.

One of the most important scenes is the one where Phyllis tells Walter she wants her husband dead and asks to take out a life insurance policy which comes with a clause that will guarantee a huge pay-off if it succeeds. This takes place at Neff’s apartment which at the time is very poorly lit. Many of the recognisable visual stylistics are used here such as minimal use of light and high contrast between light and dark in the shots. Rain outside can also be seen and heard which creates pathetic fallacy and adds to the downbeat tone. As Phyllis tells Neff of her hatred of her husbands she breaks down and cries with Neff seeing it as genuine emotion when in fact it is all an act to make him believe her story. This is another example of the manipulation and mind games the women in these films used to take a hold on the man.

Close ups are regularly used throughout the film especially in the most important or dramatic scenes. Phyllis and Walter are both shown in close up when the insurance policy is signed with only them and the audience knowing what was about to happen. The most notable close ups however are of Phyllis during the part of the film where the murder is carried out. As they are about to set off her husband says to her ‘I’ll be back Monday at the latest’ at which point the camera focuses on Phyllis facial expression which looks rather smug in a threatening way. As Neff kills him in the car the camera is one again focuses on Phyllis’ face while the audience can only hear the killing taking place in the background and her expression appears to show very little emotion and remorse which captures her cold and heartless nature.

Cigarette smoke and use of lighting through venetian blinds appear in regularly in various scenes. One such scene takes place in the inquest room where the investigator, Mr Keyes immediately becomes suspicious that the death was not accidental and suspects Phyllis murdered her husband. Cigarette smoke was very prominent in the room where the scene was shot. The most striking use of venetian blinds was in the scene where Lola tells Walter the truth about Phyllis. With this being one of the film’s most pivotal scenes the room where the conversation takes place is very poorly lit and this makes the light and shadows created by the venetian blinds very visible and helps add to the slightly un natural look and feel that film noir is famous for.

Neff realises the mess he has got himself into after the conversation with Lola and this leads on to the scene where he is shot. After Phyllis shoots him once she finds herself unable to fire a second shot and the gun is taken from her. In the moments before Phyllis is shot an over-shoulder shot is used as Phyllis tries to beg him not to shoot. This is possibly the only time we ever see any genuine emotion from Phyllis although it may still be fake. If it is genuine it may show the love she feels for him although seconds later she is shot twice in quick succession and killed. After this we return to Neff recording his confession for the final time before Mr Keyes walks in on him and finds out. Neff collapses as he tries in vain to escape giving the film a very downbeat ending.