Double Indemnity is the story of an insurance salesman who is seduced by a conniving woman into a scheme to murder her husband and make it look like an accident in order to collect upon his impressive life insurance policy. It stars Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson, Fred Macmurray as Walter Neff , and Edward G. Robinson as Barton Keyes. The film was made in 1944 and was directed by Billy Wilder.
This scene takes place not long after the start of the film, with Neff having arrived at the Dietrichson house for the first time. It begins as he waits for Phyllis to finish dressing and join him in the sitting room. Neff is a typical film noir protagonist - up until the events of the film he is a very ordinary man. He is the 'fall guy':the one that will take the blame for the crimes orchestrated by Phyllis. He believes he is in love with her, and she with him - but the truth is the exact opposite. Neff is simply in love with the idea of helping a pretty damsel in distress, and Phyllis just wants to be free of her husband and to get the insurance money, and will do anything to get there. Phyllis is a classic film noir femme fatale - she knows what she wants and she knows how to get there.
This links to the three vital elements that are needed for a successful Film Noir - Sex, Murder and Money. Phyllis uses her sexuality to seduce Neff in order to get him to help her kill her husband, so she can get her hands on the $100,000 insurance money.
Venetian blinds were often used in Film Noir to create different atmospheres, and in this case they are used to cast shadows across the room to create an effect of bars. This could symbolise two things: One, that the Dietrichson House is a cage, to trap Neff. Two, the bars symbolise how Neff will end up in jail.
The photos of Mr. and Lola Dietrichson are bathed in a white light. White light is often used in movies to symbolise goodness and purity. The fact that Phyllis is not there indicates her true nature.
No comments:
Post a Comment