“Double Indemnity”: The Brightest Representative of Genre Noir

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The plot
Characters
On-screen chemistry
Mysterious atmosphere
Veritable image
Music
Сonclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The film Double Indemnity (1944) directed by Billy Wilder is one of the first films noir adapted for American viewers. The film contains the classic plot when wife, Barbara Stanwyck forces her lover, a successful insurant agent Walter Neff, to kill her husband to preserve the double indemnity. The two major characters mentioned above are the leading figures interwoven in the foul play based on mercenary love. The film is the story of the murder for financial reward and lustful desire. Anyway, many scholars and critics consider the film as an enormous contribution to cinematography and the actors’ performance as the best play for their whole career.

The plot

Although the plot of the story seems to be simple and predictive, the film is still regarded as one of the best thrilling stories due to the intricate scenes saturated with suspicion and captivating intrigues. Barbara Stanwyck, who played the part of the wretched wife, Phyllis Dietrichson, represents the fatal woman who feels at ease while manipulating other people’s lives. She is a confident personality that knows exactly what she wants. Her major power is her seductiveness and sexuality that she properly uses to achieve her goals. In the film, the actress manages to successfully render the emotional remoteness of the main heroine for males are only a means to gain money. Her character is brightly represented in the intense dialogues with her lover. She is the embodiment of patience and strong character that could be traced in the way she behaves and even the way she is dressed. Anyway, Phyllis is a classical movie stereotype of a femme fatale whose features were fully embodied by Barbara Stanwyck. Hence, everyone could comprehend the real nature of the character judging only upon her sharp look and outright behavior.

Characters

A talented actor Fred MacMurray played the male leading part of Walter Neff, an insurance agent and a desperate lover of indifferent Phyllis. The actor discloses a narrowly framed personage meeting the traditional view on the victim of seduction. Many critics and Robert Elbert in particular consider this hero as rather boring and predictable. I partially agree with Elbert’s opinion that MacMurray’s hero is rather handsome and respectable but still he is rather boring as nothing extraordinary could be told about him (Elbert 147). However, this image is rather relevant to that plot as the film implies that Walter Neff is exactly the type of character for the film noir.

On-screen chemistry

The fascinating scenes revealing the relations between Phyllis and Walter keep the viewers in anticipation of further actions. The on-screen chemistry between the lovers saturated with mesmerizing and erotic scenes left no one to be indifferent. The interaction between the main characters entails the viewer to perceive the deceptive atmosphere that Billy Wilder initially meant to create. Throughout the character’s deeds and their behavior, one could easily guess heroes’ real intentions. The created images were supported by skillfully selected costumes and perfect hairstyles that reflect the character traits of the leading personages. The main line of the film is centered on the crime, a well-planned murder, where the characters pursue different goals. In addition, the rapid development of the events at the beginning of the film and its slow but still captivating end is preserved by excellent performance, talented direction, and perfect filmmaking.

Mysterious atmosphere

Especial consideration requires the cinematography, music, and lightning that enhanced the completely mysterious atmosphere of the film. The initial scene of the movie forces the viewers to think of the murder due to the dark and horrifying atmosphere and the short and rude answers of Walter Neff to his concierge. The dark and thrilling shadows on the characters’ faces, the contrast between the light and the full darkness keeps the audience in incessant suspense and fear. The opening film attracts by its important details that matter.

Veritable image

The in-depth and thoughtful direction and successful camera angle and create a veritable image of noir films. In particular, the murder scene is the most skillfully directed scene that is distinguished by a perfect combination of music and light. As the pressure grows, the music becomes more thrilling and horrible so that even the audience does witness the actual murder, it could feel that is going on behind the camera. From the beginning to the end of the murder scene, the heroes behave as if it is required by the genre noir. The audience can comprehend the horror of the scene according to Barbara’s impression on the face that is still cold and calm. On seeing her face, you realize that this woman is rather composed and calculated. In a further development of the story, Billy Wilder intends to divert the audience’s attention from the leading murder line and to accentuate the crime mistakes and the psychological atmosphere (Wilder et al. 132). The director tries to reveal the genuine fear of discovery that makes Neff suffer. He is obsessed with the idea that everybody is chasing him. On committing the crime, we could witness that Neff is not a superhero without drawbacks; he is just an ordinary man with human fears. The on-screen tragedy was the denouement of the story where Neff pays for affection for Phyllis. The movie also impresses by the sincerity and bright images that comprise most of the features of the stereotyped personages of the thrilling genre.

Music

Like in most films, noir music plays a significant role in creating the characters. It supplements the peculiar feature of the character thus creating a relevant impression. In the movie, music is an effective tool that helps the viewer to anticipate the following scene and to predict what scene should be next. Using sound, the audience can comprehend what the heroes intended to say and to do. Music also managed to render the tragedy of the murder and the closing scene when the crime was uncovered and punished. The director successfully made use of the music as a method of indicating the most horrible and tense moments thus enhancing the total impression. Even from the beginning, when the viewers are not aware of the main idea of the film, they could guess that the film is about an abhorrent crime.

Сonclusion

The analysis of the classical picture Double Indemnity is the brightest representative of genre noir. Directed by a skillful Billy Wilder, it managed to reveal diverse dimensions of the human character and to show the classic scenes that fascinate the audience even nowadays. Therefore, everyone could enjoy the perfect plot and the brilliant play of the actors. In addition, the movie greatly contributed to the further introduction of film noir to the cinematography.

Works Cited

Double Indemnity 1944. Billy Wilder, Fred McMurray, Barbara Stanwyck. Paramount Picture.

Elbert, Robert Great Movies. US: Broadway, 2002.

Wilder, Billy and Horton, Robert Billy Wilder: interviews. US: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2001.

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