Analysis Of The Film 'Double Indemnity'

790 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Depiction of women in movies

In our society, individuals might insist their own point of view and refuse to consider others’ opposite ideas, however, in an existing film, revolutionary and conservative standpoints can be accepted at the same time to make the film “neutral”. Through considering the collisions of opposite standpoints which occur in the noir movie named “Double Indemnity” which directed by Billy Wilder and had earned the label of “unfilmmable” in Hollywood because of the story between Walter Neff played by Fred MacMurray and Phyllis Dietrichson played by Barbara Stanwyck in 1943(Biltereyst 148) , this essay will illuminate the characteristics of traditional female image and another kind of female role named “femme fatales” which is opposite to the traditional …show more content…

Besides this, through considering the ideology of different plots, this essay will elucidate the reason for why this movie can be supported by both of femininity and masculinity. Moreover, this essay will consider the morality and the immorality of this movie by analyzing the purpose, plots and results. Essentially, this essay aims to concretely as well as tentatively analyze and explore the implications of poststructuralist perceptions for the movie “Double Indemnity” about the relationship between male and different roles that women plays, its distinct representations, different groups of individuals’ opinions and some authors’ …show more content…

The film “Double Indemnity” shows one kind of women which is called “femme fatales” that is totally opposite to the traditional image of female. Traditional feminine characteristics are weakness, emotional expression, dependence and fragility. In fact, some individuals consider the role that women plays feudally as the one whose whole life should be sacrificed for and dependent on their husbands and children rather than living independently. The occurrence of the film named “Double Indemnity”, made the group of people who believe in their feudal thoughts dissatisfied because of the chief actress’s crime. In fact, by considering the history of America, people can understand the reason for this movie’s tragic outcome. “As World War II was coming, America became prosperous and families were reunited. Besides this, at that time, soldiers returned to their hometown, plan to marry and set up households” (Bordwell and Thompson 325). Moreover, “America was becoming traditional and conservative gradually, especially with regard to women”(JansB. Wager 73). “During the period of World War II, the percentage that female occupied for the labor force has increased by about fifty percent. Then, individuals who support patriarchal system considered women as a threat which might change the traditional lifestyle and

Show More
Related

  • Double Indemnity Movie Comparison

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1943, James M. Cain wrote one of his most selling novella “Double Indemnity”. The following year, Billy Wilder, a movie director, with the help of Raymond Chandler, a screenwriter, took the book and adapted it to the big screen while keeping the original title. Eventually, the movie became very popular and nowadays, “Double Indemnity”, widely regarded as a classic, is often considered as a paradigmatic film noir since it has set the standard for films that followed in that genre. The movie adaptation is significantly more effective in creating the mood of suspense and making the overall story tenser through the changes made to the main characters, namely Walter Huff, Barton Keyes and Phyllis Nirdlinger.

    Read More

  • 'Femme Exposed In The Femme Fatale'

    1795 Words  | 4 Pages

    destructive, exotic and a self-determined independent who is cold hearted, immortal and less of a human. The females portrayed in the noir were primarily of two types - either projected as ethical, loyal loving woman or as ‘femme fatales’ who were duplicitous, deceptive, manipulative and desperate yet gorgeous women. In

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Screwball Comedy Films

    4993 Words  | 10 Pages

    Led by Laura Mulvey, feminist film critics have discussed the difficulty presented to female spectators by the controlling male gaze and narrative generally found in mainstream film, creating for female spectators a position that forces them into limited choices: "bisexual" identification with active male characters; identification with the passive, often victimized, female characters; or on occasion, identification with a "masculinized" active female character, who is generally punished for her unhealthy behavior. Before discussing recent improvements, it is important to note that a group of Classic Hollywood films regularly offered female spectators positive, female characters who were active in controlling narrative, gazing and desiring: the screwball comedy.

    Read More

  • Implications of the Masculiune Gaze in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Laura Mulvey’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, she presents a number of very interesting facts regarding the ways that the sexual imagery of men and women respectively are used in the world of film. One such fact is that of the man as the looker and the female as the looked upon, she argues that the woman is always the object of reifying gaze, not the bearer if it. And “[t]he determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to be connote to-be-looked-at-ness” (487). Mulvey makes the claim that women are presented and primped into this role of “to-be-looked-at-ness”. They are put into films for this purpose and for very little other purposes. However, this argument cannot be incorporated with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; the existence of women in the film is extremely insignificant to an extent that could be considered absent. “In a world ordered by sexual imbalance,” male serves as the dominant figures with which the viewer can identify, women only appear in the film for a very short moment of time. For instance, the appearance of women is only shown when Howard rescues the ill child in the village and his return to the village for hospitality reception...

    Read More

  • Analysis of the film Double Indemnity

    2717 Words  | 6 Pages

    Double Indemnity (dir. Billy Wilder 1944) is a film about an insurance sales man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) that falls for a highly sexual, scandalous woman, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) who attempts to kill her husband. Even though Walter dismisses Phyllis attempt to purchase life insurance policy for her husband; he is unable to stay away from Phyllis for long. In the time they spend together, Walter and Phyllis try to hatch a fool-proof plan to get rid of her husband and get a double indemnity from the insurance company. Walter Neff boss Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is a man of skill and knowledge, and has been working in the same job for twenty-six years, and has always been able to tell who is a cheater and who is an honest man. Barton ability to tell who is being honest by consulted the ‘little man’, and does so throughout the film. Walter later finds out that Phyllis has been involved in another ‘accident’ prior to her involvement with her husband Mr. Dietrichson (Tom Powers).When both Walter and Phyllis are about to be found out by Barton, Phyllis attempts to kill Walter and escape with the cash. The scene in which both Barton and Walter are together in the office and are later in the hallway in which the male characters Walter and Barton both find themselves together on the ground highlights and suggest gender noir in the film. The film Double Indemnity uses the stylistic qualities of film noir to illustrate the homo-erotic relationship between Barton and Walter with the use of lights, shadows, and oneiric qualities which also suggest and emphasize the importance power of gender in noir.

    Read More

  • Miss Representation Summary

    1350 Words  | 3 Pages

    These movies allowed female characters to embody all the contradictions that could make them a woman. They were portrayed as the “femme fatale” and also “mother,” the “seductress” and at the same time the “saint,” (Newsom, 2011). Female characters were multi-faceted during this time and had much more complexity and interesting qualities than in the movies we watch today. Today, only 16% of protagonists in movies are female, and the portrayal of these women is one of sexualization and dependence rather than complexity (Newsom, 2011).

    Read More

  • Women in Film as Portrayed in the Movie, Double Indemnity

    1123 Words  | 3 Pages

    Today, contemporary audiences and critics have become preoccupied with the role the cinema plays in shaping social values, institutions, and attitudes. American cinema has become narrowly focused on images of violent women, female sexuality, the portrayal of the “weaker sex” and subversively portraying women negatively in film. The “Double Indemnity” can be read in two ways. It is either a misogynist film about a terrifying, destroying woman, or it is a film that liberates the female character from the restrictive and oppressed melodramatic situation that render her helpless” (Kolker 124). There are arguably two extreme portrayals of the character of Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity.

    Read More

  • The Impact Of Hegemonic Masculinity And Emphasized Femininity

    1825 Words  | 4 Pages

    his Essay will analyse, introduce, and discuss the terms Hegemonic Masculinity and Emphasized femininity, if it still applies in modern times and the use of these concepts to comprehend the role of the man and female in Eastern Asia, in relation to post-war Japan. In order to present a clear and linear argument I will divide this essay into three parts: In the first part I will define the term hegemonic masculinity, the common traits and the influence that it has in society; the essay will continue then in explaining and outlining the term emphasized femininity. The second part will analyse the impact of the notions of hegemonic masculinity and emphasized femininity in relation to post war Japan has. The last part will briefly identify some

    Read More

  • A Few Good Men Film Analysis

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gender and the portrayal of gender roles in a film is an intriguing topic. It is interesting to uncover the way women have been idealized in our films, which mirrors the sentiments of the society of that period in time. Consequently, the thesis of this essay is a feminist approach that seeks to compare and contrast the gender roles of two films. The selected films are A few Good Men and Some Like it Hot.

    Read More

  • gender roles

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ue in modern society, if mothers rely too much on day-cares and do not spend enough time with their children then the relationship among the family will not be as strong. The traditional view of sex roles differ from the the modern and more liberal view of sex roles. The modern view does not differ because of the greater involvement of the father in the family or among the genders, but the perspective of the individuals in society. It is known that both genders can contribute to each other’s works, regardless of what sex they fall under. The society, religious institute, and media play a greater role in shaping these sex roles. The gradual changes are closely related to the media because people tend to play out in their lives what they see on the television. I hope it is now clear that the views on gender roles and stereotypes have changed substantially with time.

    Read More

  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    The films message to viewers about gender and power is that women are meant to take care of the home and play the supportive role, while men go out to their jobs and provide. Men are strong and burly and women are naïve and domesticated. Women need men and men always come to the rescue to save women and give them a happy ending. Power is portrayed in the film both visually and through the film’s script and dialogue. The common idea that women are inferior to men is placed subtly in this movie throughout the plot and how these charac...

    Read More

  • Women's Role In Ww2 Essay

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    As a result of World War II beginning, quick marriages became the norm. All the teenagers would get married before their men went overseas to war. Later on, after women started receiving their own wages, they would start feeling even more important and patriotic than ever before. This made many of their families feel very proud. In contrast, an atrocious conflict caused by Hitler, is that he mocked the Americans for putting their women to work. He said that the role of German women was to be good wives, mother, and have babies. However, the Americans still didn’t give up, especially the women- this was important because the work had to be done no matter what. The women continued to work and kept on moving

    Read More

  • The Impact Of Sexualization And Objectification Of Women In Society

    1471 Words  | 3 Pages

    Also, the film revealed women empowerment and how superior they can be compared to men. While demonstrating sexual objectification, empowerment, there was also sexual exploitation of the women, shown through the film. Throughout this essay, gender based issues that were associated with the film character will be demonstrated while connecting to the real world and popular culture.

    Read More

  • Communism: How It Tried to Help Women

    2209 Words  | 5 Pages

    Constitutional patriarchy instilled by the government in Central Europe greatly affected women during the time period following World War I. Communism attempted to give women more rights and promote their equality among men, but it failed to do so often. As a regime, patriarchy favored masculine gender roles throughout numerous aspects of society. Loves of a Blonde, Man is Not a Bird, Daisies, and A Woman Alone display the effect of patriarchy on women and how women could be successful or unsuccessful on attempting to go against it. The women in the films showed how women were pressured by society to accept relationships and a role in family, which were repressive. However, not all women conformed to the pressure and attempted to change their lives by taking different attitudes and actions toward the situation. By observing these films, a viewer can receive a viewpoint on how patriarchal society affected women and how women acted on their positions.

    Read More

  • The Empowerment of Japanese Women, through Strong Female Characters of Anime Film

    2331 Words  | 5 Pages

    Structurally, the paper is divided into three sections: the empowerment of Japanese women, strong female characters, and the identity of women. The first section will present the rise of the feminist movement of Japan that will explain the historical background. The second section examines the development of the strong female characters and how they contribute to the empowerment of Japanese women, through the analysis of the four films mentioned. Finally, the third...

    Read More

More about Analysis Of The Film 'Double Indemnity'

Open Document