Double Indemnity Film Noir Essay

A big film noir that hit the big screen during the film noir period was, Double Indemnity (1944) directed by Billy Wilder. Film noir was a style of filmmaking that became prevalent in the United States after World War II. This film style, “used harsh shadows, flashbacks, and voiceovers, and would usually show a fatalistic view of society.()” The film Double Indemnity was a success with the use of the stylistic techniques of film noir by using: harsh shadows, flashbacks, voiceovers, and showing the inevitable.

The movie began with a dark shadowed male who is on crutches walking towards the screen. This showed the use of harsh shadows. The main character Walter Neff then begins explaining the events that led up to said now. He uses the effect of a flashback to vividly describe and show what happened between the events of the past leading up to the present. He uses this effect to explain his tale

of murder and betrayal. The technique of voiceovers was used throughout the movie to help explain the feelings and the thoughts in his head that viewers would not have been able to know, had he not said it. A specific part of the movie where he used a voiceover was his first encounter with Mrs. Dietrichson whom he thought was the most absolute stunning woman there was.
The mise-en-scene of the movie showed the use of lighting, the setting, and the different costuming.

Throughout the entire movie the lighting of the movie was a very dim low light affect. This gave the movie a dark cynical feel to it. The movie began with a dark shadow then ended in complete darkness. This particularly could entail that what’s done in the dark must come to light. The setting of the movie took place in Los Angeles. The scenes would typically shot in the dark, which is stereotypically the time that crime takes place. Billy Wilder’s use of costuming for each of the characters correlated very efficiently and helped the overall storyline. Phyllis was always portrayed on having seductive clothing such as the beginning of the movie where she was standing at the top of the stairs. This part she had only a towel on. This showed the first phase of seducing Walter. Mr. Dietrichson’s wardrobe was completely opposite from wealth, but he looked as if he was sleazy and a slob. Walter Neff was always portrayed in a suit, which shows that he was always business

professional.
This movie fits into the film noir category very efficiently. The movie used all of the film styles and techniques throughout the entire movie. In the movie it portrayed the other main character Phyllis Dietrichson as a femme fatale. Femme fatale is known as a woman who is attractive and tends to bring disaster to a man who becomes involved with her; Phyllis was just that. Phyllis Dietrichson seduced Walter Neff into becoming her accomplice in the murder of her husband. She not only brought disaster to one man but two, which was her husband and accomplice. Phyllis used both men to get money. This showed her greed for money and the thought of wealth. She loved neither of the men and only used them to gain what she wanted, but in the end; she ended up dead.

The film Double Indemnity overall was a passionate, fatalistic, murder mystery that kept you wondering what’s next. I was not essentially expecting this movie to be as good as it was, but it surprised me. The use of the stylistic techniques and traits of film noir, kept the movie appealing. I believe this is a good movie for a more mature generation, so they can truly appreciate the value of the movie. The movie left the viewers with the thought of, “What goes around, comes back around,” which ended up with the death of both the characters.