Double Indemnity is a film noir directed by Billy Wilder and was released in 1944. The film follows Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), an insurance salesman, and Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), a housewife who is unhappy with her marriage, as they carry out a plan to kill Phyllis’ husband, set it up as an accident, and collect $100,000 worth of insurance money to keep for themselves. While many viewers would say the primary relationship in the film is between Walter and Phyllis, there is a unique, less-obvious relationship between Walter and his boss, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson). Throughout the film they have peculiar conversations, light one another’s cigarettes, and share a heartfelt breakup at the end of the film. The relationship …show more content…
No longer is he this big, tall, smart man. He is now sweaty, hunched over in a chair, knowing that he has lost and plans to run away. Much like a husband on his death bed telling his wife to take care of his kids, Walter begs Keyes to protect Nino and Phyllis’ daughter, Lola (Jean Heather), after he is gone. This final sequence now shows Keyes dominating much of the frame, he is now the bigger figure, he has the power. Walter is slouched in the chair looking up to him now, completely opposite of their roles throughout the bulk of the movie. Though obviously stunned that Walter is a killer, Keyes still pities him. He does not try to physically restrain Walter nor does he call the police on him, he knows with the bullet wound, Walter will not make it to his destination of crossing the border. Walter struggles to the door and finally collapses, indicating his complete failure. Keyes follows him and kneels next to him, still dominating the frame. While we only see Walter’s face and torso, we can see pretty much Keyes’ entire body looking down to him. We get a almost flirtatious final conversation between the two as Walter explains the reason why Keyes could not figure out it was him, because they were too close, sitting across the desk from each other. Keyes responds by saying they were “closer than that”, indicating the depth of their relationship. Walter repeats a line he said earlier in the film, “I love you too”, before struggling to light a cigarette. Although it was Walter’s job to light Keyes’ cigarettes throughout the entire movie, everything has come full circle, the power has shifted, and Keyes lights Walter’s cigarette and the film ends. Keyes realizes his “lover” is gone and he must step up to run things now. He cannot be helpless and not be able to light his cigarettes now; he must help Walter light
As the movie progresses, Walter's new self-confidence shows when his mother returns with her latest abusive boyfriend. The main reason Mae had wanted Walter to stay with his eccentric uncles is to try to find the millions of dollars his uncles are supposed to have hidden away somewhere. Mae and her boyfriend, a supposed private investigator, claim Hub and
Walter's change happen because he was in a crisis. Walter has lost almost all his money when he gave it to a person he trusted. From their Walter was willing to do anything to get some money back. This ends up backfiring when Mama gives Walter a choice. On page 1605 Ruth, Walter's wife, tells Travis, Walter's son, to go down stairs but Mama says no. Mama states: "No. Travis you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good. Like Willy Harris taught you. You show where our five generations done come to." Walter was set and stone on not to move in the house until Mama brings Travis into the conversation. Mama wants Walter to think if the choice he is making is the right choice. Walter and Malcom had a similar crisis and that was an identity crisis. With Malcom, when he went to prison, was still acting like the same low life criminal he was on the streets of Harlem until he meets Baines. For example Malcom was taking a shower Baines gave him a drink. Baines tries to talk to Malcom but he ignores him. Bains soon asks him the question "Who ate you?" This left Malcom to change to him think who he really was. From the cause to change to the change Walter and Malcom went through they had some similarities but big
Walter is confronted by the event of having another child when his wife, Ruth, shares the information about what has happened and what her plans are to resolve and continue the scenario. Walter brings to topic of his importance to the scenario, and decides to break away from the event and think of his answer towards his wife’s information and response. He later is shown the understanding of his wife by the reaction of his mother, who questions his standing on how his father would have reacted. This brings Walter to think of why he should change and not walk out on times of importance. Walter discovers that his turmoil of drinking and appearance on the topic could lose the life of his newly developing child.
Okay, so like I said before people can be loud and disruptive. They will yell and interrupt a good story. Walter is a quiet and patient person, and can be very interested in what you have to say. He won’t interrupt you when you are talking, like many. He will not yell and be disruptive,
... love and happiness of one’s family. Walter changes from being self-centered to self-less. He gives up his dream of having a liquor store when Willy Harris runs away with the money. Walter does that so the Younger family can fill their lives with joy and do not have to struggle anymore. This is the biggest sacrifice that Walter makes for the family. This theme also applies to everyday life. Many people sacrifice their wishes and dreams that they have, so they could help their family through tough times and always keep a smile on their faces. Love, sacrifice, and happiness is a part of everyday life.
Walter Jr. plays a role as the lanky, dark-haired teen who had to adjust to the role he was playing. He has a mild case of the neurologic disorder, and extensive therapy helped overcome some of its more pronounced symptoms. His character uses crutches and has a different speech pattern. He says that "Getting used to (Walter's) crutches was really ...
... he saw. The relationship with Phyllis was unstable and vile. After Phyllis is gone, the power over Walter is also gone, and he goes to ask for forgiveness for his love, Barton. Walter makes this argument clear when he confesses to Barton “You know why you couldn’t figure this one Keyes, I’ll tell ya, it’s because the guy you were looking for was too close, right across the desk from you.” and Barton replies by saying “Closer than that Watler” In the final words Walter reveals how he truly feels about Barton “I love you too”. The relationship between Walter and Barton cannot be denied. The light, sound, and camera angle all imply a closeness of the male characters. The final shot has Walter trying to light a cigarette, in which Barton light it for him is the final act of relief, in which they both share together before the film end and the screen fades out to black.
After buying a house, Mama gives the remaining money to Walter, telling him to save some for Beneatha’s medical school, and that he can decide what the rest of the money can go to. Walter tells Travis that he is going to change their lives with the money: “One day...I’ll pull up on the driveway...just a plain black chrysler… though I’ll have to get something a little sportier for Ruth---maybe a Cadillac convertible...and I‘ll go inside...to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues of the great in America all around you… just tell me what it is you want to be---… and I hand you the world!” (108-109). Walter fantasizes about owning classy cars and being able to pay for his son to go to any of the top-notch schools in America. His visions for the future reveal that his perception of reality is unrealistic and that wealth matters very much to him. He is very confident that he will be able to give Travis “the world”, which shows that he has excessive faith in his business deal. His delusions and excitement can hinder his ability to make calculated decisions. Without saving any money for Beneatha’s medical school, Walter gives the money to his friend, Willy, to invest in liquor stores. The next day, Walter’s other friend, Bobo, visits Walter to tell him that Willy ran off with the money. Walter melts down and yells, “Man, I put my life in your
In the breakfast scene the focus is on Walter Jr. awkwardly seated in the middle of the table watching his parents glare at each other each seated on opposite ends, so understandably their son opts for the bus. In the background the weather is being stated and there is commentary on how a perfect a day it is to be with family which further enforces how powerful this scene is in showcasing the deterioration of their relationship. The technique of the two characters, protagonist and antagonist, facing off is used once again in the intervention scene. Each tries to maintain their power with the talking pillow as they bicker with the family in the middle, the camera focusing on the raw emotion in each of their faces. They have gathered to discuss as their all can agree they care about each other, with is signified with the family placed in the middle, but the matriarch and patriarch disagree on what is best. This can be gathered by their placement in the room as the scene is shot. Once Walter makes his decision, “I choose not to do it” the screen goes black, signifying the weight this has. This quickly changes as the camera pans in the bedroom scene while Walt moves to Skyler’s side of the bed changing his mind as the camera moves the viewer watches his mind turn and then decides to give in to her. The scene where Walt tells Skyler he will as she wishes provides the viewer with an
When she was playing she saw a man searching in his pockets to find something (a lighter) and saw his gun. She ended up jumping off the stage and jumping on him. Which then she finds out he was only looking for a lighter. After this she then goes and starts to get ready for the next and decides to quit but when she went to quit her fellow agent Eric Mattews (Benjamin Bratt) convinces her not to. When she goes to give her interview they tell her that Miss Rhode Island could be the one writing the letters so she should try to get in her head and figure out if she is guilty. She ends up getting pizza and beer and a few of the girls go out and drink at a club when Rhode Island faints Gracie takes her to the bathroom and then she finds out that Kathy Morningside (Candice Bergen) is known for violence and is being fired. After Gracie finds this out she rushes back to tell the other agents and they say that they already caught the man but she argues that the letter was different and it was probably a copycat but the chief won’t listen and tells them to pack up and leave. Gracie requests to stay and he tells her she can do what she wants but she has to turn in her gun and badge. So she gives it to Eric Mattews (Benjamin Bratt) and goes back to her room. The next morning Victor Melling (Michael Caine) was packing his bags to leave because he said he no longer needed to stay. So when Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock)
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.
She makes sure to be very different from her sister and parents. Her immaturity in the beginning while she is out with her friends causes her to fail in seeing the danger of Arnold Friend. Connie is interested in all the mystery that Arnold brings when he first arrives at her home. Connie asks questions about the markings on Arnold's car, she also asks about how he knows the people she is friends with. At first she wants to impress him, to seem older and mature like he is so that he will continue wanting her. Now that she is listening to Arnold talk more she is realizing that she is not as mature as she thought. She believes that love and the way that he is speaking to her is crazy (6). However, at Arnolds age love is not a crazy thought; the only crazy part is to love a fifteen year old. Connie is testing her boundaries and by continuing to talk to Arnold, but she is now realizing that she does not want to be as mature as she pretended to be at first. Arnold is old enough to know how to manipulate Connie in to coming out through the door with him in the end. She believes that she is still doing the mature thing by leaving with him, so that her family is safe, but in reality her immaturity is what got her in to this dangerous
Walter is a man just like many others; he has a job, a family, and he also has ambitions in life just like anybody else. Walter is not the only one in his family that has ambitions, almost everybody else in his family have ambitions as well. These ambitions created conflicts between family members after they all found out that Walter's mother (Lena) have been settled by an insurance company for the death of her husband, and she is about to obtain a large sum of money.
This scene shows the importance of money to Walter Lee. Here he is trying to guilt his mother into giving him the money by pointing out things that the family has to settle with. For example, he tells Lena that she will have to tell that to his son he is pointing out that Travis sleeps on the couch and does not have an actual bed of his own. He talks about how his wife Ruth has to watch someone else’s kids for money instea...
Walter Younger, husband, father, and son, all around just a man who struggles to continue living the poverty stricken life he has become so accustomed to, and who seeks to change the future of he and his family for the better. Though while his intentions may be in the right place, his means of achieving these goals are less than reputable. His desire for wealth more than often clouds his judgement causing his selfish behavior and rash decisions, which only leads to the opposite of what he is trying to accomplish. He believes his actions will go according to plan and all he has thought out will come to fruition, however, his high hopes and overconfidence in himself are what will inevitably bring him down. Walter is a selfish man who is persistent in his goal of obtaining money in hopes to have a better life and this persistence impairs his ability to be a good son, husband, and father. Once he learns to appreciate family, he can change as a person.