Friday, June 17, 2011

Infidelity x Conspiracy: Double Indemnity

Soon after the end of WWII,

French film critics coined the term “noir”.

The word ‘noir’ literally means ‘black’ in French,

giving us the idea of ‘dark film’.

 

After the war a gloomy,

the previously sunny optimism of U.S.A.

has been replaced by a pessimistic worldview. 

 

In the 1940’s,

American movies were growing darker,

both visually and also in terms of theme and content.

Thrillers of the era often took on

the ‘otherworldly’ feel of a waking dream.

These elements came together to express the mood:

film noir.

 

Let’s look into a few key elements of film noir

with specific examples from

the classic film noir: Double Indemnity.

Double Indemnity movie poster 03

 

An iconic characteristic of film noir is fatalism.

The ill-fated protagonist,

typically an ‘ordinary Joe’

is sent into a quicksand of crime

by a small minor mistake.

 

His futile attempts to escape make it

more difficult to get back on to the right track.

This is often described as a “spider web of deceit”.

then the murder

 

This is exactly what has happened to Neff,

who starts off with harmless flirtation

with his client’s wife yet ends up being a murderer.

When he realizes that Phyllis has

no real love for him and

is just using him as an accomplice,

it is already too late.

Double Indemnity movie poster 01

 

The fatal woman (femme fatale)

is another defining figure of noir.

She is seductive and dangerous.

She is a sexual predator who

weakens the male protagonist.

 

Phyllis Dietrichson has committed far more wrongs

than having an extra matrimonial affair.

She wants the husband to be dead,

so that she can claim all the insurance money to herself.

She is responsible for the death of

the first Mrs. Dietrichson too.

Moreover,

she even seduces the boyfriend of her step daughter

out of jealousy for the girl.

 

This particular “femme fatale” is

directly responsible for the fall of

the protagonist into the “spider web of deceit”.

Double Indemnity movie poster 02

 

The representation of the protagonist's subjectivity

is part and parcel of film noir.

That includes his perceptions, state of mind,

desires, obsessions and anxieties.

 

In the movie,

Neff is suffering from his conscious of guilt.

He has hatred for the lover

who leads him into the entrapment,

yet undeniably,

his passionate love for her is still painfully burning.

He is making the confession

on the critical moment of dying

so as to ease his self-condemnation.

Finally,

he wants Lola, the victim to be taken care of.

 

Another feature of film noir is

the figure of a hard-boiled detective.

This is the kind of tough, realistic and

non-sentimental character.

He does not go through the struggle and pain

which our protagonist is suffering from

because his mind and instinct

always guide him to the right direction.

 

In this case,

Keyes the claim adjuster is the character that

fits in this feature.

He suspects foul play of

the death of Mr. Dietrichson long time ago.

However he fails to solve the crime.

 

This is what differentiates film noir from

the ordinary crime movie.

The truth behind the crime is always

unveiled in a unique way,

contrasting to being solved by a shrewd detective.

 

The narrative techniques of film noir are often innovative.

the movie  is divided into two temporal movements:

of real time and remembered time.

 

The film opens with Neff arriving at his office,

all wounded up.

He confesses into a dictating machine

for murdering a man for money and a woman.

The confession triggers a flashback.

Scenes from the past were brought forward,

narrated by his voice–over confession.

 

Subsequently the narrative brings real time and

memory together as Neff is about to die

from the gunshot which he suffered

at the end of his flashback.

moment of death

 

In conclusion,

the movie is an eye-opener which presents

the key features of film noir

in a well-structured story-line.

 

Delving into the dark mystery of human nature

does not cease at the post-war era.

We would say that the features of the film genre

are influential to the subsequent thrillers and crime movies.

Therefore film noir have lived on,

and will continue to.

 

Double Indemnity / 1944

 

Works Cited

Horsley, L. (2002). The Development of Post-war Literary and Cinematic Noir. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from Crime Culture: http://www.crimeculture.com/Contents/Film%20Noir.html

Mills, M. (2007). Narrative Innovations in Film Noir. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from Modern Times: http://moderntimes.com/style/

Westcombe, R. (2003). What is this thing called film noir, anyway? Retrieved June 10, 2011, from Big House Film: http://www.bighousefilm.com/noir_intro.htm