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Double Indemnity, a film by Billy Wilder, portrays the murder conducted by an alluring woman and an insurance representative. It is a Film Noir classic that adopts Film Noir conventions from plot patterns and theme to iconography and style. Plot patterns are a significant part of genre conventions (Bordwell 331). Film Noirs usually have intricate plots about murder, including an innocent man and a dangerous woman. In Double Indemnity, the flashback is used to tell a lamentable story, in which the innocent character wrongfully conducted the crime, and a femme fatale is the cause of the downfall. Also, the dark theme of the film follows the convention of Film Noir, involving feminine betrayal and moral ambiguity. As Neff says “But I didn’t get the money… and I didn’t get the woman,” he suggests that he is attracted by the woman and is used by her. He is morally weak and turns his decent life around by committing murder for her. The iconography of a genre consists of recurring symbolic images that carry meaning from film to film (Bordwell 332). In Double Indemnity, the femme-fatale, the smoking behavior, and detective work are all commonly used icons in Film Noir. Particularly, Phyllis, the seductive femme-fatale, has the evil attention to kill her husband and utilize Neff; smoking is presented throughout the film, from the interaction on the train to the final scene in which Neff accepts the cigarette in pain. Finally, genre conventions involve stylistic elements (Bordwell 332). One noteworthy element is the low-key lighting and chiaroscuro that is commonly used in Film Noir. The bold contrast and the intense shadow give a sense of tension and deception. Another important stylistic element is the high and low angle that establishes the contrast of power between Phyllis and Neff.

While Double Indemnity follows various genre conventions of Film Noir, the confessing scene at the beginning of the film sets a dark and criminal tone by implementing the conventions. The scene starts with the streets of Los Angeles and Neff driving in a hurry (Double Indemnity 1:28-7:14). This urban setting is filled with dark corners and shadows with dim street lights, building a sense of nervousness and mystery. Then, Neff goes into the building, walks to the office, and starts the confession. Here, low-key lighting is used. At first, we can only see Neff’s back, and his face is covered by the hat’s shadow. His office has dark tones, with light slanted through window blinds, which is typical for the genre. The striped shadow can represent Neff’s blindness as he murders for money and woman. Even though he turns on the lamp later, the high contrast remains. This is used to show the darkness of his conduct and his deep regret. Additionally, many iconographies are presented in this scene. Wearing suits and hat, Neff lights the cigarette and confesses. With the wound caused by a gun on his shoulder, he introduces the femme fatale to the audience. The icons of suits, hats, and cigarettes are very distinctive for Film Noir, related to the habits of the 1940s and the social class of the main character (a salesman with a good income). The wound caused by the gunshot and the femme fatale create a mysterious and dark mood, suggesting conflicts have happened. Finally, this scene indicates the film uses flashbacks to investigate why Neff commits murder. The flashback structure is used commonly in Film Noir, building the suspense and making Neff’s mistake inevitable. Although the audience knows the murderer and his unfortunate ending, they are still curious about why an ordinary salesman ends up this way. Thus, using street setting, low-key lighting, various iconographies, and flashback to build the dark tone and suspense, the beginning scene is a typical Film Noir scene.

Aside from the beginning scene, the scene of the gunshot is also a classic Film Noir scene with low-key lighting, murder, guns, and femme-fatale. Specifically, the scene begins with Phyllis turning off the lights and sitting in the shadows (Double Indemnity 1:34:20-1:40:14). The cigarette is the only source of light, and her face is in the dimming light. This limited exposure represents her dark and hided intentions. When Neff walks in, we first see his distinct shadow. Then, we see his body that is covered by the rows of lights resulted from Venetian blinds, and his face remains in the dark. This leads to a dark and sinister atmosphere. When they are talking, Neff is in the dark, and Phyllis is under dim light, emphasizing the tension between the two. In addition, the symbols of cigarettes, suits, and guns are typical for Film Noir. The usage of cigarettes indicates that Phillis is planning, thinking, and calming herself, leading the audience to suspect something negative is going to happen. The suits of Neff indicate his social class, making the audience aware of the moral downfall of a decent man. Catching the audience’s attention, the shiny and metallic gun leads to the murder directly. Finally, the femme fatale in the scene is a staple of the Film Noir genre. Phyllis admits “I am rotten to the heart and I use you just as you said” (Double Indemnity 1:39:59-1:40:02). This shows her indifference and immorality, manipulating Neff to conduct the murder. As Neff says “why don’t you shoot again, baby?”, the audience feels both the sexual attraction and tension between them (Double Indemnity 1:39:43-1:39:45). It shows the way Neff is allured by this beautiful and dangerous woman, which leads to his moral downfall and self destruction. By shooting her when hugging her, he conducts another crime and needs to deal with the gravest consequences. Therefore, emphasizing low-key lighting, symbols, and femme fatale, the gunshot scene demonstrates the characteristics of Film Noir.

As discussed above, Double Indemnity adopts Film Noir conventions from many perspectives. The low-key lighting, iconographies, plot pattern, and theme contribute to building the tension and suspense, making the audience engaged in the film. By setting the dark tone and portraying the moral downfall, the film makes the audience aware of the moral ambiguity. Here, Neff did not have criminal intentions but is tempted by a predatory femme fatale, conducting crimes. The moral corruption and the greed of man are emphasized. Involving various Film Noir conventions throughout the film to create the dark tone and suspense, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity is a typical Film Noir with the theme of crime and moral ambiguity.

Works Cited

Bordwell, David, et al. Film Art: An Introduction. McGraw-Hill Education, 2020.

Double Indemnity. Directed by Billy Wilder, performances by Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, Paramount Pictures Studios, 1973.