DOUBLE INDEMNITY (classic film noir review)

This is a film set in LA which tends to be a classic location for film noirs.

In the first scene the classic stylistics of film noir were instantly on show with venetian blinds in the very first scene, also in the first scene , also the main character Walter smokes in the first scene, smoke in noirs is usually used in noirs to shroud characters to make them more mysterious. Despite rain being used in noirs a lot this film only uses it once however the time it is used works well as it is used at a moment of peril. The femme fatal Phyllis appears at the start to be trying to get her husband insurance.

Walter is a damaged man from the start this is obvious as he limps into a building and begins to explain how much of a mess he is in. Walters first encounter with Phyllis they blatantly flirt and there is a chemistry between them he then comes back later that night telling her he wants to be with her they then hatch a plan to murder Phyllis’ husband when he goes on a business trip on a train the plan was to make it look like he fell to his death off the train. On the way to the date they planned to murder Phyllis’ husband there are two obstacles his daughter told Walter that despite the fact that he is a selfish man he is a good father and a good man however it did not take Walter more than 10 seconds to shake it off, the other problem is that Phyllis’ husband breaks his leg this delays the plan and so Walter has to fake a broken leg when he impersonates her husband on the train.




 The murder happens and they pull it off well. Because of the insurance taken out just before Phyllis’ husband died a man called Keys investigate not suspecting foul play at first but his instincts end up telling him something is wrong he eventually figures it all out after Walter and Phyllis turn on each other because of the stress leading to Walter killing Phyllis the film ties together with Walter going back to his office like at the start then it going back to present time and keys discovering Walter in his office who says he would rather go to Mexico than face death but his wounds from the confrontation with Phyllis are to severe and he collapses in front of the lift.