Double indemnity is an important and some say the first example of a genre of films called film noir. Double indemnity and the hollywood production code b. Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck seduces insurance. The film was developed at a time when film noir movies were gaining immense popularity, making it one of the best film noir to date. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context. Dueling identities and double consciousness theme in the. The first is the doubleindemnity insurance award, and the. His noirish world is one in which strong sexual passions stir beneath the.
The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of impending doom. Film noir is not necessarily a type of genre but rather a tone that branched of from the crimegangster sags of the 1930s. In 1943, the story of double indemnity had earned the label of unfilmmable in hollywood due to its controversial and immoral subject matter biltereyst 148. Film analysis of double indemnity from the moment they met, it was murder. The movie double indemnity directed by billy wilder is considered to be the classic masterpiece of the u. Hammett, who was a leading figure in the golden age of detective novels during the 1920s and 1930s, wrote a number of suggestions to detective story writers. She is a beautiful and alluring woman, barely older than lola, her husbands daughter from a previous marriage. Double indemnity is a film noir directed by billy wilder in 1944, and it was based on the novel of the same name double indemnity which was published in 1943. I am aware of other great examples like rita hayworth in gilda, lana turner in the postman always rings twice or lauren bacall in. The themetracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of dueling identities and double consciousness appears in each chapter of the hate u give. Why is phyllis in double indemnity hailed as one of.
Double indemnity 1994 summary of the plot double indemnity is a film. This film was directed by billy wilder, produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom and cowriten by wilder and raymond chandler. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m. It is hardly surprising that double indemnity is filled with some of the best examples of hardboiled language as two legends of hardboiled fiction contributed to the script. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of double indemnity by james m. The novel later served as the basis for the film of the same name in 1944, adapted for the screen by the novelist raymond chandler and directed by. Analysis paper on movie double indemnity 1944 essay. Cain not only shows us walter huffs maliciousness and willingness but also his weaknesses and his frailty. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. Robinson is fundamental, and warmer than in the novel.
Dueling identities and double consciousness litcharts. In a city where insurance salesmen are close to the bottom of the social pecking order, walter huff rates as average. Cain wrote the original novel, from which the film was adapted, and raymond chandler did the coadaptation. Double indemnity definition of double indemnity by the. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the hate u give, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Hence, the audience is given clues about the themes, the setting, the characters. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Double indemnity first meeting between protagonist and femme fatale. Bored with her husband, who worshiped a picture of his dead fiancee on the wall, in 1925 ruth began an affair with judd gray, a corset salesman. Nirdlingers inconvenient husband has to be eliminated so that his wife. Double indemnity the movie that i watched this week is a 1944 american film called, double indemnity.
From a look at classics like psycho and double indemnity to recent films like traffic and thelma and louise, nicole rafter and michelle brown show that criminological theory is produced not only in the academy, through scholarly research, but also in popular culture, through film. Theres a clause in every accident policy, a little something called double indemnity. It was strange reading this book as it times it seemed like i was watching an old black and white movie. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of. According to imdb, cain liked the plot solutions that billy wilder and raymond chandler came up with for the movie and would have used them in the book if he had thought. The insurance companies put it in as a sort of comeon for the customers. Phyllis proposes to kill her husband to receive the proceeds of an accident insurance policy and walter devises a scheme to receive twice the amount based on a double indemnity clause. Its plot, theme, setting, performances, dialogue, cinematography and. This paper will provide examples and show that the following film realized the success of this flick. Double indemnity symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver. Her looks, hair, clothing, jewelry air of innocence sexual attraction innuendos protagonists analysis of the meeting the femme fatale embodies the most direct. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic realism of the 1930s, with characters as. The script was based off a 1943 novel with the same title and was written by james m. Dietrichson is found dead on a traintrack, the police accept the determination of.
Its in black and white, it has fast badinage, its very witty, a story from the classic age. This bastardization can be seen in how all three of the films major company men, norton, keys, and. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936 the film stars fred macmurray as an insurance salesman. But despite objections and impositions from the production code administration, through compromise and strategy, billy wilder managed to create and release the film in 1944. An analysis of billy wilders double indemnity inquiries. Double indemnity as a film noir classic film studies essay. The genre for this film is crime drama and filmnoir. Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. Walter huff was an insurance salesman with an unfailing instinct for clients who might be in trouble, and his instinct led him to phyllis nirdlinger. Comparison of noir and neo noir themes in the films double indemnity and chinatown 1117 words 5 pages. Cain, virtuoso of the roman noir, gives us a tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful story in double indemnity, an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. Cinema scholars often refer to barbara stanwycks character of phyllis dietrichson in double indemnity 1944 as one of the top examples of the femme fatale, as her conniving spirit and good looks worked all the men in her story to her whims.
Double indemnity definition of double indemnity by the free. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Attached word or pdf file i will also include effective essay tip. I am aware of other great examples like rita hayworth in gilda, lana turner in the postman always rings twice or. Double indemnity and the hollywood production code wide angle b ecause of its distinct narrative and stylistic technique, billy wilders 1944 double indemnity is widely considered to be the preeminent example of the film noir. Double indemnity is a 1934 detective novella by james m cain. An analysis of billy wilders double indemnity analysis. Scene analysis on double indemnity 1944 goodbye baby. It is indeed true that double indemnity represents one of the best examples of a film noir and has also been viewed to set some standards for the upcoming movies.
The theme of sexual obsession pervades all of cains crime fiction. The film double indemnity directed by billy wilder is a wonderful work that focuses heavily on relationships between characters. In the later novel, there are two double compensations for an accidental death that is actually a murder. Characteristics of double indemnity 1035 words bartleby. Humans are selfserving and greedy, ruled by their baser passions. This movie discusses not only interpersonal relations between men and women, but also it reveals corruption and immorality found in the society of those times. In the film characters get caught up in relationships that they have to keep hidden. Jul 14, 2015 some of the changes made to the double indemnity screenplay were definite improvements on the book, probably due to the fact that raymond chandler was a cowriter on the movie. Barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity, billy wilder 1944. Cains novel by raymond chandler and directed by billy wilder, double indemnity is a film noir representing one of the highest levels of urban crime dramas. Background adapted from a short novella by james m cain adapted for the screen by raymond chandler a detective novelist directed by billy wilder a jewish emigre who went on to direct a list films like sunset boul. Cinematography in double indemnity media design and. Jul 08, 2014 in 1943, the story of double indemnity had earned the label of unfilmmable in hollywood due to its controversial and immoral subject matter biltereyst 148.
Three themes are the idea of senseless or at least relatively killing, sexuality and greed. Double indemnity provides a picture of how the corporate system itself wears down morality and twists men into cynical parodies of the helpful agents that they publicly claim to be. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of. Still, he is savvy enough to get through the door and get the prospect talking, except that when he makes a call to a certain mr. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and. What are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. Cain novel by wilder and raymond chandler, double indemnity represents the highwater mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and expressionist lighting of modern cities. Double indemnity, james mallahan cain double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m. Like most hardboiled crime literature of the 1930s and 1940s, double indemnity paints a picture of humanity as corrupt and evil. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming city of hollywood. Robinson, and in 1973, a tv film directed by by jack smight and starring richard crenna and samantha eggar. This film was nominated for seven academy awards, but it did not win any prize.
But despite objections and impositions from the production code administration, through compromise and strategy, billy wilder managed to create and release the film in. Cain novel, itself based on the 1927 murder of albert snyder by his wife ruth in queens, ny. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist. Cain was very pleased with the way his book turned out on the screen.
An indepth look at a film noir classic barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity, billy wilder 1944 it has all the characteristics of the classic forties film as i respond to it. First published in book form in the volume three of a kind 1943. Scene analysis of the scene goodbye, baby the scene that will be analysed in double indemnity was directed by billy wilder. I vaguely recall watching the movie of the same name. The question and answer section for double indemnity is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Double indemnity is a classic example of the film noir style and also set some standards for movies to come. Women in film as portrayed in the movie, double indemnity. Animated presentation of the american film noir double indemnity. Some of the changes made to the double indemnity screenplay were definite improvements on the book, probably due to the fact that raymond chandler was a cowriter on the movie. These relationships also have power dynamics that emphasize and help push the story forward. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936. There is no doubt in double indemnity, that phyllis dietrichson, the dissatisfied wife of a wealthy older man is being sexually objectified both by the imagery of the film and by her position in relation to the other characters.
Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Oct 09, 2008 it is hardly surprising that double indemnity is filled with some of the best examples of hardboiled language as two legends of hardboiled fiction contributed to the script. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and raymond chandler, and produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom. Yet again i feel like a fool offering a summary of a story doubtless extremely. Thoroughbreds was inspired by such classic examples of film noir as double indemnity and the postman always rings twice, both of which finley says he went to for. Double indemnity and the politics of gender curnblog. I think double indemnity is one of the better examples of all of those. Why is phyllis in double indemnity hailed as one of cinema. It was first published in serial form in liberty magazine in 1936 and then was one of three long short tales in the collection three of a kind. The story of double indemnity is based on a 1943 james m. Cain this study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of double indemnity.
This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of double indemnity. The presentation focuses on the innuendo scene within the film. It is quite short especially if you ignore the padding in the foreword which serves no real purpose. Cain 18921977, double indemnity is based upon a true story about a weakwilled insurance agent, walter huff, who falls for sultry blond, phyllis nirdlinger. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, an elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. As richard schickel states in his double indemnity. In film noir, elements like violence, sexual harassments, adultery, crime and greed are representatives of similar evil types in the society with a moral conflict emerging at.