Blog 5: A Strange Beggining

Kenneth Sweeney describes Billy Wilder's cinematic adaptation of James M. Cain's, Double Indemnity as, "... perhaps the quintessential film-noir thriller from the 1940s," in his review of the film for DVD Playback. Sweeney explains that, "The consistent use of sharply contrasting lighting, sparely decorated locations, bold shafts of light diffused through window blinds or cigarette smoke, and a generally expressive, darker slant on the proceedings... went on to influence dozens of films made in the noir tradition for another decade." Although Double Indemnity was not one of the first works to be considered Film Noir, the uniqueness of the vision and style that was produced under Wilder influenced many of the films that followed.

This film, viewed through the lens of a noir novice who is more familiar with the works of neo noir, seemed a bit odd and forced. It was strange to learn that this film, from nearly seventy years ago was a significant influence on some of my favorite films such as Brick and Sin City.

With a bit of effort I can see the echoes of the smartly written dialogue of Raymond Chandler and dark shadows of Hans Dreier and Hal Pereira within these films. The genre of noir generally becomes defined by the very characteristics which seem so strange in their original form.

Blog 4: Alternate Endings

The endings of James M. Cain's novel, Double Indemnity, and Billy Wilder's adaptation of said novel, are quite different and for good reason. Cain's ending is strange and quick; whereas Wilder's ending is more drawn out and dramatic, each working towards their given their mediums' styles.

Cain's novel is the first person narrative account of Walter Huff, as a confession from a hospital bed and more.  His account takes the reader from his first interaction with Phyllis Nirdlinger, through their plotting and eventual murder of her husband, and ultimately to their mutual betrayals and suicide. Throughout much of the novel the reader is unaware of the passage of time as it builds towards the present, and in the end, when the narrative timeline melds with the narrator's life the novel suddenly ends. Cain's novel concludes with an injured Walter, penning his final accounts, as he and a strangely garbed Phyllis prepare to leap from an aft deck of a cruise ship, into shark infested waters. His decision to die was the result of his intense reflection, via his confession, at the ruination of his life, for which Phyllis had aided so thoroughly, supported by a still bleeding wound.  He had helped plot and kill her husband, then had planned to kill her in order cover up the first. She too had decided her accomplice must die, but was quicker at the draw and had shot Walter in the chest. She had agreed to take the plunge because she realized that the wake of death she had left throughout her life had finally caught up with her, and that she would have to pay for her crimes.  

Wilder's film is a similar story, with an alternate ending. The film opens with an injured Walter Neff as he struggles to recount the tragic events following his meeting with the beautifully dangerous Phyllis Dietrichson. The plot develops through a series of flashbacks which depict the lovers scheming, and carrying out the elaborate murder of Phyllis's husband for a large insurance payout. The lover's lives then disintegrate as they attempt to cope with the ramifications of their actions. All of this being narrated by Neff, into his bosses Dictaphone, and carried over the flashbacks. The audience is aware that the story being told is of recent past events, and of the passage of time by the occasional reappearance of the narrator, looking more haggard and frail as his tale and the night progress, and the bloodstain on his jacket widens. Wilder's film glosses over much of Phyllis's depraved and wretched past, and paints her in a much softer light. In fact, the idea to kill her is ultimately put into Walters' head by his boss, Barton Keyes, and not as the result of discovering her duplicitous and manipulative past. Walter then arranges a meeting where he murders Phyllis after she shoots him in the chest. After realizing the wound is serious, he rushes into Keyes office to give his statement. The film ends as Neff dies in Keyes' arms after his confession is interrupted and he begs to be let free.

Cain's ending is more in line with the conventions of film noir, because of its strangeness and darkness. Wilder's ending was too drawn out, and dramatic. A good noir ending should leave the audience a little stunned and questioning the conventions that they had drawn within their minds. It should be dark, with a glimmer of light brightening it ever so slightly; like a white faced, scarlet clad Phyllis leaping to her death under the soft glow of moonlight. The film's ending was strange, but in a different, unsatisfying way. Walter dies, cradled in his mentor's arms after attempting to escape. Phyllis is killed, but not the depraved, psychotic, and manipulative paperbound version, her softer less crazy film version. In the novel you root for her demise, but in the film it seems a bit excessive. Cain's ending was more appropriate.

Blog 3: A brisk and unsatisfying end.

The conclusion to James M. Cain's, "Double Indemnity," was appropriate to the novel; it was as abrupt and strange like braking a man's' neck with a crutch. The final scene depicted a dying Walter Huff and a white-faced, scarlet-clad, Phyllis Nirdlinger surreally preparing to commit suicide. The swift ending followed the detailed personal account of the events leading up to, and following Walter's introduction to the beautiful yet psychotic wife of a client. Following a brisk tryst the two plotted and killed his client for a large insurance settlement and then turned upon one another. This double-cross led to the bullet in his chest and a full confession to his boss and mentor. The entire tale was dark and tumultuous like the seas the two chose to end it in.

I was not completely satisfied with Cain's ending, it seemed hurried and a little odd. After the realistic details and descriptions within Walter's account, it seemed farfetched that an insurance company would deal with Phyllis in such a manner. It would have been more plausible if Mr. Keyes had pursued his hunch of foul play into court with as much vigor as he had while investigating the death. Keyes was a sticker for the truth and justice. It would have been more satisfying to read about him crucifying, and making an example out of the pair, or having them get away with it.
I believe that Walter's treatment was fair. He had been an honest, upright citizen, who followed the law, though he dreamed of breaking it and rebelling against the system. The manner and haste to which he was seduced by Phyllis and acquiescence to her dark plans were surprising, and there was enough evidence that she was adept at deceit and skilled in her manipulation of men. It could be argued that Walter, a bored insurance salesman was struck, and convinced into doing her bidding. In return for his full, sworn statement his employers allowed him an opportunity to leave the country, rather than having him as a dark stain on their record.

Phyllis got off too easy, she should have been put to justice for her heinous crimes. She was the murder of innocent women and children, a skilled harbinger of death, and a masterful liar. She was allowed to bring about her own demise, in the manner that she chose. She showed no remorse for her actions, and decided to take her own life after she had exhausted all of her other options, and was not conflicted or scared of her decision. To her, it was simply the closing of a vicious loop, she had brought about the death of others and now was going to die herself. She should have been punished for her crimes, and eventually put to death in a manner not of her choosing.

At this point in the film version of the novel, we have not seen the end. It does not appear that the screenwriters have changed very much about it though. Compared to the similar point in the novel, they only combined a few different elements and changed Walter's method of confession.

Blog 2: Elements of Film Noir within Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity by James M. Cain is a classic work of fiction that fits perfectly within the various definitions of the noir style. The novel follows Walter Huff, a lonely and successful insurance salesman as he is sucked into a twisted murder plot by a beautiful woman. Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton state, within "Towards a definition of Film Noir," that, "film noir is [crime] from within; from the point of view of the criminal." Cain's novel is Walter Huff's personal account of the events surrounding the murder of his client H.S. Nirdlinger. Mr. Huff meticulously describes his decent into the criminal world from the moment he laid his eyes on the beautiful wife of his client, through his thorough planning of the murder, and the steps that would be necesssary to ensure that the crime would go unsolved, and finally how it all went wrong. He recounts, in vivid detail, every aspect of his sordid affair and his reaction to being manipulated into doing the heinous crime.

The website, Filmsite, states that, "The females in Film noir are either of two types - dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femme fatales - mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous... and desperate women." The women within Cain's novel fall exactly in line with this description. Lola Nirdlinger, the daughter of the victim, is a sweet and charming young woman, who was devoted to her mother and father, and who wanted nothing but to find out the truth about what happened to them. Phyllis Nirdlinger is the femme fatal, a beautiful and depraved woman who was willing to go to any length to get what she wanted. She easily manipulated Walter Huff into killing her husband after only a single visit. Her actions proved her to be truely evil, with the insane ability to justify the most disturbing of deeds to serve her needs.

Filmsite, also states that film noir "narratives are frequently complex and convoluted, typically told with flashbacks." Walter Huffs' narrative is indeed complex, from the way he describes every aspect of a successful murder, to the intricacies of the insurance system, and finally the way he planned down to the second every action that took place the night of the murder. Every twist and turn of the story is told as a flashback after the whole sorted affair had come unglued.

Blog 1: Film Noir

     French Film critics coined the term noir to describe a new genre in American film after the end of WWII. Unlike the feel good and patriotic pictures of the wartime and prewar eras, these new films were dark and dangerous, filled with a violence and corruption that was a complete reversal of the earlier American film trends.

     The silver screen noir genre was influenced directly by the paperbound works of Chandler, Cain and Hammett, whose protagonists were more human, flawed, and earthbound than do-gooders. These dark and brooding men would stop at nothing to discover the truth, be it for their own satisfaction or by some skewed sense of purpose.

     The expressionist visual elements that brought these dark hero's to life were often based upon wet, nighttime urban settings to create an ambiance of smoke hewn cynicism and fatalistic desires. The rain soaked alleyways juxtaposed with unique camera angles often served to accentuate the moody, gloomy nature of the protagonists.

     A distinctive element within the noir style is the femme fatal, a beautiful and deceitful woman who pushes the protagonist into physical or morally compromising situations that disrupt his plans or goals. Unlike the picturesque perfect housewives of the prewar era, these women were independent and cruel mistresses who only acted for their own benefit.

     All of these elements were combined into films which dealt directly with the issues of the day. Corruption, Violence, Danger... these were real, ongoing, concerns that faced postwar Americans, and the films were a means to bring to light and cope with a turbulent time.