Film
Noir, a term conceived by French film critics, refers to a genre of film that
originated in Hollywood during the 1940s and lasted into the 1950s. Movies of
this style typically revolve around a crime or other serious plot and are
filmed in black and white using low key lighting. It is hard to clearly define
this type of film because there is a large dispute over what qualifies as an
element of film noir. However, one of the most important and well known aspects
is lighting. Low key lighting in Double
Indemnity provides striking contrast between light and dark, making the
scenes more dramatic and mysterious. Shadows from the blinds in a room are cast
across the actor’s face, concealing facial features. This is a
common trademark for film noir.
Following the theme of a "black film," the characters of Double Indemnity are all connected through the murder of a character (Mr. Dietrichson). While Walter Neff was motivated by love, Phyllis Dietrichson's intentions had been sinister from the start. This condemns Neff to either run from the truth or suffer the consequences of his actions. "They're stuck with each other and they've
got to ride all the way to the end of the line and it's a one-way trip
and the last stop is the cemetery" (Double Indemnity). Because of this plot, there can never truly be a happy ending for either of the main characters.
