Double Indemnity (1944) Notes

Notes:

- Silhouettes

- high angle - hiding identity

- smoking - cigarettes/cigars

- hat and coat outline - clothing convention

- old town car - iconography of period/era

- minor key orchestral music

- low key lighting in lift

- high key on face - illuminates important character

- Nightime - iconography of Film Noir

- Urban setting

- Streetlights - artificial light - hidden meaning - something about the plot/characters is fake

- 1938 era

- crossfade transition - cracked road

- flashback from confession - indication of daytime

- california - setting (hot) - in a lovely place - metaphorical for paradise

- venetian blinds - shadows - contrast n characters - seedy room

- black tie - authority

- old interior - 1930 style house

- low angle to high angle shot cutaway following footsteps

- long looks held between characters

- character speaks - camera doesn't always follow voice

- Femme Fatale - wearing a towel when first introduced, exposed, blonde - innocent, camera frames her to the right, pan up to reveal her

Archetypal - Blonde - innocent and dangerous

- shadow on wall as Neff leaves

- Neff sitting in car - back rolled round on screen

- low angle following him - pan

- venetian blinds - light and shaow, combining good and evil in characters

- frosted glass door shows silhouette

- cigars - smoked in office

- slick hair - sinister impression - waistcoats/suits - power/credible authority

- desk lamps - venetian blinds

- hat/coat stand

- offices - art deco (1920's) stylisation

- repetitive shot of ankles followed downstairs

- two shot on sofa - shows intimacy and closer bond

- drink under light - cast in shadow, mysterious

- painted nails - glamourous, wealthy, wellkept

- light on top of head 'angelic'

- white dress - ironic - black nature - foreboding

- later femme fatale wearing black - intentions clear - shift in power

- femme fatale - seductive long low shot - shows she's higher/more powerful

- sitting under light - motives haven't yet 'come to light'

- sharp angle of his face to hers

- husband goes upstairs with alcohol - themes of abandonment

- Femme - greed - wants more money - temptation but ultimately fatalism

- daughter in Neff car -femme's daughter reflects her mothers personality

- mid shot of car leaving 

- diagetic gravel crunch - convention of Noir - rough unsteady terrain

- streetlights reflect in windows of streets - weakness in plan

- neon light of street shots - busy city - convention of Noir setting

- black/dark suit - authority/money/corrupt intentions

- daughter following similar path to mother - with a boy who doesn't care about her

- shadow of coat hoot/hat stand

- pale blank walls - no colour or art/photos

- fedora hat - iconography of Noir detectives

- hurried/rushed phone call - narrative reveals more of story

- femme - wearing black - urgent phone call - greed - desperation narrative themes

- voiceover - match on action with what's happening - commentary

- venetian blinds on train

- sexist - 1930s stereotype - she can't start car, so Neff does it for her

- murder at nighttime - 'under the cover of darkness'

- shadow up stairs shows path walking

- eagle in background - mise en scene - prey/predator

- leather seats - wealth - linked to office interior of Keyes - shows characters are linked throughout story

- venetian blinds in office - going to reveal the truth

- expensive - filigree desk - wooden - marble fireplace

- femme fatale - black hat - mourning

- connotation on Boss - death

- low non diagetic sound as he opens doors to Keyes - building tension

- smoking cigarettes and cigars - iconography of police in Noirs

- suspense - high frequency minor key non diagetic music

- darkened deep shot corridors

- rushed meetings - sharp/harsh words

- pity and sympathy felt for Femme - loveless marriage, then less as revealed she wants husband dead, and further less when daughter reveals femme was nurse when her mother was 'ill'.

- venetian blinds constant - Neff and Keyes are talking about what happened on train - exposing truth - plan falling apart

- Fedora - higher class - more money job

- Neff has wider brimmed hat - Jackson is represented as lower class with less money

- Femme - when plan coming unravelled she's wearing white top - pure/hiding evil - as well as black glasses, hiding or covering up her true emotions.

- "straight down the line" - obsessive nature - negative tendencies

- smoking when Neff character is relaxed

- corruption - blaming someone else - lies and deceit - narrative theme

- Neff 'wedding band' on finger - adultery - narrative theme of sex

- venetian blinds cast shadow over Neff when looking through Keyes files

- dark suit and tie - authority - worn everyday 'professional'

- femme home alone - venetian blinds show 'shady'/evil actions

- quiet radio non diagetic music - early 1930 style 

- gunshot diagetic kills both detective and femme - convention of Noir