Reading the novel, Double Indemnity by James Cane is really a very interesting and breathtaking experience. The theme, style, characterizations and delivery of the scenes are definetly enjoyable to readers.
The story starts with an insurance agent called Walter Huff. He goes to a spanish looking house for a client's insurance renewal pupose. He calls the house "House of Death" (pg 30) in the very beginning; which gives readers an impression of something related with death. As we know that film noir is about deaths and bloodsheds most of the time. The starting of the novel with such a comment about a house, makes readers want to know why he called the house "House of Death"?
If we try to catagorize the novel in a film noir catagory, it perfectly fits in it. The extra-marital relationship between Walter and Phyllis is an aspect of film noir. The description of their relationship gives us clues about the moral corruption of the story. But, it was just the beginning of a picture of a morally corrupted woman Phyllis, who is also femme fatale of the story.
I will now try to discuss a little bit of the theme and style of the novel Double Indemnity, that matches very well with the genre of film noir. "Film noir films (mostly shot in grays, blacks and whites) show the dark and inhumane side of human nature with cynicism and doomed love, and they emphasize the brutal, unhealthy, seamy, shadowy, dark and sadistic sides of the human experience" ( From the website Filmsite).
When the reders find out about Phyllis's brutal and heartless murders of several other people, including three innocent children, it gives them the feeling of endless hatred towards this evil woman. This feeling makes us to look at this psycho character as we through a look to a black widow. Her character is full of venom and bleakness. All over her life, she lived on bloodsheds and greed.
Walter realized his sin right after the cold blooded killing of Mr. Nerdlinger. He is actually the victim of Phyllis. The repentance and guilt feeling of Walter was so deep that, even though he loves Lola so much he could not take a kiss from her-"I couldn't kiss the girl whose father I killed". This state of mind of Walter clears up his guilty feeling that he is being bearing through the story.
The end seems pretty disapointed for the readers because of the main criminal Phyllis's escape. But it is also one of the style of film noir, so the novel fits well in it.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Dynamics of the relationship of Walter and Phyllis
"Females in Film noir are either of two types- dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femme fatales- mysterous duplicitous, double crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women"( From the website- Filmsite). These characteristics of femme fatale are perfect fit for Phyllis.
The relationship between Walter, the insurance agent and Phyllis is an extra marital relationship. From the beginning, as a reader it's been a disgusting impact on my mind. As the story getting closer towards it's next move, it was predictable that, the illicit relationship of Walter and Phyllis is going to be collapsed any moment. Because, the base of their relationship is so fragile and sudden that it has to be ended with no useful result.
In the second part of action of the novel is really breathtaking. The description,of the cold and heartless murder of Mr. Nerdlinger gives readers goosebumps. After reading the killing part of Mr. Nerdlinger, it seems that, both Walter and Phyllis are equally morally corr.upted. But, it gives the readers a twist, when Walter feels kind of cold about Phyllis. His conversation with Phyllis does not match with their relationship. He seems to have a guilty feeling which confirms, when he does not kiss Phyllis, neither he says goodbye when he leaves-"We didn't kiss. We didn't even say good-bye. I got out of her car, got in mine started and drove"(pg 53). This portion of the novel gives a clear indication of the seperation of two lovebirds.
The thoughts, which were running through Walter's mind is really noticable to the readers; specially when he got home after killing Mr. Nerdlinger. He was feeling so restless about thinking of what horrible sin he has committed for a woman-made him pray after a long time. He realized, that it is not somthing that he could get away with. He feels no love for that evil woman, who made him do this horrible crime; or may be he loved her like a helpless rabit, who is stuck in a coil of a rattlesnake, "I loved her like a rabbit loves a rattlesnake"( pg 70).
The relationship between Walter, the insurance agent and Phyllis is an extra marital relationship. From the beginning, as a reader it's been a disgusting impact on my mind. As the story getting closer towards it's next move, it was predictable that, the illicit relationship of Walter and Phyllis is going to be collapsed any moment. Because, the base of their relationship is so fragile and sudden that it has to be ended with no useful result.
In the second part of action of the novel is really breathtaking. The description,of the cold and heartless murder of Mr. Nerdlinger gives readers goosebumps. After reading the killing part of Mr. Nerdlinger, it seems that, both Walter and Phyllis are equally morally corr.upted. But, it gives the readers a twist, when Walter feels kind of cold about Phyllis. His conversation with Phyllis does not match with their relationship. He seems to have a guilty feeling which confirms, when he does not kiss Phyllis, neither he says goodbye when he leaves-"We didn't kiss. We didn't even say good-bye. I got out of her car, got in mine started and drove"(pg 53). This portion of the novel gives a clear indication of the seperation of two lovebirds.
The thoughts, which were running through Walter's mind is really noticable to the readers; specially when he got home after killing Mr. Nerdlinger. He was feeling so restless about thinking of what horrible sin he has committed for a woman-made him pray after a long time. He realized, that it is not somthing that he could get away with. He feels no love for that evil woman, who made him do this horrible crime; or may be he loved her like a helpless rabit, who is stuck in a coil of a rattlesnake, "I loved her like a rabbit loves a rattlesnake"( pg 70).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Comparing quote from the article and the novel Double Indemnity
The aspects in the beginning of Double Indemnity, a novel by James Cane matches with the genre of film noir in many ways. In the article, "Towards a Definition of Film Noir" the writers Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton state, "It is the presence of crime which gives film noir its most constant characteristic....sordidly or bizarrely, death always comes at the end of a tortured journey. In every sense of the word, a noir film is a film of death".
The novel starts with an insurance agent Walter Huff, who goes to Mr. Nerdlinger's house and meets his young wife. The woman says the agent that she wants to buy an accident insurance for her husband without letting him know-at this point of the novel there is a plot of a murder is getting established and greed is another important issue here, which is a very common and one of the main aspects of film noir. At the time of discussion, Walter notices the lady's blue pajama while she was walking and talking; and Walter starts imagining what would be the shape look under those pajamas and how it could make a man nuts. By discribing Walter's thought about the lady the author gives a clear indication of his next step- a possibility of starting an illicit relationship; and this also could be considered as a characteristic of film noir.
At the second meeting, the extra marital relationship between Walter and Phyllis(Mrs. Nerdlinger) gets confirmed. As the story gets advanced, it is been more strong and obvious now that, out of greed, both Walter and Phyllis are plotting a cold blooded murder. Every time Phyllis comes to meet Walter, it is a rainy night- always gives a visuality of a process of a horrible crime. This is also another aspect of film noir.
The novel starts with an insurance agent Walter Huff, who goes to Mr. Nerdlinger's house and meets his young wife. The woman says the agent that she wants to buy an accident insurance for her husband without letting him know-at this point of the novel there is a plot of a murder is getting established and greed is another important issue here, which is a very common and one of the main aspects of film noir. At the time of discussion, Walter notices the lady's blue pajama while she was walking and talking; and Walter starts imagining what would be the shape look under those pajamas and how it could make a man nuts. By discribing Walter's thought about the lady the author gives a clear indication of his next step- a possibility of starting an illicit relationship; and this also could be considered as a characteristic of film noir.
At the second meeting, the extra marital relationship between Walter and Phyllis(Mrs. Nerdlinger) gets confirmed. As the story gets advanced, it is been more strong and obvious now that, out of greed, both Walter and Phyllis are plotting a cold blooded murder. Every time Phyllis comes to meet Walter, it is a rainy night- always gives a visuality of a process of a horrible crime. This is also another aspect of film noir.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Shadow and Darkness
The word "Noir" is a French word, which means "Black". Film Noir is a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism and menace. The term was originally applied (by a group of French critics) to American thriller or detective films made in the period 1944-54 and to the work of directors such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder (Google dictionary).
During it's classic period, film noir influenced peoples clothing, their taste of music and movies, even it was seen in the famous designers fashion. Even though the impact of film noir was pretty strong, it only inspired a particular groups of people; such as directors, film students, critics etc.
The content of film noir is full of dangerously corrupted characters and their dark and troubled life styles. The women of that world are all ambiguous, sexy and treacherous. The streets are rain-slicked, foggy and the heroes are weary. Everything that come up to the scenery actually is a reflection of a post war depression, pessimism and a huge crossing of lines between good and evil. The film noir movies are full of dark and dirty funs.
The Hollywood of 1997 was an anti nostalgia-driven noir. L.A. Confidential was a hit movie but it attracted mostly the directors, film students, critics and upscale film enthusiast. Because of a huge popularity of film noir among the directors, many talented young film makers start making movies in a noir mode. Guys in trench coats on rainslicked pavement or martinis and smoke rings are nothing to do with contemporary America; yet the best filmmakers of Hollywood kept the noir vision alive which always draws our attention.
During it's classic period, film noir influenced peoples clothing, their taste of music and movies, even it was seen in the famous designers fashion. Even though the impact of film noir was pretty strong, it only inspired a particular groups of people; such as directors, film students, critics etc.
The content of film noir is full of dangerously corrupted characters and their dark and troubled life styles. The women of that world are all ambiguous, sexy and treacherous. The streets are rain-slicked, foggy and the heroes are weary. Everything that come up to the scenery actually is a reflection of a post war depression, pessimism and a huge crossing of lines between good and evil. The film noir movies are full of dark and dirty funs.
The Hollywood of 1997 was an anti nostalgia-driven noir. L.A. Confidential was a hit movie but it attracted mostly the directors, film students, critics and upscale film enthusiast. Because of a huge popularity of film noir among the directors, many talented young film makers start making movies in a noir mode. Guys in trench coats on rainslicked pavement or martinis and smoke rings are nothing to do with contemporary America; yet the best filmmakers of Hollywood kept the noir vision alive which always draws our attention.
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