Cain was very pleased with the way his book turned out on the screen. Double indemnity femme fatale films from literature. Appearing in 1944, double indemnity was a key film in the definition of the genre. Film noir, which carries with it darkness virtually by definition, can be traced back prior to double indemnity but theres arguably no better model of the style than billy wilders 1944 feature. 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. This scene occurs early in the movie where walter neff fred macmurray, smoothtalking insurance salesman, first intersects with phyllis. Walter neff fred mcmurray is an insurance salesman. Jan 03, 2017 in this weeks fave film fashion on the ultimate fashion history, were going straight down the line with barbara stanwyck and her incredible edith head wa. As the wouldbe lovers plot the unsuspecting husbands murder, they are pursued by a suspicious claims manager edward g. Then, barbara was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in september. 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.
The urgentlytold, highlystylized story was wilders third film after the major and the minor 1942 and five graves to cairo 1943. Phyllis and walter begin to meet surreptitiously every morning in a local market. In the classic black and white aesthetic, it goes further and turns up the darkness. 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. 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. 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. Praised by many critics when first released, double indemnity was nominated for seven academy awardsbut did not win any. The insurance companies put it in as a sort of comeon for the customers. This film has the perfect cast, with characters who are very believable in their respective roles.
However, i shall throughout this paper employ the generally accepted name. Double indemnity universal 100th anniversary includes digital copy universal studios. She is a beautiful and alluring woman, barely older than lola, her husbands daughter from a previous marriage. Paramount bought the rights in 1942, and created a film noir classic that was nominated for. Cain, was sought by every hollywood studio in the late 1930s. Phyllis fiction by angela bauer as told to her lola elizabeth dietrichson was born into a comfortable, sweet life. Double indemnity new classic bluray disc billy wilder fred.
Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. Neff meets the alluring phyllis dietrichson during a house call to remind her husband to renew his automobile insurance policy. This 1944 film from director billy wilder is considered to be one of the best examples of film noir. Her affluent parents barbara and tom loved her so much they did not spoil her. Walter secretly advises phyllis to book a train for dietrichsons business trip, as a. We described a femme fatale as being beautiful, one who leads the main character into danger, and feigns naivete or weakness to hide manipulative goals. In the opening, at the very start o the film, there is a close up shot of the main character, called phyllis. Feb 12, 2014 this 1944 film from director billy wilder is considered to be one of the best examples of film noir. This scene occurs early in the movie where walter neff fred macmurray, smoothtalking insurance salesman, first intersects with phyllis dietrichson barbara. In one scene, she is playing a board game with her stepmother. In 1944, double indemnity was their second film after five graves to cairo 1943. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and. Dietrichson becomes increasingly accident prone after his icily calculating wife encourages him to sign a double indemnity policy proposed by a smooth talking insurance agent. In 1938, walter neff, an experienced salesman of the pacific all risk insurance co.
Each world has more than 20 groups with 5 puzzles each. Cains 1943 novella of the same title which originally. Phyllis dietrichson is not the ultimate femme fatale. Sep 17, 20 since we talked mostly about femme fatales in class, i focused mainly on the one introduced in last weeks film, double indemnity.
Phyllis dietrichson had all of these characters and then some. 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. The phrase has nothing to do with double jeopardy which means that a. Phyllis and walter make arrangements for it to appear as if mr. In the 1944 production, she was played by barbara stanwyck stanwyck was nominated for the academy award for best actress for her performance in the film version. 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. Dietrichson phyllis tells walter about her husband.
Screenplay by raymond chandler and billy wilder, adapted from the novel by james m. May 31, 2014 provided to youtube by sony music entertainment mrs. Pryor, thomas, end of a journey, in new york times, 23 september 1945. 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. Theres a clause in every accident policy, a little something called double indemnity. A calculating wife encourages her wealthy husband to sign a double indemnity policy proposed by smitten insurance agent walter neff. Premiere of double indemnity, adapted by david pichette and r. Her facial expressions show innocence, which is because of how she acts and her body language. Barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity 1944 double. Double indemnity is the dazzling, quintessential film noir whose enormous popular success and seven oscar nominations catapulted billy wilder some like it hot, sunset boulevard, the apartment into the very top tier of hollywoods writerdirectors. Perhaps you will focus on the venetian blind lighting style that became a staple of the noir film genre or the hardboiled dialogue from the raymond chandler copenned screenplay, but. Dietrichson is found dead on a traintrack, the police accept the determination of accidental death.
Phyllis dietrichson phyllis nirdlinger, in the book is a fictional character in the book and two film adaptations of james m. Dietrichson, ignores his secondwife physically symbolically on crutches to indicate his inability to engage physically with his wife, the daughter, lola, fights with her father over the choice of her lover and the secondwife, the femme fatal phyllis dietrichson, invites insurance salesman walter neff into her. Jointly they simulate dietrichsons inadvertent death in order to meet the criteria for the double indemnity, but things go awry when neffs manager, barton keyes, starts to infer murder. Edel dietrichson was born in 1885, at birth place, to ove holm dietrichson and elesi marie didrikke dietrichson f. Double indemnity is a clause in which insurance companies agree to pay twice the amount paid for if the person is accidentally killed in certain types of accident, like on a train. Edel dietrichson historical records and family trees. Mcvay, douglas, the eye of a cynic, in films and filming london, january 1960. Double indemnity screenplay by billy wilder and raymond chandler based on the novel double indemnity in three of a kind by james m. Inspired by billy wilders classic film noir of the same name, double indemnity explores questions of desire, power and complicity through new and recent work by a selection of high profile artists. 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.
Cain characters walter neff phyllis dietrichson barton keyes lola dietrichson mr. 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. Billy wilder, in quarterly of radio, television, and film berkeley, fall 1952. Universal home entertainments new legacy series dvd release does the movie proud, offering a 2disc edition of billy wilders classic film noir that boasts an outstanding transfer of the picture itself, two audio commentaries, an introduction by tcms own robert osborne, a documentary on the films making, a trailer. Stanwycks portrayal of dietrichson is considered one of the best femme. Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. Robinson barton keyes jean heather lola dietrichson tom powers mr. Billy wilders double indemnity is a recognized noir classic, preserved by the national film registry for being deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
In this weeks fave film fashion on the ultimate fashion history, were going straight down the line with barbara stanwyck and her incredible edith head wa. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m. In the first major scene of billy wilders 1944 film double indemnity, protagonist. Double indemnity 1944 billy wilder releases allmovie. Mrs dietrichson admits she is rotten and she used neff phyllis displayed the from biosci 4025 at university of minnesota. Read more v screen couples universal 100th anniversary 4 discs. Double indemnity new classic bluray disc billy wilder. Universal home entertainments new legacy series dvd release does the movie proud, offering a 2disc edition of billy wilders classic film noir that boasts an outstanding transfer of the picture itself, two audio commentaries, an introduction by tcms own robert osborne, a documentary on the films making, a trailer, and even a long. Feb 15, 2014 when scripting double indemnity, screenwriters billy wilder and raymond chandler had to overcome the challenge of adhering to the hays code while still showing the mutual attraction between walter and phyllis and portraying the darker themes such as murdering mr dietrichson. Are you looking for neverending fun in this exciting logicbrain app. Double indemnity 1944 is director billy wilders classic film noir masterpiece a cynical, witty, and sleazy thriller about adultery, corruption and murder. Cains memorable novel of crime and passion, the postman always rings twice, predated his equally potent, similarly themed double indemnity by almost a decade, it is indemnity that has proven the more influential, due largely to the uncompromising and suspenseful film writerdirector billy wilder made from it.
The chemistry between her and fred macmurray still has that crackle these many years later. With its voiceover narration, venetian blinds lighting, and perfect blend of cold and hard, double indemnity is the archetype. Mrs dietrichson admits she is rotten and she used neff. Dietrichson becomes increasingly accident prone after his icily calculating wife encourages him to sign a doubleindemnity policy proposed by a smooth talking insurance agent. Luft, herbert, and charles brackett, two views of a director. Double indemnity 1944 is the perfect film noir, filled with deception, crime, forbidden love, and suspense.
Fred macmurray walter neff barbara stanwyck phyllis dietrichson edward g. This borrowing from robert stam s book, subversive pleasures, is intended to. Double indemnity is arguably the most famous film noir ever made, and its just one of many extraordinary movies made by paramount pictures. Megan leigh in features, film, nostalgic impulse january 18, 2017 2 comments 9,907 views billy wilders double indemnity is a recognized noir classic, preserved by the national film registry for being deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Dietrichson s falling off a trainjust after taking out an insurance policy that pays double in the case of that particular accidentsets off. The term double indemnity refers to a clause in certain life insurance policies that doubles the payout in cases when death is caused by accidental means. Cain novel by director wilder and novelist raymond chandler, it tells the story of an insurance salesman, played by fred macmurray, who is lured into a murderforinsurance plot by barbara stanwyck, in an. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. Barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray star in this gripping film noir from academy awardwinning director billy wilder.
Lola looks like a young, lovely girl who is the opposite of her mother. Movies dont get much better than double indemnity 1944. Since we talked mostly about femme fatales in class, i focused mainly on the one introduced in last weeks film, double indemnity. Dietrichson just unwitting signed carries a double indemnity clause which pays off double the face value in the event of death from a rare accident such as falling off a train. Codycross is an addictive game developed by fanatee. Dietrichson, the conspiracy from double indemnity charles gerhardt miklos rozsa national philharmonic orchestra classic film. Barbara, toms loving wife and lolas beloved mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in september and died on 22 december, lolas twelfth birthday. We can tell that she is not like phyllis because of how she dresses. An insurance representative lets himself be talked by a seductive housewife into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. Each of them gave again a proof of their stupendous talent supported by an outstanding cast including barbara stanwyck, fred macmurray and edward g. A better name for the stage play double indemnity might be double identity because the creators of the tonally uneven. Wilder s double indemnity 1944 that can be considered dissident vari ations of. Neff starts an acquaintance with phylliss stepdaughter lola, who suspects that phyllis has started going out with her lola s previous.
Barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity 1944. Double indemnity in life insurance policies 9 quite as reasonable and is economically decidedly more defen sible than one for death which resulted from bodily injury effected solely by violent, external and accidental means. Double indemnity masters of cinema ltd edition bluray. Provided to youtube by sony music entertainment mrs. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. 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.
Phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwych and how both came to murder her. Cains novel double indemnity was serialized in liberty magazine. He is immediately attracted to dietrichsons wife phyllis, who first appears clad. Double indemnity reading questions powered by oncourse. E considerado um dos primeiros e mais bemsucedidos film noir. Double indemnity 1944 aficatalog american film institute. When scripting double indemnity, screenwriters billy wilder and raymond chandler had to overcome the challenge of adhering to the hays code while still showing the mutual attraction between walter and phyllis and portraying the. 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. Whereas cains lola is a sweet, decent woman with whom walter falls in love and for whom he agrees to make his confession, the films lola is more manipulative, not above getting favors from walter, such as ride to a date, or getting walter to send zachetti back to her. Read more v screen couples universal 100th anniversary. Early in the film, as phyllis finds walters address in the phone book and goes to. May 11, 2012 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.
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