Zero Draft Questions for Double Indemnity

Question #1

The ending of the film was more dark and mysterious more consistent with film noir where the bad guy "Walter Neff" is shortcoming in getting happy ending whereas  the novel ending was more predictable where the bad guys get away. Phyllis's and Walter's world was closing in on them and their separation first presents itself in the scene where she overhears Walter talking to keys. Walter tells Phyllis they should wait awhile before they see each other again and she takes it as Walter pretty much giving up on her. Walter ends up going to Phyllis's house with murder in mind the suspense builds up as he closes her blinds diming the scenery were wondering what's going to happen, who's going to make the first move as we know Phyllis is packing also with same intentions as Walter on her mind. Phyllis fires the first shot right into Walters chest, then their is a sense of a bit of confusion as Walters slowly walk towards her and she's slowly dropping her gun only to hug him and . Just when Phyllis shows some type of humanity Walter shoots and kills her consistent with film noir" erotic, weird and cruel. In the end Walter is defeated mainly by Phyllis's gunshot to his chest and only to have his fate/freedom in the hands of keys who he feared throughout the film, in the film he ends of with smoking a cigarette lighten by keys which is kind of like a gangster and more consistent with film noir as opposed to the novel where its a bit confusing and there's no big showdown or blood bath only a confusing boat cruse with a possibility of suicide...

 

 

Question #9

 As we are first introduced to the dynamic relationship between Walter and keys its evident that they have a strong bond almost like brothers with Keys being the strict and give tough love big brother that Walter looks up too and respects his wisdom. Walter is always lighting keys cigarette and telling him he loves him showing that he has his back in my opinion. Keys may come off  to many as cold hearted and grouchy but Walter seems to know him best and it shows in the scene where he's in keys office and keys says "now get out of here before I throw my desk at you" Walter lights his cigarette and says "I love you to" then he goes on by saying "and I really did always yelling your head off you never fooled me with your salling dance, I always knew behind the cigar ashes behind your vest you had a heart as big as a house".  Walter seemed somewhat intimidated by key's investigative skills and this is shown when he tells Phyllis  "You don't know keys once he gets his teeth into something he never lets go he will investigate you shattered". Walter and keys bond seems to slowly depart as we see Phyllis comes into play and pulls Walter to the dark side. At times Walters seems he going to do the right thing but he stays caught in-between the two until this love triangle ends with Phyllis dead, Walter shot and Keys finally lighting Walters cigarette and Walter in what most would call expressing the last words of a dying man to his significant other "I love you to" sounds like a love triangle straight from court TV wicked....

 

 

 

 

Blog Entry#3

The ending was a little confusing to me as a reader because I thought for sure it would end in suicide. Phyllis is defiantly depicted as the femme fatal role as gorgeous as she is but still double-crossing and manipulative. She is so indifferent to the feelings of others that she is able to use them at her leisure. And, since she experiences no involvement, she remains free to operate without a sense of guilt. The killing of her husband finds her ablaze with satisfaction. And Walter who initially tries to pull out of their deadly arrangement is verbally poisoned. And it shows when she says she says she never loved him "until a minute ago, when I couldn't fire that second shot." "I If I could change the ending to this story I would defiantly end in suicide with them being eaten by sharks would have made the ending a little bit juicier.

 

Blog#2

The Femme Fatale who is fatal to herself. Frustrated and deviant, half predator, half prey, detached yet ensnared, she falls victim to her own traps. This new type of woman, manipulative and hard bitten as her environment, ready to trade shots with anyone. "Notes on Film Noir"

The “Femme Fatale” in the novel Double indemnity who is named Phyllis Dietrichson is very much like its definition in the handouts we received, a Deadly Woman. This woman knows exactly what she wants. She is well aware of her sexual attractiveness and knows with that alone, she can cunningly and ruthlessly manipulate the minds of male counterparts to obtain whatever she wants. Inviting Walter over her house with next to nothing on her body, she knew that Walter would succumb to her sexiness and she could talk him into helping her “accidentally” kill her husband. Well it worked. Walter and her conversation lead readers to believe they had an intimate encounter. Then after, Walter and Phyllis plot out to kill her husband. Just like that Phyllis has the fate of Walter and Mr. Dietrichson in her hands. Walter becomes a key methodical factor of Phyllis’ ultimate goal, a henchman to help carry out her heinous plan.

The Neo-Noir Article

Film Noir is a genre that unlike your typical romance movie covers the dark, mysterious and fatalistic

side to every love story. This film style was formed in the late 30s to the early 50s. A style of

filmmaking characterized by elements such as cynical heroes, stark Lighting effects, intricate plots,

and underlying existential philosophy. In reading the article Neo-Noir I'm attracted to this genre that

is described as being gloomy, dark and filled with danger when I close my eyes I picture the weather

as being a overcast, the women being manipulate, the cops being playing dirty and wrong being the

new right. When I was first was introduced to Film Noir my initial perception of this genre was

another black in white boring movie, but its such the opposite, filled with mystery, murder and

beautiful distractions. As I explore this genre with my classmates I'm excited to see what become

because life isn't always a fairy tail and sometimes to have to go through the dark to see the light!