Cains hardboiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man walter neff fred macmurray, who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck. 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 of them himself. Following that, double indemnity appeared as a one of three long short tales in the collection three of a kind. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming city of hollywood.
Double indemnity is the basic story of an evil lady motivated by greed who corrupts a weak man motivated by lust. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936. Praised by many critics when first released, double indemnity was nominated for seven academy awards but did not win any. Still, as far as the book goes, hes a relatively minot character. The hero is not a criminal, but a weak man who is tempted and succumbs. As bethany approaches her th birthday, her parents begin acting more oddly than usual. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of double indemnity by director billy wilder. Double indemnity quotes 43 total quotes barton keyes multiple characters phyllis dietrichson walter neff. 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. Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. He quotes generously from the films dialogue and waxes admiringly upon its. Double indemnity filmcinema studies bibliographies in harvard style. Barry bostwick passion turns to deception, and murder. This book discusses double indemnity and its status as a key film in the.
Double indemnity, book versus movie posted on november 6th, 2016 by adamtroy castro taking a necessary break from watching a movie i know practically by heart, billy wilders double indemnity. Then one morning he hustles the entire family into the car, drives across several state. Export to endnote reference managernonlatin cancel note. It was strange reading this book as it times it seemed like i was watching an old black and white movie. Double indemnity s authors werent attempting to make a statement about society or the political realities of the timeon the contrary, cain and chandler and wilder were taking timeless sophoclean tragedy and skillfully and successfully updating it for the modern audience. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james m. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of the hollywood golden age of cinema. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on tuesday, march 24, 2015. Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, double indemnit. Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, double indemnity gives us an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. This summary of double indemnity includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of impending doom.
Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturned novelist james. 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 directed by billy wilder. Double indemnity shares with other films noir common themes of criminality and guilt. Also like double indemnity, this novel was adapted into a successful movie, so if you prefer to view rather than read, check out the film starring lana turner. Using the tool of film form, he establishes the role of the male gaze and accentuates the masculine figure by drawing on the walters voice over in the narrative, while. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, a elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic realism of the 1930s, with characters as. Mar 24, 2005 buy double indemnity read a great movie by james m. Directed by billy wilder and adapted from a james m. Double indemnity quotes showing 17 of 7 i had killed a man, for money and a woman.
From a look at classics like psycho and double indemnity to recent films like traffic and thelma and louise, nicole rafter and michelle brown show that criminological theory is produced not only in the academy, through scholarly research, but also in popular culture, through film. These are the sources and citations used to research double indemnity. Double indemnity, book versus movie adamtroy castro. Double indemnity is a 1944 film noir about an insurance rep who lets himself be talked into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigators suspicions. Double indemnity essays are academic essays for citation. Double indemnitys tale of a femme fatale seducing a man to help her kill her husband, but this time its to inherit the diner that they run together. According to christopher orr, films noir are marked by the eruption of physical violence or, more precisely, the discourse of law and criminality.
I was initially worried going into double indemnity as found a few scenarios sounded almost identical to what i read the postman always rings twice where the wife of a rich business man teams up with her lover to plot her husbands murder. Cain, 1989, vintage books edition, in english double indemnity 1989 edition open library. Cain, 1992, vintage books edition, in english 1st vintage crimeblack lizard ed. The highly freudian approach described by laura mulvey is not necessarily obvious or relevant in every film and genre, but it is very helpful in understanding billy wilders double indemnity, which vividly illustrates some of the points made by both laura mulvey and molly haskell. Double indemnity clauses are found most often in life insurance policies. Bfi what marks double indemnity out from other great film noirs is that sense, among all the crazy, twisted, duplicitous shenanigans, of real, human heartbreak. Cain, virtuoso of the roman noir, gives us a tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful story in double indemnity, an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. Walter huff was an insurance salesman with an unfailing instinct for clients who might be in trouble, and his instinct led him to phyllis nirdlinger. The perfect murder planned by two lovers who hope to cash in an insurance policy that pays double indemnity. Barton keyes is the dogged, determined investigator for general fidelity of california who puts it all together in double indemnity, james m. The function of the male gaze in vertigo and double. Double indemnity is a clause or provision in a life insurance or accident policy whereby the company agrees to pay the stated multiple i. Other articles where double indemnity is discussed. Get an answer for what are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity.
This and other perks can be found on our patreon page. Directed by billy wilder and written by billy wilder and raymond chandler, based on a novella by james m. I vaguely recall watching the movie of the same name. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and. 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.
Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, an elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic. Cain 18921977, double indemnity is based upon a true story about a weakwilled insurance agent, walter huff, who falls for sultry blond, phyllis nirdlinger. The manipulator, phyllis dietrichson, doesnt need much to see how walter desires her. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m. Double indemnity filmcinema studies bibliographies. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Her mother cries constantly, and her father barely lets bethany out of his sight. What are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. To be sure, there are more typical examples of the strengths.
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. But all of a sudden, she looked at me, and i felt a chill creep straight up my back and into the roots of my. It is quite short especially if you ignore the padding in the foreword which serves no real purpose. The film was adapted by director billy wilder and writer raymond chandler from the 1935 novella by james.
Double indemnity 1935 is one of the classic, toughtalking murder stories of the late 1930s. An indepth look at a film noir classic barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity, billy wilder 1944 it has all the characteristics of the classic forties film as i respond to it. Double indemnity is the second book i read of james m. There is a greedy woman trapped in a bad marriage, who sees the opportunity when she encounters an insurance agent who is instantly smitten with her and who has only sex in his mind. The character name nirdlinger is taken from the book which this famous movie was based on, although the name was changed to dietrichson for the di movie. Narrated by charlton heston full audio book duration.
Walter huff is an insurance coverage investigator like some other till the day he meets the gorgeous and harmful phyllis nirdlinger and falls beneath her spell. Double indemnity director billy wilder sunset boulevard and writer raymond chandler the big sleep adapted james m. Cain novel by wilder and raymond chandler, double indemnity represents the highwater mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a. Double indemnity filmcinema studies bibliographies cite. Export to refworks export to endnote reference manager export to easybib. Double indemnity legal definition of double indemnity. They had that look in them they had before my mother died. 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. The term double indemnity refers to a clause in certain life insurance policies that doubles the payout in rare cases when the death is accidental, such as falling off a train. Double indemnity, american film noir, released in 1944, that was considered the quintessential movie of its genre.
A rich woman and a calculating insurance agent plot to kill her unsuspecting husband after he signs a double indemnity policy. A term of an insurance policy by which the insurance company promises to pay the insured or the beneficiary twice the amount of coverage if loss occurs due to a particular cause or set of circumstances. In this double story, the woman and man tempt one another. Mallon argues that double indemnity represents the male gender as having a dark side. With the apartment, wilder became the first person to win academy awards as. It followed the timehonoured noir plotline of a man undone by an evil woman. Against a backdrop of distinctly californian settings, the partners in crime plan the perfect murder to collect the insurance, which pays double if the death is accidental. Cains novel, that stars richard crenna as walter naff, an insurance salesman seduced by a clients wife named phyllis dietrichsonplayed by samantha eggar to murder her husband for the insurance money, with the double indemnity clause giving them twice the payout, though walters boss barton keyesplayed by lee. First published in 1935, this novel reaffirmed james m. What marks double indemnity out from other great film noirs is that sense, among all the crazy, twisted, duplicitous shenanigans, of real, human heartbreak. Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. Direct quotes included in your essay inside quotation marks should cite the p. The book was first published in serial form for liberty magazine in 1936.
We, like oedipus and his modern cousin, walter neff, are also flawed. Double indemnity has one of the most familiar noir themes. Double indemnity works because its a story we can relate to. And, not from the train accident, mind you, but falling off some silly observation car. Double indemnity is a highly influential 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m.