What is the message of double indemnity?

Like most hardboiled crime literature of the 1930s and 1940s, Double Indemnity paints a picture of humanity as corrupt and evil. Humans are self-serving and greedy, ruled by their baser passions. In this case, insurance salesman Walter Huff is driven by the desire for money, sex, and power.

What is the plot of Double Indemnity?

In this classic film noir, insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) gets roped into a murderous scheme when he falls for the sensual Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), who is intent on killing her husband (Tom Powers) and living off the fraudulent accidental death claim. Prompted by the late Mr. Dietrichson’s daughter, Lola (Jean Heather), insurance investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) looks into the case, and gradually begins to uncover the sinister truth.
Double Indemnity/Film synopsis

Who Killed Walter Neff?

Walter’s boss Keyes told Walter that he suspected that Dietrichson’s death was no accident, but a murder committed by Phyllis and her lover, Nino Zachette. Walter went to Phyllis’ house and she shot him. He shot her dead and drove to the insurance office to record his confession.

How is the husband killed in Double Indemnity?

Phyllis wants Walter to sell her husband a $50,000 double indemnity policy, and then arrange the husband’s “accidental” death. Walter is willing, ostensibly because he’s fallen under her sexual spell. They perform a clever substitution. The husband, on crutches with a broken leg, is choked to death before a train ride.

What happens to Phyllis in Double Indemnity?

Neff does not believe Phyllis, calling her a rotten, manipulative woman, and kills her in the ensuing struggle. After killing her, Neff meets Nino outside and convinces him not to go inside the house, but to the woman who truly loves him.

How does Double Indemnity end?

The film famously ends with Walter collapsed on the floor, with Keyes lighting a cigarette for him as sirens approach outside, but the original script actually went further, showing Neff’s arrest and his eventual execution in a gas chamber.

What is Double Indemnity famous for?

film noir
Double Indemnity, American film noir, released in 1944, that was considered the quintessential movie of its genre. It followed the time-honoured noir plotline of a man undone by an evil woman.

Why does Walter agree to Phyllis?

After deducing that she was planning on killing her husband since she stated he was abusive and claiming the insurance moneys on a policy her husband would have no idea existed, Walter decided to go into cahoots with her so that he could help her craft and execute the “perfect” insurance policy, and plan and execute …

Who was murdered in Double Indemnity?

Mr. Dietrichson
Double Indemnity (please look at this one!) In the film Double Indemnity, insurance salesman called Neff conspires with Phyllis to kill her husband Mr. Dietrichson in an attempt to obtain his hefty life insurance payout.

Why does Walter Call Phyllis Baby in Double Indemnity?

In fairness to Fred, his lack of experience in dramatic and crime movies was what Wilder wanted. He wanted someone who would come across as out of his league when matched against Phyllis and Keyes. He calls Phyllis ‘baby’ twelve times. He is shot, and dares her to shoot him again but she can’t.

Why is it called Double Indemnity?

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. Praised by many critics when first released, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards but did not win any.

Is Double Indemnity based on a true story?

Double Indemnity is based on James M. Cain’s 1943 potboiler that took its inspiration from a sensational murder case in the 1920s that the tabloids press dubbed the “dumbbell murder.”

What does Double Indemnity stand for in insurance?

He refuses but accepts the wisdom of purchasing auto insurance, but Walter furtively slips the accident form in for him to sign as well. The policy that Mr. 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.

What happens in the final scene of Double Indemnity?

Wilder’s script reinforces this fact by having Walter include in his dictaphone message a plea to spare Nino from any undue punitive treatment. The film’s final scene addresses the tragic outcome of what is arguably the film’s most pivotal relationship: that between Walter Neff and Barton Keyes.

Which is the best study guide for Double Indemnity?

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Double Indemnity is a 1934 detective novella by James M Cain.

Who is the narrator of the movie Double Indemnity?

Insurance salesman Walter Huff is the narrator of Double Indemnity. The title, Double Indemnity, is taken from a type of insurance claim which pays out double the original premium should the policy-holder die in an accident. The story is set in the early days of Hollywood, just as the town is experiencing an economic boom.