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Double Indemnity Film Analysis

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The movie Double Indemnity is a film-noir style of film directed by Billy Wilder and released in 1944. This paper explores the formal elements displayed in the selected clip as well as the stylistic choices made by the director. The clip lasts for two and a half minutes and is comprised of five shots. The sequence takes place amid downtown Los Angeles and centers on the events of an insurance representative returning to his office at nighttime. The first shot features Mr. Neff, the protagonist, and a night watchman in a static, medium two-shot conversing in an elevator. The two men are shown in a back-view with Mr. Neff positioned to the left side of the frame and the watchman on the right. Top lighting illuminates the characters’ upper …show more content…

The non-diegetic music increases in pitch and starts to sound more fantastical. The third shot shows Mr. Neff entering his darkened office and walking over to his desk in a medium-long shot. The lights are off and only his silhouette is made visible against the backlight of the brightly lit glass door. The camera pans to the right as he walks to his desk and the venetian blinds leave striped shadows on him. He switches on a desk lamp which shines a light on the papers on his desk. A glimpse of his office is made visible by the lamp showing a water cooler, some cabinets, and his desk. The forth shot cuts on action to a medium shot of Mr. Neff sitting at his desk. He is centered in the frame and seen catching his breath and wiping sweat off of his face. A full ash tray is visible in the foreground on his desk. He takes out a pack of cigarettes and lights one up. The brightly lit match highlights the contrast between him and his surroundings. The camera pans to the left as he wheels himself in his swivel chair over to his Dictaphone. The desk lamp shines on him leaving the sides of the frame in darkness and casting a shadow behind him. The sequence ends with a static, medium-close profile shot of Mr. Neff leaning back in his chair and speaking into his Dictaphone. His brimmed hat casts a shadow onto the upper part of his face. The non-diegetic music fades out and stops as Mr. Neff begins his monologue. The clip ends with him saying, “I suppose you'll call this a

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