In this scene of “Double Indemnity” Wilder uses film noir to show the relationship between the two main characters. Using film noir helps Wilder to create a dramatic effect which makes the audience question the characters motives.
One of the most important aspects of film noir is the use of shadows and in this scene Wilder uses it right at the beginning when you see a silhouette standing in the doorway of the room. This gives the scene a moment of mystery because you are unaware of who the person is that is standing there. It creates the tension between the characters and the audience. This is a classic technique used in film noir and makes the audience on edge and at a constant state of catharsis as the audience feels like they are not safe but they know they are. Another use of shadow that Wilder uses is when Walter is walking to close the shutters his face is constantly going in and out of the shadow. This could suggest to the audience that he is quite a mysterious character and that he shouldn’t be trusted. However there is a lack of shadow on Phyllis’ face which could suggest that she is innocent but we know that she is not as Walter talks about her killing her husband. This could mean that she is open about what she has done but Walter is more enclosed about it. This could suggest that the characters relationship is strained and that they are having a hard time during this scene due to conflicting emotions.
At the beginning of the scene when Walter emerges from the shadows into the room you notice a big black chair that is sitting in the corner of the room. The chair is very prominent in the shot which would suggest that this was once the husbands chair and also because the colour of the chair is very dark it could suggest that this represents his death seeing as there is no light on it. The chair is empty which creates quite an eerie environment and I think that this was why Wilder used this in the composition. Also the chair represents the lack of authority that is there now because the chair is empty and is also in the corner towards the back of the room. In a way the chair overlooks the scene and the events which follow because it is one of the largest objects in the room and this makes the room look more intimidating and more frightening in quite a mellow way.
The camera angles that Wilder uses create a tension between the characters. This shot in particular of Walter going behind the chair that Phyllis is sitting on; the camera is on a low angle. This makes Walter more intimidating towards the audience because he is the authoritative figure. Also this makes the audience feel threatened because they have to look up to the actors and this is quite a vulnerable position for the audience to be in because they feel like they are being looked down upon by Walter.
The framing of the scene is very interesting because in the first part of the scene they are in the same frame however when the topic turns quite serious the framing changes and then they are not in the same shot for a while. This creates a tension between the characters because you can see that their relationship is strained but also it creates a tension between the characters and the audience because you are not sure what the other character is doing at that point. Wilder has used this to create a wall between the audience and the actors and this makes the audience feel uneasy because they feel like in a way they are being excluded.
The shot types are quite basic and yet they create a lot of tension. One of the more dominant shots used is the close up on Phyllis’s face before she gets shot. You can see the emotion in her face and the lighting is very clever because is emphasises the tears building up in her eyes. Wilder has used this shot to make the audience feel sympathetic towards her because she is made to look quite innocent and vulnerable. The emotions on her face are in a contrast to what her character is like normally because she is quite a strong willed person who doesn’t seem to be moved and affected by a lot of things. However in this shot Wilder has made her look like she is scared and afraid. This could suggest that this is her true emotions coming out and she feels as if she needs to be comforted by someone, which again is in contrast as she is alone before. In a way she is almost childlike in character here because when a child is scared the first thing they do is cling to the older figure and that is what she is doing here. This again is a classic technique used in film noir as this character clearly falls into the feminine fatale state as she is quite manipulative and aggressive towards the character of Walter.
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