Darkness in Double Indemnity

Response to Question 2

   Double Indemnity is full of shadows, darkness, and depressing themes.  The main characters Walter and Phyllis, seem to be trapped in a downhill spiral of darkness.  Phyllis is a greedy and manipulative adulterer who is only looking out for her own interests.  She plans the death of her husband for his money, uses Walter to help carry out her plan, and then attempts to murder Walter.  To add to her long list of charming qualities, she also cheats on her husband with Walter, makes him believe that she loves him, and then admits that she never actually loved him.  She's a lying, murderous, narcissistic, crazy person who makes several bad choices that lead her to being shot and killed by a man who previously loved her.  A very dark character.  Now let's talk about Walter.  Walter is a respectable man at first who has a comfortable job as an insurance salesman.  His downfall begins when he meets Phyllis.  He knows that she is married yet still flirts with her.  Then he goes on with her plan and kills her husband.  He barely knows the man and decides to kill him only because of money and because Phyllis told him too.  These are not qualities of a respectable man.  Walter does a lot of evil actions out of "love." When he finds out that this love was fake and that he really didn't mean anything to Phyllis at all he goes to her house to murder her.
   The setting in the movie and the way the setting is portrayed also adds the darkness of the movie.  In the literal sense of the word, the setting is, well, dark. The movie is portrayed in black and white.  Much of the setting consists of blacks and dark grays whereas the characters are portrayed in lighter tones.  As far as the setting as a plot device, it is also quite dark and depressing.  Walter works at an insurance firm.  Insurance is typically viewed as being a very depressing line of work (if you disagree please watch The Incredibles and see how miserable Mr.Incredible was as an Insurance worker).  This time period setting is also a quite depressing one for women.  Women do not really have any power in society and are forced to rely on men to provide for them. This leads many to marry for money instead of love. A marriage without love is a very depressing marriage. I also find the fact that almost ever scene in the movie includes either smoking or drinking to add to the darkness of the setting.  I think the idea that the need for additional substances to improve the quality of life to be a very dark concept.  I know these habits were common in this time period but it seems to be a very excessive amount in this movie.