Walter Neff - a smart, successful insurance agent who cannot help but be fooled by a woman in an ankle bracelet. Smart enough to figure out Phyllis' plan and smart enough to help her make it (almost) foolproof, but not smart enough to back away from his lust for her when he knew he should have. In accordance with the typical film noir approach, Neff is strong in stature but weak when it comes to a beautiful woman. That is not to say that Neff is a bad or immoral person, but the fact that he has no problem trying to get involved with a married woman does not speak highly of his character. His intent at first may not have been to murder an innocent, unsuspecting man, but as the story progresses he gets more and more tangled up in this mess and eventually figures out that is not what he wanted to do.
Neff's innocence (prior to meeting Phyllis) is essential to the plot of this film. Double Indemnity could not fit the film noir characteristics without there being a man who is influenced by the classic femme fatale character, Phyllis Dietrichson. It is imperative to note that Neff transitions from a suave, masculine character into a nervous, anxious one as the story continues. This directly contrasts with Phyllis, who is banking on that even if something does go wrong, Neff will be the one to take the fall. The fact that the film progresses through Neff confessing everything that happened to his boss shows his true character; one that never meant to get involved with such a sly woman as Phyllis. His heart took over his head and because of that he did things he never would have done before, and that he could never take back. This standard film noir plot and characterization of Neff and Phyllis is what made this movie successful.
I really like your post. I am glad you pointed how Neff's character transformed throughout the film. It seems that he keeps pushing the line of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in order to be with Phyllis. It is also interesting to note that throughout the film Neff thinks he is in control, but he is deceived and manipulated by Phyllis for her own personal and selfish needs. I wonder if Neff would still be willing to be apart of risky plots if he had not been with Phyllis. Did she help him transform into what he is at the end of the movie? I do like how you imply that Walter Neff has a weakness for women like Phyllis. Maybe his weakness is what allowed him to transform into what he is now.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Chloe! Stellar work! Your blog post clearly shows your vast knowledge and understanding of Film Noir, and the characters that it creates! I agree with Sammy on how you showed Neff's transformation from a very tough character to more of a weak and nervous one as the movie progresses. I disagreed with you when you said that Neff isn't a bad person. I believe that while Phyllis did corrupt him, she really just brought out the bad side of him that was already there. He was a corrupt character from the start, we just couldn't see it until Phyllis however. Great Job!
ReplyDelete