1.In film noir, many of the male leads are weak, frustrated men. While you are watching Double Indemnity, make a mental note of Walter Neff's characteristics. What kind of man is he? What is his relationship like with women?
Walter Neff is the lead male character in Billy Wilder's film noir movie, Double Indemnity. Fred Macmurray plays the successful insurance salesman of Walter Neff in the movie. The character himself is intriguing because it seems as though he is a classic example of appearance versus reality. At first glance, Walter Neff does not seem to fall under the typical characteristics of male leads in film noirs because he is neither weak nor frustrated, but rather strong and brilliant. His strength is displayed through confidence and success at his job. He appears to be well-off, thus resulting in confidence when talking to other characters. For example, his use of the hackneyed word "baby" is ridiculous but shows he holds confidence and is able to speak easily. Furthermore, Neff does not appear to fall under the typical characteristics of male leads in film noirs because he is brilliant. His brilliance is displayed through his extremely clever plan to murder to Phyllis' husband. This shows he is strong, not weak.
Although Walter Neff may appear to be strong, there exists an internal struggle which portrays him to be weak, therefore lending himself to the common characteristics of male roles in film noirs. The first and most obvious reason for his weakness is his murders, and the reasons behind them. Neff commits two murders: one of Phyllis' husband, and one of Phyllis herself. Murder, although requiring significant strength to complete, is a result of an underlying weakness. Neff;s first weakness is Phyllis Dietrichson, played by Barbara Stanwyck. When he first meets her, he absolutely falls head-over-heels for her. Neff gained the knowledge that Phyllis wanted to murder her husband when she asked him if she could take out an accident policy on her husband's life without him knowing. He originally says he does not wish to be a part of it, but later falls to his weakness and submits by devising an ingenious plan to murder her husband. Phyllis is an extremely strong weakness of his, which reoccurs later along with his jealousy. Walter Neff discovers that Phyllis has been seeing another man, and plots to kill Phyllis as a result. His jealousy is his weakness, and lends him to become frustrated, resulting in the murder of Phyllis. Now, we, as the audience begin to recognize Neff;s weaknesses as he turns into a typical male lead in film noir.
Along with the murders, Walter Neff is weak for several other reasons. First off, his absurd amount of trust in individuals which he has newly met shows he is weak. He relies on Phyllis with a murder which shows his significant trust, a trust he obviously should not have had. Neff is also weak for his actions seen with Lola, Phyllis' step-daughter. Neff feels extreme guilt and responsibility over Lola, further promoting his weakness and frustration as a character. Although Walter Neff is seemingly strong in appearance and actions seen throughout most of Double Indemnity, he is actually rather weak and frustrated, typical to the conventions of film noir. His internal weaknesses lead him to his ultimate downfall: murder.
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