"The females in film noir are either of two types - dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women women; or femme fatales - mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous,."
From the website Filmsite
Double indemnity introduces us to Phyllis Nirdlinger, the wife of Mr. Nirdlinger the Los Angeles representative of the Western and Pipe and Supply Company. From the very beginning we take notice of her prying nature especially when it comes to Walter and his line of work. She was vague and alluring when talking to Walter about the other insurance company, the Automobile club. It seemed as if she were testing him and trying to gauge Walter’s reaction to the fact that her husband might switch insurance companies. We see the way she was studied by Walter, and by his inner thoughts we can tell that as much as she is trying to convince him of her interest towards his work it isn’t working. This makes her a mystery in his eyes, one that he isn’t sure he wants to figure out. We know that she is gorgeous because of the many references that are made by Walter, “Her brow wrinkled up, and I saw that there was nothing washed-up about her” “Under those blue pajamas was a shape to set a man nuts…” “She had on a white sailor suit, with a blouse that pulled tight over her hips, and white shoes and stockings. I wasn’t the only one that knew about that shape”, these sentences describe a sophisticated woman who knows how to dress to impress. While talking to Walter, Phyllis starts to show us her duplicitous behavior by asking questions and then retracting as if wanting to know but then unable to deal with the answers. Her behavior is obvious, not only to us but to Walter as well; he has seen too much in his 15 years in the insurance business to be fooled by Mrs. Nirdlinger’s concern yet manipulative behavior. She tries to befriend him and tries to figure him out by inviting him for tea while the housemaid (Belle), Lola (the stepdaughter), and Mr. Nirdlinger (the husband) are out of the house. She later realizes that her nonchalant act didn’t work on Walter so she panics and leaves. Not long after she comes back and tries to play off her intentions, she tries to convince Walter that what she said was misunderstood but after she sees that he is willing to help her, she calms down, drops the act, and starts to listen.
I really like how you introduce Phyllis Nirdlinger to us. Gave us a belief explanation on what kind of a woman she is. Then went on to explain Walter's feeling toward her by quoting some of the references that he made. You then went on to say how Phyllis manipulative behavior did not fool Walter at all. I would like to say that the every last sentence you wrote, made me to believe that this is the beginning of Phyllis's scheme to control Walter.
ReplyDelete