Blog 5

Through reading “I love you too”; sexual Warfare and Homoeroticism in Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity written by Brian Gallagher, I was able to gain some very helpful insight to film noir and other things between the novel and film that I have yet to notice. One scene within the movie that I never took in to consideration was the first scene when Walter showed up to the Dietrichson’s house in regards of insurance; the day was bright and sunny, bringing in a mood of happiness and peace. By the end of the film, in the last scene that the house appears in the sky is dark and the mood is mischiefs.  Also, the Dietrichson’s house is referred to as “The house of death”, helping that statement out is the description of the interior like, the blood red drapes, which is referring to the blood of a human and the people that have died within the family and the people that will. Also, I never really noticed how much greed had to do with the murder. Yes, there was a lot of sexual attraction between characters within the film and novel, but the underlying basis of the murder was money. After Phyllis has showed up to Walters apartment for the first time, and they have sexual intercourse they seemed to be shown on opposite sides of the couch at a distance from one another. “What reunites the pair, spatially and psychologically, is that other primal passion—greed” (Gallagher), sex is what initially brought them together but without the murder sex was just something to do to fulfill the sexual rahh they both had between them.

Overall, Walter was bound in the middle between lust and greed and brotherhood, and ultamently in the end he chose brotherhood. Just for the fact that Walter decided to go back to the office and confess after his shoot out with Phyllis, showed a lot of admiration he carried for Keyes. “Walter ruins his slim chance of escaping over the border to Mexico by spending several hours dictating this confession to Keys” (Gallagher).  Also in Gallagher’s article, the points out a few aspects that the viewer may not have noticed, like how Keys typically appeared on the right side of the screen as well as Phyllis, while Walter would stay to the left, this way both the two characters are fighting for Walter’s attention in a love triangle and Walter is the top point.  Gallagher also mentions Keyes was not much taller than Phyllis. Like Phyllis, from the first scene of Walter and Keyes together the two show attraction by Walter saying “I love you too”, and lighting his cigar. Furthermore, by reading this article I do notice that Keyes played a father role to Walter by looking out for him in certain circumstances like, when Norton stated to accuse Walter and also wanting Walter to quite the insurance business and become his assistant. Similarly, when in Walters office, Keyes just picks up his phone just like a father would and after the phone call Keys gave advice on woman and how you shouldn’t just trust anybody.

I believe that within the film, the story between Walter and Keyes was made into a bro-mance due to the fact that there were two male screen writers, and with writing a film a relationship was formed and the two men decide to bring forth their bound between Walter and Keys. Will still see this relationship this day in age between two friends, and how friendships should be stronger than any lust you may have over someone else, because after all it is guy code.