Beliefs and Practices in the Movies - Research Paper Example

Double Indemnity by Billy Wilder is considered a noir movie. In most noir movies, the male lead characters are considered weaklings. The motivations behind the deeds of the male lead character are inspired by the sexual appeal of a female character. The femme fatale character is clearly brought out in Double Indemnity. In this case, a treacherous woman makes a man commit a crime that will benefit her by using her sexual charms (Blair 58). There are promises of sex and money to the man if the deal is successful.

Double Indemnity like every noir movie is in black and white. Elements of the noir movie are incorporated in the movie Double Indemnity. To begin with, the movie is in black and white. The movie is about Walter Neff, an insurance agent who gets into an affair with Phyllis the wife of Dietrichson, his client. Phyllis, the femme fatale, and Neff conspire and come up with an insurance scam that will make Mr Dietrichson loss fifty thousand dollars. Neff is controlled by the urge to go to bed with Phyllis thereby succumbing to her request.

Neff and Phyllis plan to escape if the scam goes through and Mr Dietrichson murdered. Later Neff confesses on being part of the scam when Phyllis accuses him of being the mastermind. Sex has been used as a symbol of self-destruction on the part of Neff. Clarice Starling, a trainee in the FBI, is tasked to interview Dr Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal “the cannibal” upon being interviewed admits of his knowledge on where to find Buffalo Bill, a man who skins women and then wears their skin.

In this movie, telling who the protagonist is and who the antagonist is can be a problem.