Blog #4 Novel VS. Film

As I watched the end of the film of "Double Indemnity" I started to notice many differences compared to the novel. Not only did it end different but there were many scenes that they had changed around and even added more to it. I didn't like the ending to the film, it seemed rushed towards the very end, almost as they just wanted to hurry up and end it. Even though I feel the same way towards the novel, I liked the way they ended it better, it was a short ending with lots of detail. Although I did like the fact that in the film they had Walter kill Phyllis. Just saying she was one heartless woman, who got what she deserved and that was to "die in pain". That sounds horrible to say but when you can kill multiple people for no reason what so ever then they deserve whats coming towards them, in one way or another.  As I said that in the movie they had added more scenes, such as in the novel Phyllis and Walter did not see each other after the murder until they were on the boat, whereas in the movie they had seen each other multiple times. In the film Phyllis and Walter were portrayed out to be as if they were still in love with each other unlike the novel they had moved on after the murder of Mr. Nirdlinger and only kept in contact to make sure they were on the same page so they wouldn't get caught.

 Both of the endings left me with wanting more, with the novel I wanted to know that they actually jumped off the boat, this novel had been so detail oriented the whole time that in a way I was expecting them to tell how they did it and they did sorta but I wanted more haha. With the film I felt like they missed so many things and could have made it so much better. Both endings seemed appropriate for film noir, but I believe the novel did a great job at giving so much detail in the little things like at the very end where they describe what Phyllis is wearing, "She's made her face chalk white, with black circles under eyes and red on her lips and cheeks. (114)" This quote gave me the chills and creeped me out. Film noir describes femme fatale as a mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, manipulative and desperate women and I believe that Cain did a fantastic job in describing and portraying Phyllis Nirdlinger. Phyllis is just that if not more. Film noir is described as dark and inhumane side of human nature with cynicism and doomed love and they emphasize the brutal, unhealthy, seamy, shadowy, dark and sadistic sides of human experience. As I refer to the last sentence in the novel, Walter says his last words " I didn't hear the stateroom door open, but she's beside me now while I'm writing. I can feel her. The moon. (115)" With such little words Cain ends this novel with just that, "Film noir".