Film noir seminar – The ‘Femme Fatale’
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
Fatalism
At what point in the story – if any – does his fate become inevitable?
Structure
If she didn’t have a husband but otherwise retained the same characteristics, would she still be a ‘femme fatale’?
Male anxiety & fantasy
Who’s in charge here?
Environment & lighting
Thinking of Sydney (because of its similar climate to Los Angeles), how is the city portrayed here and what does it say about society?
(question at the break – for second half)
Gender roles illustrated
Watch out for the supermarket scene – what does this suggest about gender roles and domesticity?