There are many elements associated
with film noir; Many of them including an ambiguous protagonist, a femme fatal,
fatalism, and corruption but these are just a few of the many. A detective is
also another element associated with film noir. A detective in a piece of film
noir may or may not be referred to as a detective but many certainly obtain the
qualities of one. In the novel of Double Indemnity one of the characters takes
on the roles of a detective though never in the novel is he referred to as one.
Keyes works in an insurance company which is nowhere near being a detective but
his job in the company is to investigate who the phony clients are. In the beginning
of the novel Mr. Huff describes some of the ways in which the reader can assume
that he will take on the role of the detective. Like a detective, he is very
slick at his job. “You can’t even say today is Tuesday without he has to look
on the calendar, and then check if it’s this year’s calendar or last year’s calendar, and then find out what company
printed the calendar, and then find out if their calendar checks with the world
Almanac calendar.” From this quote on page 7 of the novel, we can clearly
assume that this man does not just let everything pass him by. A detective is
very much like that; careful in every step he makes. Mr. Huff states the
following about him: “But he’s a wolf on a phony claim.”(pg.8) Meaning he will hunt down
the truth and there’s no way to hide from it with him. Later in the novel we
see his role as a detective in action when he senses that the Nirdlinger’s case
was a murder. A detective is always asking questions, either to himself or to
others. Keyes says to Mr.Huff, “This is murder…So they covered the porter, did they.
Nobody went out there. How do they know somebody didn't swing aboard from outside?
How do they know-”(pg.66) Keyes role as a detective is very important for this novel
as a detective would be to any other piece of film noir. Though Keyes’
suspected murderer and story was incorrect, his role in the novel is still
valued as a detectives.
So true that Keyes plays the role of the detective and is out to get to the truth. Keyes has been working in his line of work for many years and know that something is up with Phyllis. But doesn't have a clue about Walter being in on it. And as close as Keyes is to proving that Phyllis murder her husband would have never thought Walter was in on it and wouldn't had found out until Walter confesses. In the novel Keyes ends up being apart of the corruption when he finds out Walter did it and does not turn him in. Keyes was trying to have it so that he wouldn't have to pay Phyllis and kept digging for evidence. Like a detective Keyes puts two and two together and figures that Phyllis couldn't did it by herself that there was a man helping her and that probable that the husband was pushed, now that's good detective work. Keyes kept pressing the issue with finding out what really happened.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Very good job with the quotes. You convinced me and made me see things in a different way. I tend to forget about the little details like the statement Huff made about Keyes and having to check his calendar as soon as anyone says its a certain day. Great detective work!! Thanks and great blog!!
ReplyDeleteGood blog Stephanie, Keyes was defenitly involved in the role of detective in Double Indemnity. He was investigating everything, and had it pretty much figured out. I would have also included a couple more characters as being in the detective roll. Lola was also doing her own investigation of Phyllis, as well as Lola's boyfriend Nino. Dont get me wrong, I agree with you one hundred percent that Keyes was the main detective role.
ReplyDeleteThough Keyes wasn't an actual detective, you gave supporting details as to why he fits the detective in the story and for Noir film. I like to think the reason why Keyes' story was incorrect was so that Huff would actually tell him. From the beginning quotes that you posted, Huff seems to have Keyes figured out and does not question how smart he truly he is, yet I think Huff was just as surprised as we were when he actually slips past him. Great read and well setup.
ReplyDeleteThat was well explained on your part about the story. It is like Keyes does not believe in anybody or anything with extensive research first but even then he is skeptical. The way Keyes is, I would have thought Mr. Huff would have choose another company to try to do that with and just took what he knew and use it on another company since he knew the rules so well, but I guess that was not a good enough challenge for him.
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