Comparative Study: Masculine Impairment in

Film Noir
In this comparative study, I will be exploring the theme of masculine impairment in film noir
comparing Billy wilder’s 1944 film double indemnity and John dahl 1994 film last seduction, the
justification of these two films are worthy of study as they represent the evolution of masculine
impairment and film noir through different periods. Double indemnity paints an image of
humanity served as corrupt and evil, based on the passions of humans, they can be self- serving
and greedy. The film Double indemnity is about an insurance salesman getting roped into the
murderous scheme of an evil –mind lady who intends to kill her husband and live off with an
accidental death claim. Whereas in the film Last seduction, it is about a villainous lady
characterized as a female Fatale who steals the money from her husband and seduces an innocent
man, playing mind games with him and eventually traps him to get rid of her husband.

The film double indemnity is set during the post-world war II in 1940s and the last seduction is
set during the Third-wave feminism in 1990s. The historical context of the movie is inspired by
these events. We can see the inspirations evolving around Bridget's character in events occurred
in the early 1990s that shaped American society. The new media source called “the internet”
raised awareness on every issue, especially of women’s rights which in turn paved the way of
Third-wave feminism in 1990s called “The year of the woman” was about electing women as
being the top CEOs worldwide and not having any discrimination between two genders. The
selection of Bill Clinton as the president made these movements effective as he supported
women's rights and gender equality. These events inspired Bridget's character to be a frozen-
hearted and self – indulgent femme fatale.

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Whereas Phyllis defied gender conventions of the time, revealing her traits to be intelligent,
cunning and double-faced. These traits came through the events faced in the 1940s where men
were away from households and serving for the country while women used to handle the
workforce. This seductive and deadly femme fatale could be seen as a common trait among
women as they used to handle the workload and not need their husband’s support anymore as
men failed to provide their family.
Film noir is a film genre and is a movement that is largely associated with America and was
popularized around the 1940s often including dark storylines and follow some crime-related
mystery in traditional film noir, this movement was rediscovered in 1970s and again in 1990s.
Film techniques such as high contrast lighting dark scenes and the black-and-white film are used
in this type of genre. The film noir in the 1940s did not have enough freedom such as the
postmodern noir in the 1990s. but in the 1990s, production code was removed and hence films
had the freedom to reform, and in some cases retell the story.

Double indemnity (1944) and The last seduction (1994) are perfect examples of films that have
reshaped the historical context of film noir. The Last seduction retells double indemnity from a
modern perspective. As American culture changed and social norms were challenged, filmmakers
created more graphic films. For the filmmakers in modern society, their perspective expanded on
the layout of the structure for the film noir and the methods of the narrative they used were
uncommon around the period of the 1940s. therefore, expanding the boundaries of the film noir.
Metaphorically, the theme of masculine impairment is represented in double indemnity, whereas
in the last seduction, masculine impairment is represented in most literal terms. But in both
films, the men face similar muscular impairment, which is fear amongst men against
homosexuality.

Although double indemnity is not a post-world war II film, yet it anticipates the new anxieties of
American men having the fear of inadequacy and homosexuality. Due to the effect of World –
War II, it organized its civilian and military men into sex-segregated, non-familial environment.
This environment left a deep impact on the men on both sides; as they were fueled by the shame
of not providing enough for their families during the depression. The war also resulted in reversal
of roles during world II making the men feel helpless and feared that they would no longer be
needed. At that time homosexual feelings were considered illegal and were shot for even having
sexual activities in the armed forces. Men feared to even say the word ‘homosexual’ in armed
forces; considering the consequences they had to face after. But After the war American society
reaffirmed traditional gender roles and legalized heterosexual relationships.

In the film The Last seduction, the theme of confinement can also be seen in the character Mike.
Although he has not been through the great depression or in any war, he feels confined and
trapped living in the upstate New York in a small town near buffalo. In his own words, he
describes the country as “a cow country”. Walter Neff in double indemnity, being also an
insurance man thinks his confinement in the city is rather symbolized in a dark and corrupt city.
Classical film-noir symbolizes criminal, violent yet misogynistic perspectives and the narrative of
film noir is usually seen as a hard-hearted, disillusioned male character, encountering a beautiful,
yet seductive femme fatale who would use her sexuality into manipulating him for her use, often
following for a murder.
And this narrative could be seen in both of the films, in the last seduction Mike did whatever to
get Bridget’s heart, but was too ‘dumb’ to understand that he became the puppeteer of Bridget.
She became the control – master and used Mike only for her advantage. His puppeteer character
looked like he couldn’t move and only does what Bridget tells him to do. Mike tried to emasculate
with his confidence but actually, he was just trying to hide how weak he was, but Bridget noticed
his weakness and took full advantage out of him. We can see the same theme, yet different
concepts applied in double indemnity, the light highlights Phyllis's facial expressions when she
comes out in a robe for the first time. the camera pans from the bottom legs to her face at the top,
immediately sexualizing her; taking all Walter’s attention to her. This similarity could be seen not
only be seen in Bridget and Phyllis but also Bridget and Walter as they both narrate their story
from their point of view.

In both the films, Masculine impairment is represented in male leads, in double indemnity when
we are introduced to Walter he is nothing more but a crippled man who uses crutches to assert
his weakness in opening credits we can also see a hat-wearing man using crutches to hob slowly
towards the screen which indicates as a metaphor of mental, emotional and physical
manifestation towards the life of a ‘fallen man’. As he collapses into his office, he uses the
Dictaphone to confess the involvement of a planned murder to collect the insurance money for
his loved one. But it turns out he was not confessing to the police but rather was confessing for
Keyes.
Walter and Keyes had a father-son relationship, Keyes being the father – like symbol. Walter is
submissive, he is impaired, but he is not a fully-grown man. To not get puppeteered by anyone,
he looks upon Keyes for further guidance. As the story unfolds, we can also see homosexual
undertones between Keyes and Neff. Whenever Walter repeatedly lights Keyes cigar the sexual
tension is symbolized between them. the tones could be further noticed when Keyes's character is
of a person who never trusts a lady and only believes in the trust and bonding of the same sex.
this was potentially frightening in the 1944 context as homosexuality was illegal in American
society and the people who followed it, would face serious consequences which could result in
imprisonment or also even the death penalty.

When we are first introduced with Mike, he is in a bar with crowded ‘townies’ and wishes to leave
his hometown and pursue a better yet exciting life. When Bridget walks in, with his remorseful
act of his he tries to give it a shot at her. At first, he stumbles on words after realizing how
dominant the lady is and says he is ‘stung like a horse’. Bridgett with a dominant attitude of her’s
emasculates herself on him and asserts her hands on his pants. The difference of sexual openness
could be seen between both films as in double indemnity Walter and Phyllis just discuss sex by
using metaphors. We can see the expansion on themes of post-modern noir from the context of
the 1940s to 1990s as in the 1990s the sexual conversation between people are extremely frank.
Another example of masculine impairment can be seen in Mike’s sex scene with Bridget. During
the sex scene, Bridget is always seen in the top of Mike making it an uncomfortable position for
Mike, but instead of Mike enjoying the sexual activity he instead was trying to impress Bridget,
not knowing about her evil- demeanor, the truth was she manipulated him and used him towards
her pleasures. After the night of their first sexual activity Mike wakes up, dazzled and approaches
Bridget who is already woken up and was finding some food in the fridge while she is on the
phone. We can see that Bridget in a feminine demeanor searches up the food in the fridge as if it’s
her fridge and asserts dominance in the frame which is usually considered as she is in control of
the situation. We can see the complete confusion of Mike as he was silent and does not do
anything about it. This suggests that he is getting puppeteered by Bridget and is letting her be the
control-master of him due to his innocence of the situation.

In both films, male leads are impaired but in film The last seduction, the context of
homosexuality is aggressively explored. Once Mike left the hometown and got married to a
woman (Trish) when he was drunk, he realized the woman was a transgender, and he got married
to a man. This kind of homoerotic expression was commonly explored in classic film noir, this
information of these homophobic feelings for the women was discovered through a series of
flashbacks which was a very common technique used in film noir. This homoeroticism can also be
seen in double indemnity where Walter is even more impaired as in the ending, he sweats
profoundly, his wound gets brutal and while crippling his way out of the door he falls. Keyes
approaches Mike and follows the same cigarette lightning ritual, of lightning the cigarette for
Mike while the police are on their way. This symbolizes the homosexual undertones between the
two characters, but the audience never gets to know whether Keyes and Walter had homosexual
relationship but rather they get to know only the undertones, while the audience does get to know
about the homosexual relationship about Mike and Trish in the Last Seduction

In conclusion, I believe crime, corruption, and delusion has paved the way for the theme of
muscular impairment, its importance tends to grow depending on the events taking place in
society. In my opinion, muscular impairment should be seen in some form or the other in every
other film so that the audience could learn more about the behaviors the characters that they
portray. The fear of homosexuality is one of the muscular impairments that can be seen in both
the films of film noir. In Film noir these fears were risen due to the events that caused harm in
the society like economic depression and wars. In double indemnity These fears were
metaphorically showed as jagged shadows indicating the mental and physical state of the person.
In the period of the last seduction, production codes were removed, so impairment was seen as
more graphic and literal. Bridget is seen at the top while having sexual activity with Mike and
frames Mike in murdering her husband and gets away with it. This form of muscular impairment
transforms postmodern noir and explores its film genre by being more fragile, graphic and sexual
orientated like it’s never been done before.

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