Comparison Of The Maltese Falcon And Double Indemnity

The true film noirs used iconology to express the depth of the control and power these women held. Long hair, jewelry, and cigarettes are few examples of the icons used to highlight sexuality. The image of the women were created through their looks and dress codes. For instance, there is a strong emphasis on the eyebrows for the femme fatales’ makeup. Eyebrows play an important role in defining facial expressions. A high arc eyebrow suggests a strong and firm look. When paired with deep red lipstick, the look bring out sexiness, and screams powerful, confident woman. Moreover, the look is then further paired with costumes, to complete the image. As an illustration, in the movie Double Indemnity, Phyllis Dietrichson, the femme fatale, is presented in a bath towel. In this first appearance, the camera work is brilliant, as it …show more content…
John Huston, the director of the movie, did great justice to the book. The character of the femme fatale, Brigid O’Shaughnessy is played by Mary Astor. From the very beginning of the movie, the audience can sense her quick wit and deceptive nature, as she starts off by lying about her true identity to the male protagonist, Spade. She then presents herself as a helpless women for the majority of the movie; a woman in need for a strong male rescue; therefore, once again, reflecting on her deceptive nature.
The narrative of the movie is initiated by Brigid’s character. Through her character, the audience learns that, she was directly related to the death of Archer, the private detective who worked with the male protagonist, Spade. It is through her character the audience undergoes a web of complex deceptions; cunningly, she lets Spade uncover the truth about her lies. Surprisingly, Spade distrusted her sincere and innocent act from the start, but that didn’t stop Brigid from