Character Profile: Frank Lawrence

Character Profile: Virginia Miller

Virgina Miller is the wife of a very wealthy buisnessman and with the use of her corrupt mind she traps banker Frank Lawrence into commiting the murder of her husband.

Synopsis for the film Double Crossing

Synopsis for the film Double Crossing

Financial advisor Frank Lawrence enjoys his job managing finance for many residents in his area. He is friendly and many of his clients have high praises for him. They are oblivious though to his desires. He is desperately seeking for something better and wants more out of life, because he knows there is something better, whatever this ‘something’ is.

A couple move into the residential area and Franks services are called upon to help their financial problems. He rings the doorbell and the door opens to reveal a beautiful woman (Virginia Miller) in a dressing gown smoking on a cigarette. Frank is startled and instantly lusts after this woman. She invites him into the house and introduces her very much older and wealthy husband.

After many meetings with Virginia Miller at the coincidence of her husband working away. Frank and Virginia embark on a affair that fulfils their sexual fantasies but has dangerous consequences.

Virginia’s husband finds out about their scandalous affair and pays a hit man to murder Frank. But with Virginias corrupted mind she has already thought of ways her and Frank can kill off her husband and run of with his money. Frank doesn’t know what has hit him and is quick to want out. But Virginia uses her sexual motives and beauty to manipulate Frank. He is soon on board and together they murder Virginia’s husband. They dump his body in a lake far out in the countryside. But before they plan to leave the area the Virginia’s husbands body is found and there is now a detective on the case. He is quick to pick up on the relationship of Frank Lawrence and Virginia Miller and holds them in question overnight. They are soon released free of charge and plan to leave in the afternoon. While Frank packs, Virginia goes to pick up some cheques from the bank and is hit by an industrial lorry leaving her dead.

Textual Analysis 1

Double Indemnity, 1944, Billy Wilder

When looking at the opening scene of Double Indemnity it is a-typical to what Film Noir is all about. It instantly shows the contrast of light and dark. Set in the night downtown in the heart of Los Angeles we see a driver speeding through the streets and running a red light. The theme of corruption is already exploited 60 seconds into the film.

A low angle shot shows Walter Neff walking into his office, iron railings surround him connotating his entrapment, also his figure is duplicated by shadows whoch also connotates his dual personality and the light and dark side of him.


He then sits down in his office and starts talking into a Dictaphone machine, which becomes the story of the film and is told in a flashback. Flashbacks were commonly used within Film Noir and were used as a narrative structure device, and Double Indemnity is a example of this.

A dissolve (another convention within Film Noir) takes us to the past where Walter Neff first meets the sultry Phyllis Dietrichson. When driving up to her home you can instantly see the difference in the mise en scène. Its set during the day and the setting is exposed to bright light, connotating the fact that he has not yet entered dangerous waters. He is still Walter Neff the insurance man. This is a great example of how Film Noir uses light and dark to manipulate the mood and tone of the narrative.

A low angle interior shot is used to reveal Phyllis Dietrichson. This use of shot makes her introduction powerful and is used to connotate the Femme Fatale side of her. With the use of costume her naked body is covered in nothing less than a towel revealing her flesh. This links back to the Femme Fatale character and how she uses her beauty and sexual persona to capture Neff.

A medium close up shows the iron railing banister over her frame, above i mentioned how Film Noir uses shadows and objects to reflect upon a character to capture the mood, tone and the character. The iron railing has spiral interwined and connotates the disorientation of her character and how she manipulates Walter Neff into commiting the murder of her husband.

This shot is a-typical of Film Noir. The Venetian Blinds reflect into the room casting shadows on screen. This connotates how he is now trapped as he has entered her trap.

By looking at Double Indemnity it is a great example of how Film Noir uses specific visual stylistics and theamatics to express the mood and tone of the narrative and the characters involved.

Conventions In Film Noir

German expressionist films were made in the 1920's and highly impacted the creation of Film Noir and its conventions. The visuals within Film Noir match perfectly to the visuals in German expressionist cinema. The darkness, disillusionment and tone/mood of the films. Other films that were influenced by German expressionism and is showed through Cinematography are Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, 1982. Chinatown, Roman Polanski, 1974 and Devil in a blue dress, Carl Franklin, 1995.

 Item 1

This image is from the film Blade Runner and clearly shows a stroung link to German expressionism with the dark lighting, omnious shadows. The use of staircases that create skewed angles on screen and convey the narrative.

 Item 2


This image is from the film Chinatown. Like the image above it clearly shows a strong link to German expressionism and Film Noir. The use of contrast with the characters suit, desk and the harsh background. Also the line shadows that are reflected into the shot by the use of lighting.

 Item 3

Here is an image from the film Devil in a Blue Dress and has a clear obvious link to German Expressionism and Stylish Hollywood Crime. The main image reflects the stylish gangsta linking to Hollywood Crime. In addition to this the sepia effect reflects the Hollywood sun and also is a nice contrast to Denzel Washingston's skin tone, and makes the black shadows more bold. In the background there is a clear shadow of a woman with a dominant stance (femme fatale). The bold images that create the setting of Hollywood (palm trees). Overall the composistion and use of visual imagery and shadows link to Neo Noir and German Expressionism.

     

Narrative Structure of Film Noir

The Narrative Structure of Film Noir is complex and is shown through the use of flashbacks and voice over narration. The structure goes as follows;

1. Crime Discovered
2. Detective Investigates
3. Detective Reveals Crime
4. Crime Planned
5. Crime Commited

This is the strucutre for many crime films as it creates tension and involves the audience questioning the mystery of the murder, stitching them into the narrative.