Double Indemnity opening sequence analysis

Analysis begins at 1:07 and ends at 6:30 minutes

The scene opens with an establishing shot of a black and white city, with a tense, fast paced piece of music. The audience is introduced to several elements of Film Noir, the typical American city that most Film Noir movies are based in and the orchestral, big band music playing. The music helps the audience learn what period of time the film is set in, typically around the 1940s.The black and white colour correction placed over the video helps the audience identify this is of the Film Noir genre.

In the long shot of the man exiting his car, he is shown wearing a trench coat and a fedora hat. This also suits the conventions of the Film Noir genre, as the protagonist/antagonist are often sharply dressed, showing superiority or authority. This is reinforced by next variety of shots as the audience isn't shown a clea view of the character in questions face, this creates a mysterious atmosphere around the character in which the lighting of the scene contributes. As he walks into his office, he is cast out of the light and is kept in darkness, strengthening the tense atmosphere. Later on in the sequence, he begins to talk on a phone leaving an answering message, it takes on a narrative feel, something commonly found in Film Noir. In this sequence, there are multiple conventions present from the start, making it a prime example for classic Film Noir.