Double Indemnity oddities

[StanleyVanBuren]

I was watching my collector's edition Double Indemnity DVD yesterday that my parents gave me for Christmas and I noted a couple of things on this, my umpteenth viewing. (As a side note, I was plussed to see this DVD featured in issue one of Classic Style after having just received it as a gift -- very cool).

First, when the Neff and Keyes characters visit their higher-up boss, the boss wears a 2-button suit jacket with only the bottom button buttoned. The top one is undone. Clearly wrong by today's standards, but could there have been a reason or excuse for this "mistake" back then?

Second, I don't think the Neff character ever buttons his suit jacket. Other than the scene in which he is impersonating Diedrichson, Neff wears a light-colored 3-button notch lapel jacket. What is the possible significance of this, or was it perfectly acceptable and I'm reading too much into it?

 

[Jovan]

What we view as mistakes are made all the time in movies, and there's really nothing we can do about it. Unfortunately, the costume designers or directors themselves are to blame usually. It bugged me how Andy Serkis wore all of his jacket buttons fastened all the time in 13 Going On 30, or how everyone's sleeves went down to their thumbs in the Matrix movies.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I don't remember the movie much.

To take the "higher up boss". What kind of character is he? Is the audience supposed to like him, hate him, or be indifferent to him? if we're supposed to dislike him or think he's a bit silly, this odd buttoning of a jacket (not so odd; i see it quite a bit) might be to enhance the feeling of dislike. maybe we're supposed to like him but he's a bit off-the-wall or kooky?

As for never buttoning the jacket of a 3 button notch lapel . . . What kind of character is he? A happy-go-lucky, free and easy type?

Very rarely are "mistakes" made in movie wardrobe. Everything is done for a reason. The director knows best!! - certainly he knows more about audience manipulation than any of us do.

bk

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I just watched it last night.

The big boss was kind of a jerk. Younger than Edward G. Robinson's character, so it looks as if he inherited the position.
He commented in that scene to Edward G.(Keyes) about how he was not wearing his jacket. In fact, in all of the office scenes, Edward G. was wearing 2 pieces of a 3 piece suit, just the vest without his jacket.
I thought it kinda odd that his tie was always hanging out of the vest. Maybe to give him a disheveled look to go along with the character he played.

 

[anon`]

Robinson has a line that pretty much pegs the Big Boss as having inherited the job, probably from his father. And yes, he does come off as a somewhat arrogant prat who thinks he knows it all.

As far as the character of Keyes looking disheveled, well, he's a claims man. Having that job will certainly do that to you.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

He had a sort of proto-typical Colombo air about him. I wonder if this was maybe part of the inspiration for the Colombo character?

 

[Mr. 'H']

The funniest line in the picture was:

"...next time I'll rent a tuxedo"

Said by Robinson to his boss.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The funniest line in the picture was:

"...next time I'll rent a tuxedo"

Said by Robinson to his boss.

I thought it was,..."I'm crazy about ya baby!" Which was what Fred MacMurray said to Barbara Stanwyck after having spent all of 15 minutes with her over two or three occasions.

 

[Jovan]

Notice he said that and not, "I love you." That would be sad.

 

[Dr Doran]

Every time I watch that film I am newly shocked at how good it is.

 

[rockyj]

gotta say, I love that line too!

The funniest line in the picture was:

"...next time I'll rent a tuxedo"

Said by Robinson to his boss.

Waiting for the time in my life I can say that to my boss.

 

[nulty]

know what I think it means ...?

rules schmools

That film is about life and not the sunny side either...

I work in an insurance office much like the one in the movie..agents and execs are looked at for their dress yes but also in the mix of public opinion is how well they "wear" their fine threads..

Personally I'd trust the guy who's on target but wears his tie out of his vest as opposed to the fellow who could be on target if he'd forget his mirror now and again.

 

[Flitcraft]

"Show Horse " vs. "Work Horse".

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

The funniest line in the picture was:

"...next time I'll rent a tuxedo"

Said by Robinson to his boss.

Though the line I like even better is the one that precipitated this response, "Do you find it an uncomfortably hot day, Keyes?"

I can't tell you how often I'm tempted to ask people this.