Double Indemnity: still shot

              Although you may not be focussing on it while viewing this particular scene, there is a large amount of information being portrayed to the viewer in this shot. This was taken towards the end of the movie, when Phyllis and Neff are meeting at Phyllis' house, and they are unaware that they both have a plan to murder each other. There is a lot going on in the shot, such as the body language of the human figures, the lighting/shadows, the furniture placement, and more. The director took this shot in a way that it shows the vast amount of space between Phyllis and Neff. So right off the bat, we get a sense that this scene is going to be a lot different than the others because the two are usually very close in all the other scenes. We see that Phyllis is lying down looking relaxed, while Neff is standing and looking cautious of what is to come out of this visit. The shadow of Neff at the door creates a mysterious mood because that is basically the only light we see in the image since the whole shot is mostly in the dark. In all, the shadows of Neff and the windows makes the viewer feel uncertain but also very compelled for what is to come next. The shot is also taken so we see that the furniture makes a clear path from Neff to Phyllis, connecting the two from the start, even though they aren't even near each other yet. I like how we are able to see the front of Neff, but only a portion of Phyllis since the chair is blocking the majority of her. The fact that Neff keeps the door open and stands there for a second before closing it instead of just walking in and shutting it right away adds to the uncertain feeling the viewer is feeling throughout this scene. The smoke from Phyllis' cigarette creates a barrier in between the two, which tells the reader there is something foggy and off between them.