Double Indemnity is frequently mentioned in discussions of film noir because it features many examples of identifiable themes, characters and mise-en-scène common to the sub-genre. Double Indemnity is a classic example of the film noir.

First the film is clearly in the overarching crime genre which film noir belongs, the plot centers around insurance fraud and murder, and there are many played up anxious moments characteristic of a crime film, like when Walter is spoken to on the observation train car, when the car fails to start right after dropping off the body, or when Keyes’ little man starts questioning the accident story, all while Phyllis is just outside the door. The film has many themes commonly explored in film noir, including deceit when Phyllis and Walter stage the murder, unfaithfulness that Phillis displays toward her husband, and greed because those characters want to cash out on the husband’s accident insurance. Examining the characters it’s clear that Walter exhibits classic features of a protagonist in this genre. Whatever moral code he had at the start of the film quickly evaporates because of his lust for Phyllis and his greed for the payout. His confidence in planning and getting away with the murder and fraud scheme also shows he does not believe good will triumph in the end. Phyllis is a femme fatale archetype. She deceives, plays and kills practically everyone she comes into contact with, such as killing Lola’s mother, staging her husband’s death and almost killing Walter. Her manipulation is best seen when she reveals at the end that she only interacted with Walter with the goal of killing her husband and getting the money. These traits are especially obvious when contrasted with Lola who is a more typical helpless female character. Finally the films mise-en-scène are frequently either in dimly lit indoor areas or outside during the night; this creates the dark or black atmosphere of “noir”.

To conclude Double Indemnity is a comprehensive collection of noir themes, characters and mise-en-scène. That is why it is a frequently cited example of film noir.