Despite the audience’s prior knowledge of the murder and Walter Neff’s involvement in it, director Billy Wilder effectively maintains a high level of tension throughout Double Indemnity. This film noir lacks no element of tension, as Wilder skillfully keeps it thick like syrup from beginning to end.
In the opening scene, Neff confesses that he killed Dietrichson and proceeds to tell the entire tale in flashback. The way Wilder presents this is particularly intriguing, especially through Neff’s interactions with his friend, Burton Keyes, who is also the firm’s Claim Manager.
The tension and suspense throughout the movie relies heavily on the relationship between the two men. Neff is confident in his knowledge of the system, believing he can commit the crime without being caught. However, the only person he fears is Keyes, who always accurately detects deceit.
The primary method utilized by Wilder to convey the connection between Neff and Keyes is through the act of lighting cigarettes/cigars. At crucial moments in the film, when Keyes seems on the verge of solving the case but falls short, he encounters difficulty in lighting his cigar while Neff effortlessly ignites it using a wooden match. However, in the climactic finale, when Neff loses control, Keyes returns the gesture.
