I am
starting by answering question number one. Discuss the contrasts between the
endings of the novel and the film. Which ending seems more appropriate for film
noir and why? The film and the novel end very differently. I personally liked
the end of the novel better.
The film ended with Walter going to
Phyllis’s house with the intent to kill her and keep their secret from
everyone. He shows up and as he is trying to shut the windows and blinds he
exposes his plan to her. Phyllis being ahead of the game was ready for that and
she shot him first. She instantly felt remorse and love at the same time and
tried to convince Walter that they were meant for each other. Walter in turn
shoots and kills her. As he is leaving, Nino arrives. He hides from Nino at
first and then jumps out and tells him to leave. That he should go to Lola and
that she loved him. They both part ways and Walter goes to the office where he
gives his final statement into the recorder. As he completes his statement, he
turns and Keyes is standing there. He tells Keyes what has happened and leaves
the office. He makes it to the outer doorway and collapses from the loss of
blood. Keyes comes up to him as he calls for the ambulance and police. Keyes
lights his smoke and they exchange some words and the movie ends.
The book ended with a very strategic
plan to have Phyllis meet Walter at the park. Walter steals Nino’s car and goes
to the park to meet Phyllis. While waiting for her, Walter hears some noise in
the bushes. Before he knows it he has been shot. The next thing we know, Walter
is in the hospital. He finds out that Lola and Nino were arrested for shooting
him and killing Mr. Nirdlinger. Keyes threatens to do whatever he needs to do
to get Lola to talk. Walter then confesses everything. Keyes appears to cut him
a break by letting him go and arranging a boat for him to leave on. Walter gets
out of the hospital and give a written statement to Keyes. He then leaves on
the boat. After a while on the boat, he goes up to the deck to sit and relax.
Next thing you know, Phyllis is sitting next to him. They start talking and
Phyllis wants to get married. No way says Walter. While on the boat, news got
out about the two of them and what they had done. They knew they were busted.
They talk about jumping overboard to the shark below but they wanted to wait
till the moon comes up. They return to their rooms to prepare for their fate and
for Walter to finish his statement and the book ends.
The film ending is probably better
for Film Noir in its true definition because it ends with the shoot-out and Walter
trying to get away to the end. If he could have gotten away, he would have. He
lays there soaked in blood. Smoking his cigarette to the end.
In question number five, we are
asked about the man walking with crutches in the beginning of the film what was
his significance. I think the man in the beginning is a Walter. I think this is
significant because this shows Walter as he was when he was impersonating Mr.
Dietrichson. This was while they were carrying out their plot of murder and in
many ways, it shows Walter stepping into Mr. Dietrichson’s shoes and becoming
the next in line. He is taking his walk to fate in a way.
I liked the novel ending better too, at first i thought I was going to like the film better. The novel gave us more detail from what happens next to what happen before. In the film it doesn't come up that Phyllis had killed all those people. In the novel it made it seem like Phyllis wanted her husband dead to collect on the insurance police and she was really heartless. In the film Phyllis made it seem like her husband was mean to her and slap her around when he got dunk. In the film Phyllis and Walter got what was coming to them they both ended up died it wasn't no puzzle to it. But in the novel at the end makes you speculate where there they jumped off the ship and commit suicide in which the novel hints to. Or they made it to a tropical island and got away.
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