Thematically, film noir frequently centered on portrayals of women of questionable virtue - this had become rare in Hollywood post the pre-Code era. Double Indemnity, directed by Billy Wilder; setting the mould was Barbara Stanwyck’s unforgettable femme fatale, Phyllis Dietrichson.
Influenced by Marlene Dietrich, who had built her career playing women for Sternberg. The film’s financial su...