Double Indemnity (1944) Trivia Quiz

Answer: To renew Mr Dietrichson's automobile insurance

Mr Dietrichson had held an insurance policy with Neff's company, the Pacific All-Risk Insurance Company, for three years, for his two cars; Neff is trying to get him to renew his policy. He has never met Phyllis before, but they start an affair soon after. Phyllis is the one who asks about accident insurance for her husband.

Answer: Her ankle bracelet

Neff mentions it to her when she sits down - "That's a honey of an anklet you're wearing Mrs Dietrichson" - and when he gets back to the office and finds she wants to see him again he says "but I kept thinking about Phyllis Dietrichson and the way that anklet of hers kept cutting into her leg".

Answer: He left his hat at her house and she is returning it

It is a fairly blatant excuse; Walter clearly picks up his hat on his way out in the previous scene and Phyllis clearly does not have a hat with her anyway. During the meeting at Walter's apartment their affair starts and they discuss murdering Phyllis' husband.

Answer: Insurance companies pay out double for certain kinds of accidents, such as those on a train

This of course is the famous 'double indemnity' in the title, where insurance companies pay out double on "the kinds of accidents that almost never happen..."; in this case they would get $100,000 rather than $50,000.

At this point Dietrichson hasn't broken his leg; whilst they plan to kill Dietrichson before he gets on the train.

Answer: He takes the bus to Dietrichson's house so that he will be seen

He walks to Dietrichson's house, as he doesn't want to take the risk that someone will see him on the bus. He wants to make it look as though he has been in his apartment all evening, so he leaves the car with the garage attendant, makes sure that he will know if he is telephoned or if someone calls, and he also leaves his notebook at the office so that he has to ring a work colleague for some information, again so that there will be a record of the call.

Answer: Phyllis sounds the horn in the car.

Neff is crouched down in the rear of the car and, at the signal, strangles Dietrichson. I showed this film recently as part of our film club's 'Film Noir' season, and one of the comments from a club member was why they would have such a signal, as it would inevitably attract attention from passers by or nearby houses.

This is a good point, but it is certainly dramatic (and indeed it is in the book as well). The camera focuses entirely on Phyllis' face during the killing, as just the hint of a smile crosses her face; a typically brilliant Wilderean touch.

Answer: Dietrichson had an accident policy, broke his leg, but never claimed.

Keyes' boss, Norton, thinks it is suicide; Keyes himself argues that it couldn't have been suicide and that it must have been a freak accident and that the company will have to pay out. However Keyes has a 'sixth sense' - his stomach plays up and he can't eat - and it happens again. He goes to see Neff, and puts over his theory that something - he is not sure what at this stage - is not right. In one of the most brilliant scenes of the film, he says "He had accident insurance didn't he? Then he broke his leg didn't he? And he didn't put in a claim. Why didn't he put in a claim? Why?"

He then stumbles on the real reason - Dietrichson didn't know he had accident insurance, as Neff gets him to sign the form by subterfuge - but dismisses it at this stage as it does not occur to him to suspect Neff.

Throughout this conversation the tension is built up as Phyllis is on her way up to see Walter, and in a famous scene she is hiding behind Walter's door (which conveniently opens outwards) as Keyes carries on talking to Walter in the corridor.

Answer: A grocery store

They meet at Jerry's market in Los Angeles, and discuss everything in the aisles whilst pretending to shop. It always amuses me that they are trying to act innocently, whilst in fact they must be the two most suspicious shoppers in history; at the very least they appear to be shoplifters...


The first of these meetings is used in the hilarious 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' in the 1980s, with Steve Martin taking on the Phyllis Dietrichson role.

Answer: Nino Zachetti

On first viewing of the film we, the audience, wonder if Keyes knows everything and is simply teasing Neff. Neff feels the same, so goes to check out Keyes' office, where he listens to a recorded memo by Keyes to his boss Norton where Keyes argues that Neff is not involved but that Nino Zachetti (Phyllis' stepdaughter's boyfriend) is, having visited Phyllis at least four nights in a row. Neff realises that he has been played for a sucker.

Answer: Keyes lights Neff's cigarette

Throughout the film Keyes is constantly trying to light a cigar, but he never seems to be able to find a match to light it with, so Neff lights it for him (this happens on at least four occasions). At the end, as Neff lies mortally wounded, he reaches for a cigarette and this time Keyes, in a beautiful touch, is the one who finds a match and lights the cigarette.