When I first watched Body Heat, I knew Double Indemnity but I wasn’t aware of the typical elements found in Film Noir. I liked the twists in the script, the kind you want to see in any good legal thriller. I was aware that there was a strong sexuality here that you couldn’t attempt in the 1940s and 50s. I thought the film did a good job of being just explicit enough to feel modern, but it was just as interested in the implication of sexuality through sweat, clothes and how people use their hands. I also knew that this was evoking films that were in Black & White, and this attempted a particular Florida sunshine that was overly-bright during the day and cut through the darkness with pastels at night.
I kept coming back for the inspirational dialogue. The most famous line is, “You aren’t too smart, are you? I like that in a man.” There’s a lot of unusual dialogue, and it inspired me early on to elevate my own dialogue. Don’t just say what regular people would say, make it interesting for the listener. However, since those initial years I’ve gone deep into Noir and its crackerjack dialogue. Returning to Body Heat, the conversation often sounds awkward. The clever come-ons have all the credibility of a used car salesman. My attitude on the script has gone from classic neo-noir to self-consciously campy. An early inspiration that does nothing for me now.
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