Femme Fatale in Film Noir - 2241 Words

The term film noir was coined by French critics for 1940s-50s American films that shared a dark sensibility and a dark lighting style, such as Double Indemnity (1944), Out of the Past (1947), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). Many theorists related the common noir attributes and aesthetic elements to a post war society characterised by insecurity about gender roles, the economy, changing definitions of race, and nuclear technology. One of the cultural problems the term genre attempts to address is the gender question. The familiarity of the femme fatale character across film noir is the predominant cause for discussion amongst feminist theorists. Feminist theorists became, and still remain, interested in the womans portrayal in†¦show more content†¦The classic femme fatale in forced to resort to murder to free herself from an unbearable relationship with a man who would try to possess and control her, as if she were a piece of property or a pet. According to Sylvia Harvey, author of Womens place: The absent family, the women of film noir are presented as prizes, desirable objects for the leading men of these films. The femme fatales unique power is her brazen willingness and ability to express herself in sexual terms. By this the femme fatale threatens the status quo, and the hero, because she controls her own sexuality outside of marriage. She uses sex for pleasure and as a weapon or a tool to control men, not merely in the culturally acceptable capacity of procreation within marriage. Her sexual emancipation commands the gaze of the hero, the audience, and the camera in a way that cannot be erased by her final punishment. Attempts to neutralise the power and blatant sexuality of the femme fatale by destroying her at the end are usually unsuccessful, because her power extends beyond death. Noir films immediately convey the intense sexual presence of the femme fatale by introducing her as a fully established object of the heros obsession. Sinc e the camera often represents the heros subjective memory, revealedShow MoreRelatedWestern Vs. Noir : An Exploration Of Genre In True Grit1740 Words   |  7 PagesAustin Briggs Degener WR100 29 October 2017 Western vs. Noir: An Exploration of Genre in True Grit Even though the novel had already been adapted into a film once, in 2010, the Coen brothers decided to take a swing at their own version of Charles Portis’ classic western, True Grit. Comparatively to the book and even Henry Hathaway’s 1969 film adaptation, however, the Coens have crafted the story into their own. Mattie’s bildungsroman is more uncompromising and realistic, the relationships MattieRead MoreSunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder1021 Words   |  5 Pages Film Noir is a fairly self-explanatory name. 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But due to the war, people grew weary of the optimism and humour in these films, thus causing the popularity of film noir to slowly grow. Film noir reflected the issues people at the time were goingRead MoreFilm Noir - Rational Versus Evil, Femme Fetal, Investigations, Private Detectives And Atomic Anxiety1529 Words   |  7 PagesFrench, Film noir, translated literally to mean â€Å"black cinema or film,† defines early to middle 20th century film that reflects a trend of dark and grim emotions as art seen on screen in post-war America (Dirks 2016). Stylistics such as people presenting themselves as something they really are not, criminal activity, entrapment, corrup tion, grim city settings, characters that operate on the margin of society are littered throughout film noir. There are many common narratives presented in film noir. 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TheRead MoreEssay on Chinatown as Film Noir838 Words   |  4 PagesChinatown as Film Noir   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Films that are classified as being in the film noir genre all share some basic characteristics. There is generally a voice-over throughout the film in order to guide the audiences perceptions. These movies also involve a crime and a detective who is trying to figure out the truth in the situation. This detective usually encounters a femme fatale who seduces him. However, the most distinctive feature of the film noir genre is the abundance of darkness.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  RomanRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Femme Fatale734 Words   |  3 Pagessuspicious call. When confronted, she lies once again, and tries to act as a helpless woman- crying, in need of a strong male to rescue her. All these actions, portray Evelyn as a true femme fatale. The key difference Evelyn’s character receives that a true femme fatale lacks is sympathy from the audience. The femme fatale doesn’t have a moral code. She is selfish, ruthless, and only thinks about herself. But as the audience finds out at the end, though Evelyn is ruthless, she is not selfish. It is finallyRead MoreAnalysis Of Double Indemnity1052 Words   |  5 PagesIndemnity is a film noir directed by Billy Wilder in 1944, and it was based on the novel of the same name â€Å"Double Indemnity† which was published in 1943. This film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, but it did not win any prize. Double Indemnity is a story about the crime of Phyllis and Neff. Phyllis plans to kill her husband to receive the claim of an accident insurance and Neff set up a scheme to get twice the amount of a clause. Although a classic â€Å"femme fatale† of the noir era, Phyllis would