Women in Film Noir - 01:

Femme Fatale in the Golden Age

Femme fatale is one of the most representative figures in film noir. From 1941 to 1958, portrayals of female characters in film noir experienced changes and femme fatales were disappearing by 1958, the last year of film noir golden age. This shift could be decoded by the analysis of women's social position within the specific socio-historical context before and after World War II.

By 李辛吾 Lee Hsin-wu

On Film - 02/18/2021

When talking about film noir, we recall images of the silhouetted man and woman figures standing in smog from The Big Combo (1955) or the shadows cast by Venetian blinds projecting on the wall behind a pair of lovers in conversation from Double Indemnity (1944). Apart from the stylized black and white images, using low-key lighting and high contrast of light and shadow, femme fatale is one of the most representative figures in film noir. This beautiful, charming but seductive and dangerous character appears in a majority of film noirs, especially in the film noir golden age. Starting from the release of The Maltese Falcon (1941), film noir steps into its golden age spanning from 1941 to the post World War II era until 1958, as Paul Schrader claimed Touch of Evil (1958) to be “the epitaph of film noir” . Within this unique time period, the society as well as women’s positions changed dramatically suffering from the pain of the war. The emergence of femme fatale in film noir coincided with the period of women gaining independence by taking over job vacancies from soldiers during the war.

The Big Combo (1955)

Classic film noirs exhibit female characters’ seductive and dangerous characteristics to man. In the plot, they always have the ability of manipulating men and dominating crime through the power of their sexual seduction. With this ability to be fatal to man, femme fatale takes the dominant position in controlling her relationship with man and is considered as the symbol of independence from men.

The power of female sexuality characterizes the seductive heroine from her very first appearance. By directly revealing woman’s sexual attractiveness and man’s vulnerability derived from his desire responding to that, the sense of danger from femme fatale is established instantly at the first appearance. This interaction and contrast between woman and man could further be deciphered as “the psychological patterns of dominance and submission” . The most impressive first appearance of femme fatale would be the shot of Gilda (Rita Hayworth) whipping her hair back while stretching her upper body in Gilda (1946, Charles Vidor, United States). This medium close-up shot is deliberately framed to the top of Gilda’s dress exposing her naked shoulder (Figure 01). The film quickly cuts to the next shot showing that Farrell (Glenn Ford) could not control himself in stepping forward to get closer to Gilda (Figure 02). As Farrell’s face moving from shadow to the light with this step forward, Farrell’s facial expression and his steady gaze are portrayed more vividly. Gilda’s attractiveness and Farrell’s vulnerability are strengthened by these two shots within seconds in Gilda’s image and appearance.

Figure 01-02 Gilda’s first image and Farrell’s reaction

Femme fatale figures are always shaped as the object to be gazed at from points of view of male characters in narrative patterns of classic film noirs. This feature further facilitates the representation of women’s power of sexual attractiveness from the perspective of the recipient. Through the eyes of male characters, the audience would absorb and respond to femme fatale’s seduction simultaneously. As in the Gilda, Farrell’s voice over is adopted to directly convey his turbulent feeling because of Gilda’s appearance. The portrayals of men’s reactions prove their submissive roles in the relationship with femme fatale, hence femme fatale’s independent figure is further established.

In classic film noir, lighting design is another representative characteristic and an efficient tool to convey the visual information. Lighting design plays an important role from representing femme fatale characters’ sexual allure to illustrating relationships between independent woman and vulnerable man. In The Killers (1946, Robert Siodmak, United States), simply a frame from a lighter shapes Kitty’s (Ava Gardner) body curve, with her attractive shoulder highlighted (Figure 03). In the still from Double Indemnity (1946, Billy Wilder, United States), “a hard-edged, mask-like surface” of Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck) is designed by the direct and undiffused lighting. In comparison, male protagonist Walter (Fred Macmurray) is lit with softer light to seem more vulnerable (Figure 04).

Figure 03-04 Stills from The Killers and Double Indemnity

As a conclusive part of the femme fatale’s fate, the ending sequence of film noir is always a showcase of various film languages leading the story and the portrayal of femme fatale’s characteristics to the climax. The ending sequence of classic film noir usually indicates that femme fatale’s ability of manipulating man and dominating crime is not only fatal to man, but also fatal to herself. Femme fatale ends up being punished for their independence and “seeking freedom from control”. In the ending sequence of The Postman Always Rings Twice(1946, Tay Garnett, United States), instable exterior lights and shadows projecting on the couple’s faces, foreseeing the instable and turbulent end for them (Figure 05). The mirror shot at the end of The Lady from Shanghai(1947, Orson Welles, United States) renders Elsa’s (Rita Hayworth) instable and disordered mental status with her face reflected, dissolved in the image (Figure 06).

Figure 05-06 Stills from The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Lady from Shanghai

Notes
1. Paul Schrader, “Notes on film noir”, Film Comment, Vol. 8, No. 1 (SPRING 1972), pp. 8-13
2. Janet J Reekers, “Representations of Women in Film Noir”, A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University Dominguez Hills
3. Janey Place and Lowell Peterson, “some Visual Motifs of Film Noir”, Film Noir Light and Shadow, pp 15-25
4. Janet J Reekers, “Representations of Women in Film Noir”, A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University Dominguez Hills