Femme fatale Essays

as the femme fatale which literally translates to, fatal woman. The particular focus of the femme fatale and its characteristics is Ilsa Lund, female star of Casablanca, who exhibits the major and auxiliary qualities of the femme fatale character as well as her hidden intentions. The importance

times) and Salome (Biblical figure). Merriam-Webster defines females classified by the term as “seductive [women] who [lure] men into dangerous or compromising situations”. A more elaborate description by Mary McMahon illustrates that “A classic femme fatale hides her true nature with seductive attitudes, ensnaring her prey so thoroughly that by the time he realizes what has happened, it is too late. A vixen with sinister

Ways Of Becoming A Fun, Fearless Femme Fatale – Let The Games Begin! Want to be femme fatale, which literally means “fatal woman” in French? What are you waiting for then? Dig in for some sure fire tips! Introduction You know exactly what femme fatale means in French, and you might also know some women who have gained the ‘femme fatale’ title – like the Poison Ivy, Cat Woman and who can forget, Jessica Rabbit?! According to the movie Mildred Pierce, a femme fatale can be described as, “the kind of

1. My definition of a “good” feminist is someone who pursues equality between genders and in society. I believe the femme fatale character does celebrate a women’s agency by placing women into less traditional roles. Before this type of character became popular, women in movies where portrayed as being weak and not important. The femme fatale character gave women the opportunity to prove that they can be more than a “damsel in distress” who needs to be saved by the male hero. The introduction of

Her name is Margo Macomber, who is characterized by all the adjectives Ernest uses to describe the admirable kind of women 'femme fatale ', even murderous. She is practically in control of her husband 's life, that she leaves a trademark in this novel. Margo Macomber is devious, brave, strong, appealing, beautiful (even compared to Africa), opportunistic, unfaithful, deceitful,

Independent Study “No Place For Women: Femme Fatale in Noir” IB FILM HIGHER LEVEL SESSION MAY YEAR Elita, Gendler WESTERN ACADEMY OF BEIJING Mrs. EJ Callahan, Instructor Documentary Rational: pg. 2 Documentary Script: pg. 3 - ? Sources: pg. ? Documentary RATIONALE: I made this documentary to investigate how a femme fatale is characterized within classical film noir. A femme fatale is a woman who is dangerous and mysterious, thus shaping the narrative of many film

The Femme Fatale has been in society, whether from imagination or from women who were seen as taboo or different from the norm. Where did this title come from, and has it always been around? I will be examining what the femme fatale is, and why the title has stayed with us throughout the years. I will also be analyzing as to why the femme fatale’s brother, the homme fatale has not been as widely known as the former. The idea of the femme fatale is everywhere within our media. Whether it be through

The Courtesans of the Noir Era In film noir and hardboiled literature, the femme fatales are one of the major archetypes of the genre. According to Ron Hanson, “If the women is the victim, it’s not really film noir.” This kind of woman manipulates men by any means necessary to gain power, a sense of independence, or just plain greed. Either way, this style does not display any sort of damsel in distress motif that previous audiences were used to. There is a digression from a loving and doting housewife

defines the femme fatale characters as “an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who will ultimately bring disaster to a man who becomes involved with her.” Meanwhile, a fairy’s definition is “a small imaginary being of human form that has magical powers, especially a female one.” In John Keats’ poem “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” both stereotypes are featured in one woman. Moreover, the woman that the speaker meets looks like a fairy, and by the end has turned into a murderous femme fatale. Keats’

Those that believe Casablanca is not film noir usually perceive Film Noir as a genre. Noir is not a genre; Noir transcends genres and behaves more accurately as a style of cinema. As styles go, there can be variations of them as we see now with Post-Noir and Neo Noir, noir elements in a different time period of film technology which makes these films slightly different than the style of classic film noir. Themes of cynicism, impending doom, loss, jeopardy of life accompanied by visuals dominated

is caught up in a love triangle between her husband and his employer. The film focuses on the weakness of males, which is money and women. The appearance of the Femme fatale is very important because with her beauty she is able to seduce her way into a man’s life. As mentioned by Winfried Fluck, "The power (and hold) of the femme fatale over the main character derives from the fact that she is an imaginary construct, so that an important part of the suspense derives from the question whether and

rampant crime and corruption, with the characters and protagonist being morally ambiguous. Where the sidewalk ends was created in this style with its stylistic choices and its focus on settings with police corruption, an anti-hero protagonist, and a femme fatale. The film Where the Sidewalk Ends directed by Otto Preminger is a film noir that was praised for its even grittier take on this style of filmmaking. In this film the protagonist (Detective Dixon) kills Ken Paine in self defense while interrogating

A femme fatale is a woman who lures in many partners, followed by abandoning them and causing despair or distress to those who are involved with her. Daisy and Gatsby begin a relationship before the war. After the war, Gatsby finds that Daisy has married another man, but Daisy leads him on to think that they can get back together. However, Daisy does not follow through with this and pulls away from Gatsby, and Gatsby is murdered shortly after. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy Buchanan

Sunset Boulevard is a classic black comedy/drama, the most acclaimed, but darkest film noir story about Hollywood and what happens behind the scenes written by Billy Wilder. It shows the true deceitfulness, emptiness, the price of fame, greed, narcissism, and ambition it really takes to be an actor or actress during the 1950’s in Hollywood. Norma Desmond was one of the main characters and she showed viewers how easily they can perceive their characters on screen for their real life and get them twisted

acting. But nothing can escape Spade's hawk-eyes, and he sarcastically compliments her on her skillful acting abilities. Miss Wonderly a.k.a. Miss Leblanc a.k.a. Brigid O'Shaughnessy is the classic femme fatale. What's a femme fatale, you ask? Good question. A French term meaning "deadly woman," a femme fatale is a seductive, mysterious woman who uses her femininity to lure men to do her bidding, leading them into compromising, often deadly situations. Which makes her such a great example of pathos like

Phyllis, the femme fatale, was the literal downfall of Walter Neff caused by his emotions towards her. As critics have remarked, Phyllis was the perfect femme fatale because she was like a robot; emotionless and targeted towards her goal. She did not care who she had to use to gain what she wanted, and in this case, it was money. To contrast

In 1944, Billy Wilder directed an award winning film noir Double Indemnity. Film noir was a popular genre of film during the 1940’s. Film noirs were crime dramas placing an emphasis on sexual motivations. In addition, film noirs were recognized by movie critics for the dark lighting and themes expressed throughout the films. In Double Indemnity, Walter Neff, an insurance salesman, perfectly fits the role of the anti-hero seen in many film noirs. In Double Indemnity, Walter Neff expresses the theory

Lady Macbeth: Confessions of a Femme Fatale “Hie thee hither, / That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, /And chastise with the valor of my tongue. / All that impedes thee from the golden round” (1.5.26-29). Within these few lines of dialogue, one can almost vividly see Lady Macbeth clutching the letter sent from Macbeth, her husband, with wheels beginning to turn in her head as ambition begins to fuel her. At the mention of ‘golden round’, it’s a clear indication that her fixation falls on her

As expected of the femme fatale character, Evelyn uses her feminine advantage to lure Jake onto her side. The two become close, both emotionally and physically, but an overwhelming atmosphere of secrecy remains between them. Evelyn refuses to allow Jake past her outermost defensive layers because she knows that at the heart of the matter lies an unimaginable reality. The film offers a subtle glimpse into her psyche during a conversation concerning the relationship between her husband and her father

portray women as an object to be wary of as their independence and free will is a form of danger to society. The femme fatale used in the film noir genre is a sexist term that was developed with the integration of women in the workplace and their growing ambition. These women are viewed as selfish, sensual, and dangerous as they fail to conform to gender roles. Moreover, femme fatales and independent women can be perceived as body snatchers through the expansion of independent feminist ideologies