Women In Film Noir

The New Villain in Film – Film Noir’s Femme Fatale The purpose of women in film has evolved throughout the years, from a necessary victim to the unsuspecting hero or villain. In the beginning of film women were portrayed as a victim so that their male counterparts could be heroically elevated, most to a level of stardom. A woman playing the weaker, more frail character in movies was not viewed as a demeaning position, but with the evolution of film noir, women playing the aggressor were sometimes viewed as derogatory and evil. E. Ann Kaplan (1996) writes, “The attitudes towards women evidenced in film noir – i.e., fear of loss of stability, identity and security – are reflective of the dominant feelings of the time” (pg. 50). The transition

When we fist meet Lily she is an unsuspecting evil in the movie, as she appears weak and abandoned. For instance, Lily portrays a damsel in distress when Mike walks into her hotel room where she feigns hiding in fear of her life. Kaplan (1996) writes, “The insistence of combining the two (aggressiveness and sensuality) in a consequently dangerous woman is the central obsession of film noir, and the visual movement which indicates unacceptable activity in film noir woman represents the man’s own sexuality, which must be represses and controlled if it is not to destroy him” (pg. 57). Lily is both aggressive and seductive throughout her interactions with Mike. Lily intentionally fools Mike into believing she is in danger only to gain the information she needs to find the “whatsit” first. . Spicer (2002) writes, “The main type of male victim is the dupe of the femme fatale” (pg. 84). Spicer eloquently characterizes Lily with his descriptive summary of film noir’s femme fatale. Spicer (2002) writes, “The figure of the deadly female – femme fatale/spider woman/vamp – emerged as a central figure in the nineteenth century and became one of the most persistent incarnations of modern femininity” (pg. 90). Lily is powerful, yet mild mannered, self-sufficient, and very manipulative. Lily is full of confidence and exhibits no true frailty. In film noir the strong woman is often the villain disguised in a beautiful, needy woman who, in reality emerges as a harsh, conniving, and destructive