Femme fetale and film noir


Film noir was developed around the time of World War 2, and traditionally in most film noir films we see femme fetales. A femme fetale is French for “killer or deadly woman”. It was derived from anti-heroine vampires of early cinema. She is typically alluring and seductive who ensnares her lovers into a bond of irresistible desire. Traditionally very subversive a femme fatale tries to achieve her hidden purpose by using beauty, charm, and sexual allure. Femme fetales are typically villainous; they use their charms and sexual awareness to achieve what they want. Femme Fetales are found often in Film Noir and around the time they were not seen as traditional women. At the time of the film noir periods women had not particularly established individuality and women could not be publicly seductive in the way that we have established today. Typically Femme Fetales are sexy, dangerous and clever. They are confident and make men lust after them; this creates an element of control. The term is associated with powerful women. An example of a femme fetale in a film is Rita Hayworth in “the lady from shanghai” a 1948 film noir film. According to the film Mildred Pierce it can be defined as the kind of woman that a man wants, but shouldn’t have. The Velvet Underground song "Femme Fatale" tells of a woman who will "play" a man "for a fool”. An example of a modern day femme fetale is the beautiful Dita von Tease. She is known for being a famous burlesque dancer and a model. She has a typical femme fetale look and a retro dress sense. She frequently mirrors the work of a similar model of an earlier time Bettie Page.