feminism in film noir

Question 1

what did WWII do for feminism?

Answer 1

• during ww2 women in the UK and USA were once again required to step into the shoes male soldiers left behind
• ‘male only roles’ opened up for women including: female pilots, engineers, army doctors, machinist and farmers
• the end of the war came a backlash against these new roles for women, with many of these jobs being reclaimed by men and women ushered back into the kitchen

Question 2

what was the 1950s patriarchal society?

Answer 2

• post WW2 women’s official role became angel of the home
• across US and UK advertising media, women were portrayed as dutiful house wives and mothers with no aspirations for work, power or equality - their only role was to stay at home
• patriarchal society - ruled by males. no equality. women belonged in the home - limited, submissive roles as wife/mother

Question 3

the rise of feminism - 1960s

Answer 3

• post war baby bloom generation and the rise of hippy culture and free love saw the roots of feminism rise up
• women were dissatisfied with the lack of equality, sexism and un equal opportunities in work and education
• like other civil rights movements across western society, young women started to rebel against the patriarchal system and demand equal rights
• 1979 margeret thatcher appointed first female prime minister

Question 4

post-feminism: 1990s onwards

Answer 4

• late 1980s to 1990s some critics perceived that the goals of the feminist movement were fully realised and western society was now gender equal
• the post feminist era, reflected more modern and acceptable gender representations, playing with masculinity and femineity as gender identifications
• the rise of the female action hero in both video games, tv and films is a good archetype for post feminist representations e.g. lara croft (problematic representation)

Question 5

gender representation: the femme fatal

Answer 5

• the femme fatal plays a lead role in the narrative, often driving the narrative forward
• in control of both the narrative and the deadbeat man (protagonist)
• she is smarter, deadlier and sexier than anyone else (including the men) and for the pre-feminist era she was a rule breaker
• femme fatal is an example of a strong, active woman fighting against the patriarchy. though she uses her feminine charms and sexuality to trick men, she is actively in control, not them

Question 6

the femme fatal and the hays code

Answer 6

• the femme fatal were wild and getting away with it
• due to the hays code moral guidelines her behaviour couldn’t go unpunished, which is why at the end of the films’ resolution the femme fatal has to be punished - usually through death or imprisonment

Question 7

the dupe and the femme fatal

Answer 7

• the typical relationship in film noir is not a happy one and the underlying theme of many noirs is that of doomed love in a corrupt world.
• protagonist is often a deadbeat male who has to choose between two women - the ‘good’ dutiful woman that loves him and the beautiful but vampish femme
• while we know (as does the protagonist in many cases) that the femme fatale is only using him to get what she wants - usually money - the cycle of desire and obsession makes the male a willing dupe

Question 8

post feminist femme fatal

Answer 8

• from the 1960s onwards with the rise of feminism and the official end of the hays code in hollywood in 1968, the femme fatal’s fatal flaw started to disappear
• as censorship relaxed, women’s roles in films started to be more progressive and assertive
• a new, ruthless and celebratory femme fatal emerged and this time she didn’t have to be punished e/g/ bridget gregory in ‘the last seduction’ and amy in ‘gone girl’ = these women are matriarchs in control of their bodies, lives, lovers and their futures