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November 1999, Week 3

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Mon, 15 Nov 1999 11:11:19 -0000
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In response to Louis Rayner's question concerning the differences between
90's femme fatales and those of the early noir period. let me suggest the
following differences:

1. Early femme fatales were concerned with traditional greed. Bridget
O'Shaunessy of the MALTESE FALCON (1941) and the Lana Turner character in
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) are examples. The Sharon Stone
character in BASIC INSTINCT is more concerned with mind games than with
money.

2. Later femme fatales are better educated and wealthier than their
predeccesors.

In short, femme fatales, like most Americans, have enjoyed the benefits
of the post-WWII prosperity.

But the most striking thing about the two groups is that they rely on
seduction to serve desctructive (to say nothing of illegal and/or
immoral) ends. Whatever their time period, they are femme fatales and as
such have to have certain basic characteristics.

Peter Latham

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