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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