the war and the psychological aspects as a result of living in this period. It also showed how American culture, economic constraints, and the Hollywood institution affected its
development. Noir can also represent the middle-class struggle of resistance to corporatization.
During the war, this is reflected in people having to conform to factory regulations and working conditions, unable to work independently. In Double Indemnity this feeling of being
controlled is realized through the protagonist Walter Neff, as he has to deal with the mundane lifestyle of being an insurance salesman with every day being the same.
In examining how film noir became relevant, one needs to look at the period in which it was produced.
Film movements occur in specific historical periods – at times of national stress and focus of energy. They express a consistency of both thematic and formal elements
which makes them particularly expressive of those times, and are uniquely able to express the homogenous hopes Soviet Socialist Realism and Italian Neo-Realism
and fears German Expressionism and film noir brought to the fore by, for example, the upheaval of war.
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This concept of fear is significant as it conveys the primary feeling of the war time. This feeling of fear was manifested through losing one’s identity, instability, and a lack of
security.
2.6 Traditional Gender Roles and the Femme Fetale
Another effect the war had was in the viewership of movies. Noir films primarily targeted men fighting overseas and women in the workforce. This changing demographic in
society subsequently affected the types of characters shown in films. This is especially true for femme fetale characters. Angela Martin states, “The literal translation and meaning of
the French term ‘femme fetale’ is the ‘fatal woman’; dictionary definitions of ‘fatal’ include: 1 causing or capable of causing death, 2 ruinous, disastrous, 3 decisively important, 4
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Place, Jane, qtd in Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.49.
destined, inevitable. The femme fetale carries all these levels of meaning, hence the easy slippage from deadliness to sexuality as a weapon.”
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As women were more independent and autonomous during the war, this spilled over into the big screen. The femme fetale characters
also embodied these traits. Next, as men faced life-or-death situations in the war, the male protagonists in noir films also lived in violent surroundings and had to defend their lives.
The roles of females in the movie industry as well as the female actors in noir films changed during this time. As many prominent male actors went to fight in the war, it left a
vacuum for established people to fill this vacuum. As women were becoming more popular as movie stars, it gave many of the famous female actors of noir films a chance to show their
acting abilities. The female characters even became more complex like in the movies Mildred Pierce and The Big Sleep.
During the war, then, women were given greater and more prominent roles in noir films and even some titles were named after a female character like Mildred Pierce, Gilda,
and Rebecca to show that they were the main attractions of the movies. Mildred Pierce reveals how women were given increasingly bigger roles on the movie screen. It portrays the
conflict between women’s traditional domestic roles and their newfound roles in the wake of the war. The femme fetale characters were a threat to traditional male masculinity. In line
with this increased presence on the screen, the movies became less masculine. However, after the war was over, the trend became more masculine again as soldiers returned home.
In Mildred Pierce, it shows the effect society had on pulling between traditional and modern gender roles in a war-torn society. Mildred is very ambitious and works as hard as
she can to improve her financial position and support her two daughters after her husband leaves her for another woman Mrs. Maggie Biederhof. Although Mildred would be admired
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Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.206.
and considered courageous in today’s society, at that time and in the film, no one helps her in the upbringing of her children. Mildred’s daughters, Vera and Kay, are vehicles for Mildred
to express her inner longings. But the efforts that Mildred puts forth end up backfiring on her, as Kay dies while Mildred is having a romantic liaison with another man Monty Beragon,
and Veda turns into a spoiled rotten teenager and has no respect for everything her mother has sacrificed for her. The underlying message in the film is that women should not be too
ambitious and look after their families first. The business world is best left to men. The film strives to convey a message that women should not convert their maternal energies into
something business-related. The husband is the breadwinner and the wife only works to supplement her husband’s income.
In the noir moodgenre, usually a femme fetale acts as a challenge to the patriarchal world view. In traditional patriarchal novels and films, females are generally placed in safe or
traditional gender roles and men are their protectors. The femme fetale challenges this role and is characteristically in an unsafe or dangerous position. For noir films, the male
protagonist will succeed in his quest if he can destroy the femme fetale and put the traditional gender roles back in their proper place. If he does not succeed, he will meet his own demise
like in Double Indemnity and the femme fetale will die or be imprisoned. When females do not act in their traditional roles as housewives, then it allows for their sexuality to surface and
threaten traditional gender roles in a patriarchal society. This is found in Mildred Pierce, as Mildred becomes the head of the family when her husband leaves her. It disrupts the balance
of a family head being a male and results in many problems for Mildred until she decides to get back together with her husband and the proper gender balance is restored. Next, in
Double Indemnity, Phyllis Dietrichson causes havoc with the traditional patriarchal family structure by killing the wifemother and replacing her. Then she conspires in the killing of her
husband, Mr. Dietrichson, all the while not being a motherly figure to her step-daughter.
Since Phyllis destroys the family and does not act as a proper woman should, she eventually meets her own demise at the end of the novel and film. Therefore, knowing one’s position is
important; if you dare to go outside of your predetermined place, you will be met with calamity. When looking at the role of the femme fetale in a classic noir work, it can be done
by examining the patriarchal ideology and importance of adhering to it during the WWII crisis. Or one can also examine the attitudes of a patriarchal society and bring to the forefront
criticism about it to give females better standing in society. In its connection with society, film noir can be analyzed in relation with its presence
or absence of a stable family unit. In traditional American values, the harmonious family unit is important, consisting of a husband, wife, and children, with the husband the breadwinner
and the wife the dutiful homemaker. This perception was promoted through various forms of media as a core American value. These traditional roles were disrupted with the onset of
WWII, and the changes were highlighted through noir films. “Like an echo chamber, film noir captures and magnifies the rumbles that preceded one of those earthquakes in human
history that shift the hidden foundations of a society, and which begin the displacement of its characteristic and dominant systems of values and beliefs.”
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This essentially means that noir films show the displacement and changes in American values during the WWII era. The
abnormal or undesirable behaviors and characteristics of various characters in noir literature and screen adaptations are the manifestations of undesirable changes attacking the traditional
core of American family values. Noir films are different from common stories that have a diffusion of tension, plot
resolution, and completion of an individual quest. In noir films there is generally no problem resolution or completion of a goal. The characters typically fail to achieve their desired
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Harvey, Silvia, qtd in Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.35.
objectives, or they reach their goals at great sacrifice. In a sense, there is disequilibrium throughout that is conveyed not only in the plot but also in the visual and sound styles with
disturbing visual schemes, angles, frames, light contrasts, and unsettling sound effects that become the norm of this particular film style. This particular world view is different from
American films in general. As many films contain particular values of a society, when these beliefs are violated or subverted in some way, it is generally easy to recognize. This is
especially true when these values deal with the family institution and violate family values in some ways, which is the case of noir films.
A typical family in a Western industrialized nation values love for one’s father, family members, and country. There are established dominant and submissive roles within the
family that characterize the society at large. Film noir is different in its representation of the family as it “presents family relations as broken, perverted, peripheral, or impossible; and
founds itself upon the absence of the family. In certain ways, the representation of women in this group of films reflects the ‘normal’ status of women within contemporary social
relations. The two most common types of women in film noir are the exciting, childless whores, or the boring, potentially childbearing sweethearts.”
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As a result, common family relations and values are disrupted in noir literature and films. This disruption is visibly
apparent in Mildred Pierce. Mildred prioritizes her career and business over her children. She is also not warm or friendly with her husband or boyfriend and seems detached. In Double
Indemnity, Walter Neff is seen as having a boring and mundane life, which attracts him to the femme fetale Phyllis Dietrichson, who is more of a sexual object of desire for him rather than
someone he considers as a lifelong partner or with whom he can share his innermost thoughts. Oftentimes, femme fetales only provide temporary satisfaction for the male
protagonist. Femme fetales are considered as prized possessions for men only, and ultimately
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Harvey, Silvia, qtd in Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.38.
they cannot own these women as the male protagonists are deceived, used, or thrown to the wayside, ending in mutual destruction for both characters or a life of unhappiness if they do
not change their negative behaviors. However, Walter does not get Phyllis, as he states in the movie, “I didn’t get the woman and I didn’t get the money.” This is a common reoccurrence
in noir films for the male protagonists. They ultimately fail in achieving their goals and live a life of unhappiness and despair or ultimately die before their dreams are realized.
In noir films, the characters often find sexual gratification outside the confines of marriage and are not actively involved in their family lives. In Double Indemnity this is
apparent as Phyllis wants Walter for financial reasons and because of boredom with her husband, while Walter wants Phyllis because she is sexually stimulating. However, as the
HUAC and the censorship bureau did not support the depiction of un-American ideals such as adultery, the characters ultimately succumbed to their sins and died. The censorship bureau
wanted to emphasize that all couples should be monogamous and not engage in illicit affairs. If spouses are not faithful to each other, it will result in their mutual destruction. Therefore,
the absence of normal family relations in noir films serves as a reminder of how people should conduct themselves and adhere to the proper social values.
In traditional family values, it was desirable for Americans to get married and have a harmonious life through having children and owning a house. In noir films these values are
often subverted or the characters that do have families live together unhappily. This is due to the fact that there was some discord and confusion about where America was going in the
future. Americans had to re-consider whether the established American ideals during the foundation of the nation still applied or not. This identity crisis can be seen in the noir
characters’ personalities as well. In Mildred Pierce, Bert loses his job in the real estate agency he created with Wally, showing society’s uneasiness about their futures after the war
is over. During the war many jobs were created to support the war effort. After the war, these jobs were no longer necessary, making people worrisome about what the future held for
them. Mildred Pierce reflects the identity crisis she faces as she reveals early on that she seems to be in a rut with her domestic role and aspires to achieve more but does not have the
necessary skills to do so. She supports this belief at the beginning of the film by saying, “I was always in the kitchen. I felt as though I had been born in a kitchen and lived there all my
life, except for the few hours it took to get married. I married Bert when I was 17. I never knew any other kind of life, just cooking, cleaning, and washing.” So, Mildred sells pies to
try to connect the domestic world with the business world. Therefore, this movie depicts the changing gender roles during WWII and the difficulties people had in knowing their roles in
a changing society. Film noir is important in terms of gender roles because it shows women can be more
than just housewives and obedient to their husbands. Although these films are not necessarily progressive in their depictions of women, they do at least show that women can use their
sexual wiles to achieve money, power, or favors. Furthermore, women play active roles, whereas in previous films they were not lead characters and only played passive roles. This is
related with the changing roles of women in society during the war. The film industry was significant in conveying the proper ideologies of the noir
period as women were thrust into the workforce during WWII. “Mythology is remarkably responsive to changing needs in the society; in roles for example – when it was necessary for
women to work in factories during World War II and then necessary to channel them back into the home after the war.”
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Related to noir films in the 1940s, the femme fetales and criminals would always be destroyed if they did not reform, thus supporting the myth of the
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Place, Jane, qtd in Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.47.
time about proper social conduct. In discussing the character Phyllis Dietrichson, played by Barbara Stanwyck, she said, “It is not their inevitable demise we remember but rather their
strong, dangerous, and above all, exciting sexuality.”
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This is a valid observation because even though Phyllis Dietrichson dies, she is more remembered for the femme fetale persona
rather than her ultimate death. Although the femme fetale is commonly associated with noir films and literature as a
reflection of societal concerns about changing gender roles, these entertainment formats also portrayed women in a different light based on their actual functions in society.
Noir does offer its share of amoral seductresses and conniving criminals, but it also give us wives, mothers, and nurses; businesswomen and writers; secretaries, singers,
sleuths, and social workers; psychologists, physicians, prison guards, wardens – and even professors. In fact, most women in film noir work, and their forms of labor
closely reflect the actual postwar US female workforce.
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The femme fetales are characterized as having traits that are contrary to those expected of women in the 1940s who maintain their traditional values. As America was a
society in transition, these femme fetales personify the changes that were happening during this turbulent time. Femme fetales displayed their sensuality by smoking cigarettes with trails
of smoke emanating from their cigarettes. They also could be found in dark, seedy, and undesirable locations for women who do not hold on to their traditional values. Femme
fetales also wear less clothing than traditional “good” girls. This perception can be seen when Velma in Murder, My Sweet first appears in the movie. She is proud to show off her long,
sensuous, and sexy legs, which threatens traditional American values about how a proper lady should conduct herself in public. The focus on sexy clothing is further found in the
character Cora played by Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice. Here the camera intentionally focuses on her bare legs, then moves to her whole body, back to the
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Place, Jane, qtd in Kaplan, Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: British Film Institute, 2008, p.48.
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Osteen, Mark. Nightmare Alley: Film Noir and the American Dream. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2012, p.185.
male protagonist, and then to Cora’s face to show that she can seduce him. Phyllis Dietrichson’s legs in Double Indemnity are also a point of observation for the male
protagonist Walter Neff as he pays close attention to her legs when he first sees her at the top of the stairs of her house as she slowly walks down them to greet him. He even makes a
comment about the gold anklet that has her name engraved on it. Phyllis is first shown just wrapped in a towel, which is not acceptable attire to meet a stranger. The camera angles,
lighting, and movement are further manipulated to emphasize the sensual nature of these women. In comparing these femme fetales with the socially preferred “good” girls, the
“good” girls generally do not have the camera shots focus on specific parts of their bodies or follow their movements. The camera does not move, reflecting that these women are just
plain or uninteresting characters. Femme fetales are also obsessed with their beauty and enjoy admiring themselves in mirrors while ignoring or teasing other men. The traditional “good”
girl is not narcissistic and tends to dote on the men in her life father, brother, husband, and boyfriend. These movies convey the impression that women who flaunt their sexuality are
dangerous to men and themselves, as well as if women in the real world imitate this kind of behavior then it will lead to erosion of these traditional values.
Mildred Pierce is an interesting reflection of society in that it depicts a failing patriarchal societal order, which is due in large part to women’s significant increase in the
labor market. The film conveys a conflict of past and present ideals as well as confusion for what the future will hold for family values. Even Mildred’s daughter, Veda, is an extreme
example of what can happen when they abandon the traditional patriarchal values that society has set for them to adhere to. Veda is a rotten, deceitful, self-centered, greedy, promiscuous,
and emotional girl, who gets worse with age. Veda becomes increasingly money-oriented as all her humanity is drained from her. She can be considered as a negative reflection of her
mother’s strong desire to improve her social standing. Veda commits many inhumane acts
throughout the movie like being insensitive to her mother’s struggles. Veda is never seen helping her mother develop her business or assisting with making pies or helping out around
the house. Veda also often ridicules and snickers at her mother for how she earns a living. Veda blackmails her rich boyfriend, claiming to be pregnant to get his parents to come to a
10,000 financial settlement, and then laughs about it later. Veda has an affair with Beragon, even though he is married to her mother at the time. Veda murders Beragon and goes to jail
with no remorse, but later blames her mom by saying, “It’s your fault the way I am.” The worst parts of Mildred’s social and financial ambitions seem to be manifested in Veda, who
becomes more horrendous as time passes. The movie conveys that this will be the state of modern women if they do not return to their motherly roles post-WWII. At the end of the
film, Mildred goes back to Bert again. The last scene depicts Mildred and Bert walking out of the police station together under an arch-shaped doorway that is made to look heavenly, and
they pass two women cleaning the floor on their knees. Perhaps this can depict a sort of reminder for women that they are condemned to be in a traditional household role and should
not try to penetrate a male-dominated business world. The film seems to show females in a disadvantageous position no matter what decisions they make. The film tries to convey that
when women neglect their traditional female roles as being nurturing and maternal for professional careers, it causes havoc in their personal and home lives.
The misogyny and fear of women pictured in many noir films is an extension of the problem of women not being faithful to their spouses or boyfriends fighting in the war as well
as women who enjoyed a sense of independence by earning their own paychecks during the war and not wanting to return to the domestic sphere just to be homemakers again.
Therefore, the femme fetale plays an essential role in affecting the morality and psychology of the male protagonist.
Characters who had been righteous, stable, and paragons of responsibility all their adult lives were seamlessly and quite believably transformed in a few seconds into
reckless, dangerous, and even murderous types, all suggesting that anyone, in the right or wrong circumstances, was capable of almost anything and that one’s own sincere
avowals of one’s own basic principles could be ludicrously self-deceived.
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2.7 Film and Storyline Variations in Depicting Societal Problems
