Sexual Ambiguity
Sexual Ambiguity
Is one of the attractions of film noir the extant that sexual ambiguity is emphasized ? Its politics that is often very anti - estblishment is that the hook, or is it the hot ( double dealing ) dames ?
The sexual ambiguity that a femme fatale creates is clearly one of the many attractions of film noir, but I think that the anti-establishment theme is the real hook. Two reasons: (1) even though when most of us think film noir, the femme fatale immediately leaps to mind, there are plenty of films noir that don't have a femme fatale; and (2) every film noir is anti-establishment (Duck! Here come all the examples of how #2 is wrong.).
By "anti-establishment" I mean "disruptive of the status quo, challenging commonly shared perceptions," not limiting it to any political idealogy, right vs. left-wing, conservative vs. liberal. Although by most accounts, the roots of film noir are in the Left, one of its beauties is that it burrows deeper than any then- or now-current political state of mind, and a femme fatale is one way of doing it. The strong, aggressive, predatory female is both to be admired for her nerve and savvy, and feared for the same reasons, creating a challenge to the patriarchal Establishment (at least from a male point of view, which is the only one I'm privy to. Obvious follow-up question: If our society ceases to be patriarchal, will an attraction to a femme fatale continue?).
But even without the femme fatale, film noir with its general tones of fatalism and doom, often augmented with emphases on light and shadow, disorienting camera angles, literally and figuratively presents a view of life that a Society often wants to suppress. We generally want equilibrium in our lives; film noir gives us disequilibrium. I've quit trying to figure out the politics of PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET and KISS ME DEADLY -- they're just a fist to the face of any Establishment.
By "anti-establishment" I mean "disruptive of the status quo, challenging commonly shared perceptions," not limiting it to any political idealogy, right vs. left-wing, conservative vs. liberal. Although by most accounts, the roots of film noir are in the Left, one of its beauties is that it burrows deeper than any then- or now-current political state of mind, and a femme fatale is one way of doing it. The strong, aggressive, predatory female is both to be admired for her nerve and savvy, and feared for the same reasons, creating a challenge to the patriarchal Establishment (at least from a male point of view, which is the only one I'm privy to. Obvious follow-up question: If our society ceases to be patriarchal, will an attraction to a femme fatale continue?).
But even without the femme fatale, film noir with its general tones of fatalism and doom, often augmented with emphases on light and shadow, disorienting camera angles, literally and figuratively presents a view of life that a Society often wants to suppress. We generally want equilibrium in our lives; film noir gives us disequilibrium. I've quit trying to figure out the politics of PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET and KISS ME DEADLY -- they're just a fist to the face of any Establishment.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
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jdb1
Ken, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'sexual ambiguity.' Do you mean gay overtones? Or maybe gender role ambiguity (i.e., strong, aggressive women in a mans' world)? If the latter, perhaps such ambiguity was a lot more apparent in the past, when women were only just beginning to step out of their former stereotypical roles.
Would that mean that the noir genre has a different slant today?
Would that mean that the noir genre has a different slant today?
[quote="jdb1"]Ken, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'sexual ambiguity.' Do you mean gay overtones? Or maybe gender role ambiguity (i.e., strong, aggressive women in a mans' world)? If the latter, perhaps such ambiguity was a lot more apparent in the past, when women were only just beginning to step out of their former stereotypical roles.
Would that mean that the noir genre has a different slant today?[/quote
Many characters in noir can ( IMHO ) be read as gay, but I meant the many aggressive women & the gay element.
Would that mean that the noir genre has a different slant today?[/quote
Many characters in noir can ( IMHO ) be read as gay, but I meant the many aggressive women & the gay element.