These two archetypes juxtapose the new, independent, woman with one who fills the traditional, submissive role, showing the threat men felt from the possibility of changing gender roles following women’s increased independence, gained through the workforce in World War II, as well as men’s determination to maintain a patriarchal power system in the United States.
To contrast the femme fatale, many of these films presented another female character that acted as her idealistic “double” – a pure, virtuous woman with good intentions.
However, the narratives would not allow for the femme fatale’s actions to go unpunished, and ultimately she was usually destroyed in some manner as well. The story lines often revolved around a male protagonist who is lured to his downfall by a beautiful yet dangerous, two-timing woman – a “femme fatale.” These women use their sexuality to control and manipulate the man into doing what she wants, generally some immoral act that will benefit her while implicating him. During World War II and the years immediately following it, a new style of filmmaking emerged in Hollywood which, according to film historian Tim Dirks, took “advantage of the post-war ambience of anxiety, pessimism, and suspicion.” This style became known as film noir and was characterized by certain aesthetics, such as low-key lighting and unbalanced compositions, as well as common thematics, with films focusing on the darker side of humanity.
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