Deconstruction of Female Actors

 

Film Noir Female Characters

Lead Female actor:The main lead woman is known as the 'femme fatale'.The femme fatale's role is to block the male lead in his pursuit of solving a crime/problem. They are promiscuous women who are seductresses for the male characters, they are glamourised as the sultry, dramatic double-dealing women who are the cause of an issue- either through a betrayal or double-crossing. When working against the femme fatale she is normally stopped, or destroys the main lead man, resulting in a not so happy ending.  

The 'Good Girl': To contrast with the 'femme fatale' the view of the traditional family woman is introduced. A 'normal' reinforces the innocence of the 'Good girl' and highlights the allure of the femme fatale which draw the audience towards her. She is often depicted out of place and a damsel in distress and the victim of circumstance.

Veronica Lake

  In 'Blue Dahlia' Lake's appeared as Joyce the estranged wife of Eddie Haywood, she plays the femme fatale who ends up helping the protagonist in his pursuit to fix an issue and leaves with him at the end, and it's suggested that their characters have a romantic relationship.