This article will delve into what film noir is and its common tropes. We’ll offer pointers on how to write a film noir that both honours the traditions of the genre and puts a contemporary spin on the genre.
Wikipedia defines film noir as…
“a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations”
It quite literally translates to ‘dark film’ in French. There is often a debate as to whether film noir is a film type or genre.
However, what we do know for sure is that there was a period in American cinema in which there was a series of films which typically adopted a dark, chiaroscuro lighting appearance, a narrative which centres on crime, and a moral lesson.
Film noir dominated the screen in the 1940s-1950s. This was the ‘classical period’ of American film noir.
Despite film noir developing during the classical Hollywood period, there have since been several attempts at reviving the genre.
In the 1980s there was the reintroduction of these stories through the ‘neo-noir’ genre. These films (often adaptations i.e. The Postman Always Rings Twice) had similar traits.
They showed graphic depictions of sex and violence and had similar storylines BUT didn’t carry the same emphasis on ideology.
Additionally, since ‘neo-noir’, it is possible to spot elements of film noir, and in particular, the figure of the femme fatale in current films. Gone Girl and The Favourite particularly stand out – We will discuss this in detail later on in the article.
The temptress and seductress.
As mentioned, when you write a film noir, one of the main individuals, if not the most important figure, is the femme fatale.
According to Wikipedia…
“A femme fatale… is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps”.
The femme fatale plays a vital role in impacting the protagonist‘s arc and actions as well as impacting the narrative chain of events.
From her first introduction her danger must be hinted at. This is often where camerawork becomes extremely important and effective.
As discussed, the role and function of the femme fatale is often to seduce and manipulate the protagonist into helping her achieve her goal. This goal typically defies social convention i.e. work, escape marriage etc.
Whilst these characteristics feel outdated and of their time, their narrative function is the lesson to take away. How can these stereotypical characteristics be subverted but still serve a similar narrative function? This is a key question in writing a contemporary film noir.
The introduction to the femme fatale is essential in hinting at the protagonist‘s weaknesses and flaws. Through her manipulation of the protagonist she will bring out their weaknesses. And this will ultimately have fatal consequences.
David Fincher’s 2014 adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, is arguably a film noir and most significantly, includes a highly complex femme fatale figure.
The film is structured around dual protagonists, Amy and Nick. The first half of the narrative centres on Nick and is from his point of view, whereas the second half is from Amy’s.
To Summarise…
Nick arrives at his house to find his wife, Amy, missing and the house appears to be ‘broken in’.
The missing persons case soon becomes a murder investigation in which he becomes the main suspect (it is revealed he was having an affair, wanted a divorce and didn’t want Amy’s baby).
In the second half of the film it is revealed that Amy plotted her murder, framing Nick because of his unfaithfulness.
She alters her identity and watches Nick’s life slowly fall apart from afar. When she’s ready to return to the spotlight, she cold-bloodily murders her ex-boyfriend and manipulates and threatens Nick into staying with her by saying she is pregnant.
Likewise, there are hints at film noir in 2018’s The Favourite through Emma Stone’s character, Abigail.
To Summarise…
The film centres on Queen Anne and her two love interests, Sarah and Abigail.
From the offset, we learn Anne and Sarah have a sexual relationship, but also that Sarah advises (tells) Anne how to run the country. This is soon disturbed by the arrival of Abigail, Sarah’s cousin, who has fallen on hard times.
Abigail, witnessing their relationship, decides to manipulate and use Anne as a means of gaining her status and wealth back. She soon wins over the Queen’s affections by becoming her lover, replacing Abigail.
With Anne’s favour, Abigail’s status is restored when she marries Colonel Masham, making her a Baroness again. From here, she uses her status to socialise and have affairs, neglecting Anne. Her evil nature is conveyed when she hurts one of Anne’s rabbits.
The film ends with Anne forcing Abigail to care for her.
To Summarise…
The Gus Van Sant film To Die For centres on Suzanne Stone, a wannabe broadcast journalist who obsesses over fame and celebrity.
At the beginning of the film she marries Larry, who is part of a family restaurant business. She gets a job, having attempted to seduce the boss, at a local cable station as a secretary. She soon manipulates her way into becoming a weather reporter.
However, once Larry tells her to give up her career, she begins to plot how to get rid of him. Having visited a local school to get students to help with her documentary, she seduces and manipulates three pupils to help her with her murder.
She begins sleeping with James, using her sexuality to manipulate him into killing Larry on the basis that they will become a couple. However, as soon as the murder is complete she cuts ties and denies any relationship with the three to the police.
The three teenagers are arrested. Lydia wears a wire and gets Suzanne to confess. However, she is later released on bail.
Released, Suzanne loves the fame and tells fake stories about Larry to gain attention (drug addict etc). The two teenage boys are sentenced to life in prison.
The film ends with Larry’s father using the mafia to murder Suzanne and leave her underneath a frozen lake.
To Summarise…
Under the Skin centres on a woman (unnamed, but played by Scarlett Johansson) who goes around ‘collecting’ men. She lures them by seducing them with her female physique, and then disposes of them into a ‘void’.
She does this throughout the film. However, the film ends with her being attacked in a shelter by a logger. She runs into the woods, but he eventually rips her skin off her body, revealing her true alien form.
To Summarise…
The Beguiled centres on Martha Farnsworth, the Headteacher of a girls school, and her five pupils and one teacher during the American Civil War. When they find a wandering solider on their land, the women decide to care for him.
As the film progresses, he becomes a large presence at the school, gaining the attention of the girls and the teacher, Edwina. They all attempt to out do one another for his affections.
Already having relations with Edwina, one night she walks in on him with a student and in a rage, pushes him down the stairs and breaks his leg. When he wakes the next day, he has had the leg amputated by the women.
In a rage, he gets a hold of a gun and threatens the women. Later that evening, the women poison his food and he soon dies.
The last shot of the film is of the women dragging his body to the road.
However…
The narrative is female-driven and the film does not condone the behaviour of the women- there is no restoration of morality. Therefore, despite it being a period film, it adopts more contemporary values.
The above films are examples of modern films which have hints of noir through their employment of classical film noir tropes i.e. a femme fatale, use of location, plot, cinematography and lighting etc.
They are contemporary. They may not be classified as film noir’s but they most definitely fit in with the type and reflect an attempt at reviving the genre and Femme Fatale figure into modern film culture.
As the examples show, the character of the femme fatale now goes beyond the film noir genre. She appears in:
It’s a genre with a long and continuing legacy. And writing one requires an all important mix of following well established rules and bleeding in contemporary subjects, contexts and values.
When you write a film noir, use the traditions as guidelines to subvert and freshen up the genre and continue to push it forward.
This article was written by Milly Perrin and edited by IS Staff
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“reinforcing the patriarchy via the death of the femme fatale who is the antagonist” What
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the femme fatale is more often a tragic character. Usually the rich client and the world of power they represent is the true antagonist (though they’re usually let go because their “punishment” of losing someone important due to their own greed has already happened to serve as the basis and eventual reveal of the plot – and also to reinforce that the world’s corruptness, the reason for the hero’s cynicism, can not be truly defeated.) The femme fatale and their self-destructiveness is presented as a victim of the same
“Under The Skin” isn’t even a noir, what the heck? It is however, an excellent satire/sci-fi/(feminist film?) that I often recommend to people. Same goes for Ex Machina. But you can’t shove it into the noir genre just because it has a woman killer or a woman who’s exploited. Those themes are more universal than the unreliable vamp and what they represent.
Admittedly I’ve not seen every movie on your list, I’m basing it on Raymond Chandler novels (who we should consider being the “creator” of the noir genre) and other authors after him. So this could be a fair criticism of post WWII cinema, but I think it’s wrong to equate that with the noir genre as a whole. Reply
I’d consider Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet’ to be a modern noir, and despite the violence and depravity therein, it has a nice, hopeful ending. Reply
The quality of the articles in Industrial Scripts is really good and I enjoy reading them. They’re witty, direct to the point and elucidative. This one helps me a lot. I realized there’s a small, though not harmless error here: The Postman Always Rings Twice was directed by Tay Garnett, not by Billy Wilder. Congratulations and keep up the high quality work. Reply
Aubrey YoungEnjoy the article and the insights given. Currently doing the final editing on a science fiction novella with noir aspects. Be well, AJY Reply
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