Favorite Femme Fatale

[Jack Scorpion]

An iconic movie archtype of the classic era. Back when B movies loved to subvert the social status quo of temporary society by demasculating men and giving women sometimes godlike power.

Of course, early Hollywood was known for the strong women roles. Myrna Loy in the Thin Man series. Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar. Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. But the femme fatale was more than that. She had the power to destroy or save a man. And usually it was the Destroy. The role was used so often in movies that I'm sure we can all list hundreds of good ones from the golden era and the movies influenced by it.

My favorites are:
--Of course, Jane Greer in Out of the Past. So definitive.
--Valentina Cortese in Thieves' Highway. The alltime sexiest, I think.
--Peggy Cummins in Gun Crazy.

 

[jazzzbaby]

Louise Brooks immediately comes to mind ~ Lulu in "Pandora's Box"

 

[Feraud]

Barbara Stanwyck- Double Indemnity
Jane Greer- Out of the Past.

Both women knew what they wanted and used the men to get it. If you were not with them you were against them. They let you know at the point of a gun.

Honorable mention goes to Marie Windsor in The Narrow Margin.

 

[Trampilot]

I'm torn between...

Cyd Charisse (Singin' In The Rain - but she's still a femme fatale!)

and

Lizabeth Scott (Dead Reckoning etc..)

 

[Mike1939]

I cast my vote for Jane Greer along with those of you that previously mentioned her. The first time I saw Out of the Past I fell for her hook, line and sinker, she really had me going. Another favorite of mine is Yvonne DeCarlo in Criss Cross, boy was she something.

 

[Rafter]

Another favorite of mine is Yvonne DeCarlo in Criss Cross, boy was she something.

Yvonne De Carlo as ....

Anna in the underrated 1949 classic, "Criss Cross".
I'll only reiterate Burt Lancaster's lament,

"I didn't care about the money, I only wanted you".

Mike1939, Didn't think you were going to say Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster!!:eusa_doh:

 

[cooncatbob]

Don't forget Mary Astor in the Maltese Falcon.

 

[Rafter]

OK BOB,

How come you're ignoring my reference to the great "Lily Munster"?
She had to be a femme fatal.
After all her she put up with the "bumbling" likes of Fred Gwynne as Herman and Al Lewis as Grandpa!

You don't appreciate the sophisticated humor of those characters??lol

 

[Mike1939]

I must admit I knew as Lily Munster first.

 

[dhermann1]

Gloria Grahame

also, Audrey Totter:

I'd call Gloria Grahame more fatale, Audrey Totter more noir. Both great.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Since Greer et al., have been listed, I'll submit Gene Tierney in Leave Her to Heaven. She was by no means a great actress, but she was darn good in that movie.

 

[BeBopBaby]

Since Greer et al., have been listed, I'll submit Gene Tierney in Leave Her to Heaven. She was by no means a great actress, but she was darn good in that movie.

I was going to post this, but you beat me to it!

She is so cold in that movie - she makes ice cubes look warm. The scene where she watches her husband's little brother drown while she sits calmly in a boat is chilling.

 

[dhermann1]

Leave Her to Heaven

This movie is sort of an anomoly, a color film noir.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Kathleen Turner in... almost anything really. She was great in "Body Heat" though. I also liked Louise Brooks in "Pandoras Box" and Marlene Dietrich in "Blue Angel".

 

[SamMarlowPI]

hows about Hayworth in The Lady From Shanghai?

 

[Feraud]

This is Audrey Totter from The Set-Up right?
I recognize the Paradise City background.

also, Audrey Totter:

I'd call Gloria Grahame more fatale, Audrey Totter more noir. Both great.

I recently watched Criss Cross and thought Yvonne DeCarlo was excellent in it.

Claire Trevor was very good in Farewell, My Lovely.

 

[Hondo]

I'll second that Lovely Rita, Gene Tierney comes very close.

hows about Hayworth in The Lady From Shanghai?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

bump

 

[HadleyH]

Nice thread TY for the bump. I have 3 or 4 other favorites but ...


like mentioned before , Madame Grahame, if we are talking film noir... 40s, 50s.... femme fatale ... you aint gonna mess with this lady.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I love Ida Lupino in her many roles. She masters that tough yet vulnerable no-nonsense character I adore to watch on screen.

[video=youtube;h1Q71t5D8ko]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Q71t5D8ko&feature=related[/video]

But my all-time favorite is Rita Hayworth in Gilda.

[video=youtube;e-LO9Ay6v_M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-LO9Ay6v_M[/video]