Film Noir: Character Profiles

Film Noir Characters: The Anti-Hero

The main character of a film Noir is nearly always male, often a detective. He is not a typical 'good guy' and is often labelled an 'Anti-Hero', meaning he carries out bad actions but for the greater good. This character is often drawn in by a seductive female character, manipulated into bad/illegal doing and left to get himself out of trouble and desperately tries to solve the problems in question and return to a state of equilibrium. 

More relevant to the original Film Noir's from the 40's/50's, the narrative was often told from the perspective of the Detective, and it was a common convention of a Film Noir to begin with an ending scene from the plot, with flash backs to the beginning of the story, allowing the protagonist to tell the story as the narrator.

The Protagonist/Anti Hero was often a tall, dark and Handsome man. He had a serious look and stance, a dark, brooding atitude and sophisticated sense of style. He is an alpha male, Ladies man, likes to feel dominant and familiar with weapons/crime. He may seem cool and collected on the exterior but is often found out to be the victim in the end (drawn in, manipulated and used by the female character).

Humphrey Bogart was an Actor who was well renowned for his appearances in various Film Noir's such as 'The Big Sleep' - 1946

Film Noir Characters: The Femme Fatale

The other main character who was present in almost every Film Noir is the 'Femme Fatale'. This character was stereotypically beautiful; usually with long, blonde hair, provocative but sophisticated clothing, glamourous and wealthy (usually covered in diamonds and make up), classy, confident and intelligent, but with an edge of vulnerability and dependance. This was her tool used to draw in the male anti hero who relished on the idea of being a dominant male who cared for and protected the 'innocent' young woman.These women with guns were empowering, deceptive, and just plain mean. They always seemed to manage to trap the hard-boiled detective into falling in love with them, just to come in at the last second and turn his world upside-down.

The Femme Fatale was a portrayal of women as they had never been seen before. Women in America had a new found freedom, confidence and were proving they were equal to men. The Gender role had changed, with the woman depicted as the stronger, smarter character (often the villain). She acts as a seductive, exciting, illicit desire of the male protagonist. She was someone who was impossible to resist, in turn, destroying the notion of family values within the structure of society. She acts like a spider, luring the male into her web (often manipulating him with her charm and sexuality to commit a murder on her own terms).   

The femme fatale was a sly character; looking appealing and innocent on the outside, unbenownst to the protagonist that this was all an act, and infact was deceitful, manipulative and unmerciful on the inside.

This is an image of Kathleen Turner in 'Body Heat' - 1981 (playing the manipulative Femme Fatale role of Matty Walker)