'Shades of Noir' Edited by Joan Copjec

A Question of Genre

• The films are the antithesis of a 'woman's' film
• Although film noir features strong, independent women with determined desires. It is argued that the figure is invariavly destroyed literally/ metaphorically
• Replaced by her inverse the 'nuturing woman'
• Connection of desire & death - central to film noir

E.g. Double Indemnity

• Neff's desire for Phyllisis linked to his knowledge of her desire to kill her husband.