I wrote a short essay on Out of the Past called "The Femme Fatale."
Driven by self-preservation and a desire for revenge, Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) is a liar, a thief, and a killer.
If you would like to read it, here is the link:
https://christopherjohnlindsay.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/out-of-the-past/
I am open to any constructive feedback.
Many people say that the femme fatale first appeared in these films party reflecting how servicemen reacted to the new strength of the American woman. I wonder if the femme fatale reminded them of the women they met in Europe and Asia or even those women they heard like Tokyo Rose?
shareI read somewhere that the femme fatale character was a reflection of women's changing role in society. Many women entered the workforce during WW2. As they continued to work after the war, this was a threat to a man's traditional role in society as the sole breadwinner.
https://christopherjohnlindsay.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/out-of-the-past/
Yes, that is the typical thought about veterans' reaction to American women. I was adding another idea, that the soldiers met non-American women and were reacting to them.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne