So what exactly is film noir? Film noir is actually a french term that literally means "black film". Generally, films in a film noir had a "dark" aura about them, most likely because film noirs originated after World War II and they correctly described society at that point in time. Personally, I strongly believe that film noir is not a genre. I believe that it describes an era. Film noirs refer to a set number of films that correctly described society after the second World War. There are several characteristics of a "film noir" that strongly persuade me to believe that "film noir" is not a genre.
Generally, a film noir is centered around a cold, pessimistic male character. These male characters typically encounter a beautiful and seductive femme fatale. We see all of this in films like the Maltese Falcon (when Spade (Humphrey Bogart) encounters Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor) for the first time), and Chinatown (Gettis (Jack Nicholson) encounters the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and ends up investigating a murder). However, we do not see a femme fatale in either Touch of Evil nor Night in the City. There is an obvious lead male character in both of these films though. The purpose of the femme fatale in a film noir is that the femme fatale will use her womanly wiles to manipulate the male character. We clearly see this in Chinatown, as Gettis is persuaded by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband's murder. We also see this in The Maltese Falcon, as Spade meets with O'Shaughnessy and she tells him that she and Thursby were partners. She says that Thursby possibly killed Archer but she does not know how Thursby died. Spade agrees to investigate the murders of Archer and Thursby.
Some other key characteristics of a film noir are shifty alliances and moral ambiguity. We clearly see this in The Maltese Falcon. Spade is confused and at war with himself. He can't decide on whether to help himself, O'Shaughnessy, her enemies, or the police. We also see this Touch of Evil. However, it is not the central male character dealing with moral ambiguity or shifty alliances. The lying Hank Quinlan (played by the one and only Orson Wells) continually transitions alliances throughout the film. This is also evident in Chinatown as Jake Gettis has to deal with moral ambiguity. He has to deal with the law and he is continually transitioning his alliances with the law throughout the film. In Night and the City, this is somewhat evident as Harry Fabian (played by Richard Widmark), a hustler who is constantly coming up with different schemes that eventually go nowhere is constantly changing alliances all throughout the film.
Most importantly, I believe that film noir refers to an era of films that correctly described the darkness of society after World War II. I believe that these films were very specific to that time period. I feel that directors would make these movies in response to the atmosphere of society. Another reason why I think that film noir refers to an era is because films are clearly marked as "first" "second" , etc. For example, The Maltese Falcon was considered to be the "first" film noir. Touch of Evil was considered the "last" film noir. Film noirs only lasted from the mid 1940's to the late 1950's. There have been several attempts though to remake these films. However, I don't think these films succeed as film noirs. They take several characteristics of film noir but I don't think that they can be classified as a film noir because I feel that a film noir was very specific to a certain time period. I feel that these films can never be re-created because film noirs can't be appreciated the same way as it was back in the 40's and 50's. Director's can try and remake these films but they will not be appreciated as much as they were back in the 40s and 50s.
No comments:
Post a Comment