“ The Killers ” is a film noir of the so called “ neo - noir ” period of cinema that depicts exactly all those neo- liberal figures. The female figure of femme fatale, the “ satanic”woman is more liberated and powerful. She is not afraid to “ go for ” the big business. And the only way to succeed is to seduce the protagonist, a car racer named Johnny North.
Sheila Far, performed by Angie Dickinson, is an unconditional woman, who gets whatever and whoever she wants, without considering the costs or the potential consequences. She curves for power, money and success. She is Jack Browning ' s girl (Roland Reagan ' s last performance in cinema). A gangster living out of stealing. When he want ' s to do big business she is the perfect catch for the unsuspected Johnny North. With her alluring and irresistible way she makes him fall in love with her and in the end be a part of the “ colpo grosso ” . After seducing him she persuades him to steal the money from the gangster so that they can spend it together but that is just another trap that he falls in unconditionally. This is the story that two killers, performed by Lee Marvin and John Cassavetis, are trying to solve when they are hired to kill Johnny North. The victim is dead but 1 million dollars is missing.
The femme fatale stereotype in that particular movie is no more a dark woman hiding behind a man ' s power. She is attractive and aggressive. She is more active and her key-point is her sexuality. The sexual liberation of the 60 ' s has find her “ representative ” . The femme fatale exposes her sexuality and takes initiative when it comes to the game of power. She knows how to act without fear and hesitance. She is not just a pathetic creature of the 40 ' s, that functions in the background. Now she has her own place in neo-noir films, she is a leading main character.
She is more of a “ boy scout ” , loves action, danger and winners. In one of the beginning scenes Sheila turns to Johnny and tells him “ Do I make you nervous? ” . Later on she responds “ nothing scares me ” . These two lines show exactly how the character of femme fatale has altered in comparison to the classic era. The “ retro ” style of the first period has been transformed in a new “ fast and furious ” way of acting.
Her manipulative way is totally represented by her line “ All my life I was around losers. I need winners. ” And that " s exactly was she is going for. The typical of the, sort of , neo- femme fatale is that she always says what the male wants to hear. More liberated and with a provocative manner, she keeps on betraying, not only her first victim Johnny North but even the gangster/lover in order to rescue herself. The last scene of the movie is typical of her reaction. Lee Marvin eventually reaches to the end of the mystery and finds them. When he tries to kill her she turns to him begging for her life and says “ Please. I didn " t want to, he made me do it. I had no choice ” . Even in the last moment, she desperately tries to save herself by double crossing her “ official lover ” .
But even though society of the 60 ' s and 70 ' s had already experienced betrays and unsolved mystery stories, still it was not the right timing to accept the femme fatale stereotype winning in the end. That " s one of the things that remain the same as back in the early days of film noir. There has to be a catharsis. Her been killed by the assassin is the only way for the cinema to be “ safe ” .
What Has Changed?
Generally speaking, the neo noir films of the 60 " s and 70 ' s had as main theme shooting stories with gangsters, stealing and gambling. The neo femme fatale, always on the bad guys ' side, is more commercialised. She is “ engulfed ” by the over consuming new society and leads a more cosmopolitan life. Money, jewellery, expensive clothes are some of the typical points of the femme fatale figure in neo noir period.
Nonetheless, a basic difference at the neo noir films is that even though the stereotype of femme fatale has been established in cinema as a main character, in this particular era there are not that many films with femme fatales. Peculiar as it may sound, the stereotype of the satanic woman had her own place in the cinema but still a small amount of movies to be in.
That is maybe one of the consequences of the 60 ' s -70 ' s disturbed period of worldwide political crisis. Cinema was more interested in exposing political scandals, awaking people on matters concerning the war and the social being. But even on a " restricted " area like that there has been a major change. The neo femme fatale is no longer in need of an opposite female stereotype in order to stand on the screen. She has her own place and she does not have to participate in a “ good vs. bad woman ” debate to earn her role. She is the evil, diabolic and manipulative woman with no comparisons. The new femme fatale has been introduced herself to the new era of industrialised world where money and power are the key - words. Romance, even in a pervert way that a femme fatale can express it, has surrendered and given its place to possession and contention.
