Film Noir Reflects The Depression

The Depression began in the early 1930’s and brought about many social changes. A few changes that are very important include the different gender roles that women began taking on during World War II, the change in family values during and after the war, and the change in the mood of our country during that time period. These changes were greatly reflected in the sub-genre, or the mood of film noir, also known as black film. Film noir was seen not as a genre within itself, but as a sub-genre off the Crime/Gangster Genre of the 1930’s. It was developed during and after World War II and took advantage of the post-war mood of anxiety, pessimism, and suspicion.
After World War II the men returned home and were shocked to see women independently working outside the home, and taking on other male roles that were needed by them during the war. The men were very threatened by this and felt as if women were challenging their dominance. In film noir women were generally independent and had their own agenda on mind. For example in the Maltese Falcon Miss Oshaughnessy asked for help from Sam the detective. In the beginning she appeared to be the Damsel in Distress but really ended up being against Sam from the start. This was bec



	What is film noir .... Kraceur believes that essentially film noir reflects and is truly about both a cultural and human failing that the American dream had, intentionally or not .... (4729 19 )

	The Big Sleep .... a censored opium den, homosexuality and nymphomania, which even though heavily censored due to the Hays code reflects elements of crime fiction and film noir. .... (727 3 )

	Sunset Boulevard vs. The Grofters .... this statement is drawn simply from the observation t hat in most of these films, the film noir's representation of the plight of the hero reflects badly on .... (1124 4 )

	The Maltese Falcon .... greed -valuable examples of conventional Noir/hard-boiled .... also contextually valuable because the film depicts an .... Once again it reflects America 's national .... (1096 4 )

	Examining the Representation of Masculinity in Films .... In conclusion I feel that the male characters of 1940 's film noir are portrayed as being progressively .... Because film generally reflects the society .... (1782 7 )

s because she had her own personal motives, and was just manipulating Sam into helping her get what she wanted.

During this time family is also introduced to crime. For the longest time there was no film that showed any signs of crime or any type hate that goes on in the outside world. An example of this is in Public Enemy where the plot is about Tom Powers involved with the life of crime. In this film Tom’s family unsuccessfully tries to keep him away from it. Another example of low priority on family values is in Mildred Pierce, which came out in 1945. This movie was about a wife who is a suspected murderous, and covers up for her beautiful but bad daughter. In film noir family is just as evil and corrupted as anyone else. It is no longer the stronghold in which you can fall back on when in need of help. This reflects how family values were viewed in the 1930’s during the Depression.

The second way women were portrayed on screen were as reliable and honest. This type of woman was like the male hero’s sidekick. She was always up to speed on what he needed, and what she had to do for him. An example of this type of woman in film noir is in the Maltese Falcon, which came out in 1941. Sam Spade’s secretary, Effie Perine, is loyal to the end and is very accountable. Sam calls her whenever he needs anything done for him and she does it without any questions asked.

The war also c

Some topics in this essay:
Film Noir, Sam, Femme Fatale, Humphrey Bogart, America, Gender Role, World War II, Great Depression, Paranoia, The Depression,

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PROFESSIONAL ESSAYS:

America's Dominant Myths .... myth gave way to the seamy side of life in Noir films such as "Force of Evil." The title of the film itself reflects the counter attitudes of film noir. .... (1377 6 )

Gangster Film & Scarface Films .... Each in some way reflects attitudes toward the America dream, immigration, and feeding .... Ottoson, Robert, A Reference Guide to the American Film Noir: 1940-1958. .... (306 1 )

Time Without Pity (Joseph Losey) .... Losey's world often reflects the idea that society has its own agenda and crushes .... Here Losey uses the structure of the American film noir to delve into the .... (1693 7 )

Filmmaker Max Ophuls .... is because it has echoes of expressionist filmmaking from the film noir it is .... The social milieu created in this film reflects the sort of concern Ophuls shows .... (1718 7 )

Sexual Politics in Three Science Fiction Films .... strong women--the road movie, the film noir, the chase .... elsewhere in this universe, for the film takes place .... in a contemporary setting, so it reflects the type .... (3355 13 )

"Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" "The .... Like the crisis it reflects, Mannerism points in many directions .... New genres such as film noir and sexually explicit films emerged in the early 1930s while epics .... (5464 22 )

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