... , sinister, sardonic, disillusioned, frightened and insecure loners (usually men), struggling to survive and ultimately losing. The females in film noir are either of two types - dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femme fatales - mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, ... often in murky and dark streets, dimly-lit apartments and hotel rooms of big cities. [Often-times, war-time scarcities were the reason for the reduced budgets and shadowy, stark sets of B-pictures and film noirs.] Narratives are frequently complex and convol...

• Word Count: 1859
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate