The Film Noir Effect

[nici]

In my last story posted, a reader made comment to the “film noir” effect in my story: “Always Being The Other Woman”. Even though now I’m assuming the comments were directed towards the dark and light effects, the subterfugial undercurrent of the city I placed the story in, the thought “film noir” effect in story writing has me contemplating.

For those of you not quite sure what “film noir” is or how it is/was psychologically used, here is a very interesting theses posted: “Personality Disorders and the Film Noir Femme Fatale”

I have of course noticed that many “Loving Wives” stories (where reconciliation is even a question or stories where the husband is the avenger) portray at least in part the heroine in a manner very similar to Ann in “Out of the Past”. A powerless, ineffectual stereotypical female so weak and inept that they require the potency and authority of men to survive, also, a classical Dependent Personality Disorder.

In addition, the femme fatale (Narcisstic Personality Disorder) in other stories seems to evoke considerable emotions, fears and comments.

My question is or are:

How much do you use “film noir” effect in your stories?

And

Is the “black or white” right or wrong judgmental contrasts of “film noir” even valid in today’s world?

 

[Athena_e19]

There are obviously some things about film noir that cannot be relevant in a society where we deem equality important.

However, as a literary device, it is still extremely usable. Who says the woman must be the one dependent upon a savior? There are plenty of stories that carry on the mood and notions of noir without falling prey to its outdated beginnings.