The Lady Eve
Lulu at CC’s has taken to polling her readers on their favourite films/actors/moments in various categories each Friday. One of this week’s questions was “Who is Your Favourite Femme Fatale?”
I often have to ponder my response a bit, but not that one. In fact, the essence of femme-fatalishness was definitively distilled for all time in the following five-minute scene from “The Lady Eve”, written and directed by Preston Sturges, in which Barbara Stanwyck (a professional card shark and swindler) reduces Henry Fonda (a shy herpetologist and ale company heir) to a hormonal puddle of befuddled, enraptured confusion. This scene contains more sexual tension than “Shortbus” and “Young People Fucking” combined – and they don’t even kiss.
Good choice, but no one could wrap a man around her finger like Garbo.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7LRYa0u3Qsk
I also remember Catherine Deneuve having some pretty hot moments in La Belle Dejour. I love that woman.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FJXLCYZMGQ8&feature=related
Barbara Stanwyck gets my vote too. Watching her seduce a whole building full of men, but specifically Gary Cooper, in Ball of Fire ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033373/ ) is delicious.
Since we’re on the topic …. When is Canadian Cynic going to change its website so that those of us who don’t/won’t open a google or yahoo account can post comments?
I cannot seem to find a link on the internet, but those of you who have watched “Swordfish” know the scene.
2 minutes into the movie, Halle Berry drives up to a trailer in some exotic car. She gets out wearing a beautiful red dress, and then shows Hugh Jackman how to golf (whilst adjusting her dress ever so slightly).
I don’t have the writing skills to do the scene justice, but you all know the scene I mean.
Modern cinema has many georgeous actresses but no real “Femme Fatales”. Film making today just doesn’t have the subtlety. The golden/silver age actresses could do more with a look or a flip of their hair then any actress today.
Not to be a movie snob or anything, I love modern flicks too. I just think it’s a part of the art form that’s been lost.
I disagree (although to be honest I haven’t watched too many B&W films) – the truth is in the eye of the beholder. If Halle Berry drove me nuts in that scene, you can’t say otherwise. Probably has something to do with our modern oversexed pop culture, but she DID drive me nuts. I can see the flick of the hair, or the subtle sexy look on just about any channel on any day now.
Sorry to say it, but you guys grew up in repressive times – did you ever have to take a cold shower after a lady baring an ankle?
“Sorry to say it, but you guys grew up in repressive times “…
Choke…now THIS is why they need to teach history more carefully to these young’uns.
First time I’ve heard the pre-AIDs, post-pill sixties and seventies referred to as “repressive times”, you whippersnapper.
throbbin
lol, I’m 38 so I don’t think I’m to repressed. I’m just a first class film geek. I know what you mean. There are some modern actresses that I just love. Jennifer Connely, Diane Lane and Sofie Marceau do it for me everytime.
But we’re talking Femme Fatales here. The archtype female who uses her femininity, brains and sexuality to manipulate men (or women too I guess)into doing her will. The older films portray the femme fatale with more flare, and class. Probably because the morality of the times prevented them from going for the easy nude scenes. Fatal Attraction wouldn’t have been a hit if Stone didn’t flash her cooch.
Like I said, it’s a lost art. It has more to do with modern movie making than it does with the actresses themselves.
I do remember that scene from Swordfish. I’d chop off my right hand if Halley Berry asked me to.
@balbulican – TouchÈ – I guess I just figured you were older than that. But I still think those B&W films are not as arousing as newer ones.
@nastyboy – Diane Lane is pretty good too.
I would argue that Halle Berry in Swordfish, and to a lesser extent Connie Nielsen in The Ice Harvest, fit that same archetype. Admittedly Swordfish would have been a better example had Halle not shown the goods and cheapened the whole thing, but on the strength of that opening scene alone I would say she fit the bill.
“I just figured you were older than that.”
Yeah, it’s the almost supernatural wisdom thing. It can be a bit disorienting.
It had more to do with the crankiness and long, rambling paragraphs.
Great quote from Robert Heinlein: “It’s amazing how much “mature wisdom” resembles being too tired. “