Theories in Film Noir

Todorov's Narrative Theory

Izetan Todorov was a Bulgarian structuralist linguist, who suggested that conventional narratives are structured in five stages:

1. A state of equilibrium at the beginning.
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action.
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption.
4. An attempt to repair the disruption.
5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium.

This type of narrative structure can be applied to many ‘mainstream’ film narratives.

Film Noir's generally follow this structure, however they rarely restore the equilibrium, instead they find a new one, where the resolution is rarely one which the protagonists want.


Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze/Feminist Theory

Laura Mulvey coined the term ‘Male Gaze’ in 1975. She believes that in film audiences have to ‘view’ characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male, and that the role of women in film was merely passive.  Mulvey suggests that women are placed in the passive position in three ways:

1. through character portrayal within the narrative
2. through spectator perception of the female
3. through the controlling gaze of the camera which objectified women

The role is to be the treasure, to be sought after and found, while being looked at by both men and women. They also halt the action of the males, which is shown on screen by the camera lingering on the female form.

This theory is proven in Film Noirs. According to male desire, the female is aligned with one of two ideals, the virtuous maiden or the ‘scarlet woman’. In Film Noir that is most often the 'scarlet woman' - the femme fatale who is seductive, beautiful and often wearing red lipstick. In her introduction to Women in Film Noir, E. Ann Kaplan discusses women in their ‘fixed role as wives, mothers, daughters, lovers, mistresses, whores’, providing the ‘background for the ideological work of the film which is carried out by men. The camera also objectifies the women in Film Noir, appearing as objects on show. A slow pan of the camera from toe to head focuses slowly on each individual body part, and shows their materialistic appearance focusing on their costumes, jewellery and  hair. It is also clear that we see the females in Film Noir from the male protagonists viewpoint. However, in Film Noir the women often became the ones on top in the end, who have won. So women, with her newly found role as a result of the wartime effort, represented the threat of modern society to the male.