Femme Fatale: Difference between revisions

The morally ambiguous [[Femme Fatale]] is the typical client in a [[Hardboiled Detective]] story. You know the type. [[Womanin Black|Dressed all in black]] with [[She's Got Legs|legs up to here]], she slinks into the [[Private Investigator|PI]]'s office, holding a [[Good Smoking, Evil Smoking|cigarette on a long, long holder]], saying "Oh, Mr. Rockhammer, you're the only one who can help me find out who killed my extremely wealthy husband." Did she do it? [[Private Eye Monologue|Do I care?]] [[Sexophone|Where'd that saxophone music come from]]? Whatever her story is, whether she did it or not, she's definitely keeping some secrets.

What separates the Femme Fatale from [[The Vamp]] is that the Femme Fatale uses femininity and sensuality instead of upfront sexual advances. Her wiles include apparent helplessness and distress, and appeals to the man's greed, desire for revenge, or gullibility, as well as the implication of possible romance or just sexual rewards, compared to The Vamp's reliance on raunchy sex or the promise of it and utter amorality otherwise. As a possible result of this, she is more likely to be [[Anti -Villain|portrayed sympathetically]] than the average vamp.

Often the [[Lady in Red]], and even more often the [[Womanin Black]], but possibly dressed like [[Naive Everygirl|everyone else]] so as to not be [[Colour -Coded for Your Convenience]]. The [[Femme Fatale]] is one of the female character types that can often be seen wearing [[Opera Gloves]], especially in conjunction with her sexy evening gowns, and, during the daytime (particularly in old [[Film Noir]] movies), is often seen wearing a "fascinator" or "pillbox" hat with a partial- or full-face veil. Not above using the [[Kiss of Distraction]].

{{examples|Examples:}}

** Fujiko's fame reached a climax in 2012, when after forty years and much egging by the fans, she received a spin-off series that featured her and the rest of the Lupin gang during the Monkey Punch era before the first TV series. Titled ''[[Lupin III: theThe Woman Called Fujiko Mine (Anime)|Lupin III the Woman Called Fujiko Mine]]'', it was praised for its distinct approach to the Lupin III universe.

* In ''[[The Stainless Steel Rat]]'' action/comedy series by Harry Harrison, thief turned galactic secret agent 'Slippery Jim' DiGritz finds himself up against the psychotic (yet beautiful and criminally brilliant) Angelina. Jim falls in love and marries her in the next novel of the series. Supposedly, the psych-techs have straightened out Angelina's twisted personality, implanting her with a conscience, but there are times when her husband has to restrain Angelina's natural enthusiasm for [[Cold -Blooded Torture|torture]] and killing. Plus, Jim quickly learns the inadvisablity of showing interest in other women, or trying to wriggle out of promises (an attempt to back out of their marriage is stopped by Angelina shoving a [[Hand Cannon|.75 calibre recoil free pistol]] up his nose).

* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s [[Gaunts Ghosts]] novel ''Ghostmaker'', Inquisitor Lilith actively tries to incite [[Green -Eyed Monster|jealousy]] in Gaunt as a way to manipulate him. Gaunt calls her on it and tells her it's not needed, he will help voluntarily. She admits at the time that she's not used to voluntary cooperation and, later, when about [[Cool Gate|to go through a gate to an Eldar craftworld]], that she actually found Gaunt attractive.

* Patience Kys in the [[Ravenor]] books by the same author is a [[Anti -Hero|heroic]] example, she is a somewhat hostile [[Ice Queen]] who tends to use her attractiveness to her advantage on covert operations.

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