Amy Dunne Altercates the Dynamics of a Classical Detective Film Love Story Anonymous College

Out of the Past (1947), directed by Jacques Tourneur, contributes to the classical detective film genre that flourished throughout the 40s and 50s. Kathie Moffat encompasses the elements of the genre’s femme fatale, who falls in love with a man originally set to return her to an antagonistic ex-boyfriend. To protect the fate of her own life and her new relationship, Kathy uses her erotic appeal to manipulate her male love interest, Jeff Bailey. She corresponds smoothly with Amy Dunne in Gone Girl (2014), directed by David Fincher, an underestimated housewife who has opposed her gender role in her marriage and finesses her way back into her husband’s arms with careful calculation. From a glance, Kathie and Amy respect the classic femme fatale role as they both act on their own self-centered agendas, getting tangled up in murders along the way to save their relationships. Out of the Past and Gone Girl both feature a female lead who uses their sex appeal as manipulation and eventually contributes to the male hero’s demise. Although, the latter distinguishes itself from the classical detective genre by enhancing the femme fatale’s power in their relationship, influenced by the change in social climate. In this paper, I will argue...