Gender Roles in Film Noir: Out of the Past (Jacques Tourneur, 1947): USA

Paper by Saren Brown.

Traditionally, the female characters in film noir films have been defined in relation to the male characters. This is evident in the film Out of the Past (Tourneur, 1947) with the women characters Ann Miller and Kathie Moffet. Ann Miller (Virginia Huston) is characterized as the “nurturing woman,” adhering to traditional gender norms by supporting her man, Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum), without threatening his masculinity. Kathie Moffet (Jane Greer) is considered to be the “femme fatale,” challenging gender norms by using her sexuality to exert power over men. Throughout the film, Ann Miller is presented in light clothing and with almost a halo of light around her demonstrating her angelic and non-threatening nature. In contrast, Kathie Moffet has dark hair and is often presented in dark clothing and/or lighting, like a black widow that is ready to trap, and potentially kill, her male prey. Although each woman represents a different version of femininity, the gender norms that they either adhere to or defy are defined from a male perspective, demonstrating that ultimately the power lies in the minds and hands of men in the world of film noir.

The relationship between Ann Miller and Jeff Bailey is established at the beginning of the film Out of the Past. They are shown in the bucolic and pastoral wilderness by the banks of the river. Ann is shot not only with back lighting that creates a halo of light around her head, but she is also shot with the sparkling river behind her that illuminates her even more creating an angelic glow and representing her innocence. In contrast to Ann’s lighting, Jim is shot in a slight shadow showing that although he is here in this idyllic place, there are other, darker sides to him and his past. The composition and lighting in this scene also establish the traditional roles in their relationship. Ann is shown as sweet and nurturing, while Jeff is tough and a bit reserved. This equates to the traditional gender roles of women and men. Traditionally women are expected to be adoring and available for their men, and men are expected to be tough and strong. Not only does the lighting in this scene establish their gender roles, it also alludes to the fact that while Ann is a sweet, nurturing person, Jeff has something to hide that could affect the seemingly idyllic nature of their relationship.

The character Kathie Moffet is very different from Ann Miller. When Kathie Moffet is first introduced in the film she is in Mexico. Mexico is a place that evokes exotic, and perhaps, dangerous or edgy images. Although she is wearing white when the viewer first sees her, she has dark hair and eyes and a very sexual (not innocent) demeanor about her. When Jeff Bailey see’s her he is struck by her presence. His line in the film is, “ She came in out of the sunlight.” Another way of looking at this would be she entered into the “darkness.” The scenes with Jeff and Kathie are strongly sexual in nature and contrast deeply to the sweet, nurturing scenes between Jeff and Ann. After meeting Kathie in Mexico she becomes associated with danger, edginess, and darkness. Throughout most of the film she is shot in urban settings and almost always wearing dark clothes. Although Jeff is still presented as a tough, reserved, man in his scenes with Kathie, her overt sexuality seems to have power over him. Since traditionally men are expected to be the dominant person in a heterosexual relationship, traditional gender roles are challenged with the relationship between Kathie and Jeff.

At the beginning of the film the females have already been established as “good” (Ann) and “bad” (Kathie). Their relationships with Jeff are also different. With Ann he is presented as a strong, effectual man. His masculinity is clearly defined and he appears to be the dominant person in the relationship. With Kathie he seems to always be at the mercy of her darkness and under the poison of the dark web that she weaves. Additionally, Jeff’s masculinity seems to be “at risk” due to the power of her overt use of sexuality. In fact, several of the scenes in Mexico of Jeff and Kathie are shot at the beach, at night, with dark netting behind them. This netting represents the dark web that Kathie has cast her prey (Jeff) in.

It seems as though the film suggests Jeff’s relationship with Ann is positive and acceptable while his relationship with Kathie is not healthy or supportive. Ann is presented as the “good” girl who he should end up with. She fits into her accepted gender role and does not threaten his masculinity or the well-defined social structure. Kathie’s sexuality presents her as a threat to Jeff and to his masculinity. It even violates Motion Picture Production Code. The Production Code states in section 3 under “Particular Applications” that, “the sanctity of the institution of marriage and home shall be upheld. No film shall infer that casual or promiscuous sex relationships are the accepted or common thing.” While Ann is presented as virginal, it is implied throughout the film that Kathie and Jeff have a sexual relationship. An example of this is when Kathie and Jeff are in Mexico and they have come in out of the rain. They are laughing and having a good time drying each other off. Then the camera pans to a shot of the front door swinging open and the scene fades to black. This camera technique implies that a sexual scene is occurring. If Kathie’s mode of power exists solely through her sexuality and this sexuality is outlawed by the Production Code Administration (PCA), then in a sense, women’s sexuality, and thus their power, is “outlawed” by the PCA.

Although Out of the Past presents different versions of femininity with the characters Ann and Kathie, these characters share the fact that they are presented in relation to a man, Jeff Bailey. As Janey Place discusses in her essay “Women in Film Noir,”

Film noir is a male fantasy, as is most of our art. Thus woman here as elsewhere is defined by her sexuality: the dark lady has access to it and the virgin does not. That men are not so deterministically delineated in their cultural and artistic portrayal is indicative of the phallocentric cultural viewpoint; women are defined in relation to men, and the centrality of sexuality in this definition is a key to understanding the position of the women in our culture. (47)

Applying Janey Place’s analysis, it can be shown that Ann is presented as “the virgin” in Out of the Past and Kathie represents the “dark lady” who has access to her sexuality. Jeff, on the other hand, is not so “deterministically delineated.” He is able to have a relationship with each woman, and to explore his desires, without the worry of being defined in the same finite manner as the women. Unlike the women in the film, Jeff’s relationship with a member of the opposite sex does not define his persona. Instead it seems as though, for the most part, as long as he remains masculine, he has the flexibility to behave how he chooses. By embodying his masculinity he is exerting his power and maintaining existing gender role expectations. His ability to maintain his masculinity (or power over women) is of greater importance to his social standing than his sexual activities.

Another aspect of Out of the Past that defines women in relation to men is the situation of the male gaze. According to Benshoff and Griffin in America on Film, the male gaze is the “concept of feminist film theory that argues that all the looks associated with classical Hollywood cinema – the look of the camera, of the characters at one another, and of the spectators at the screen – are either male or assumed to be. As such, women can only be “looked at” and objectified by the male gaze.” (422)

The male gaze is seen throughout the film, but mostly in relation to Kathie and her overt sexuality. Without dialogue and only the use of the camera, the power of men over women is once again established. The camera sympathizes with Jeff’s character and male viewers, objectifying Kathie and forcing female, along with male, viewers to watch her in the way that they choose to. This is yet another example of how power relations are played out in film noir films, establishing the women as mere objects existing for the pleasure or support of men.

Even the ending of Out of the Past tries to reestablish traditional gender roles by having Kathie’s power taken from her in the ultimate ending, death. Although Kathie shoots and kills Jeff, she is killed as well. Ultimately Jeff has sacrificed himself in order to restore “order” by ending her dangerous threat of having power over men. It is with Kathie’s death that Jeff is redeemed and his masculinity (and power) is restored.

The reestablishment of traditional gender roles also is shown in the situation with Ann at the ending of the film. With Jeff’s death Ann has lost her man, but since she has remained virginal and innocent another man is willing to marry her. This “redeems” her for being associated with Jeff, and demonstrates the supposed strength and virtue of maintaining traditional gender roles.

Throughout the film Out of the Past traditionally defined gender roles are challenged and established in various ways including through the use of women’s sexuality and the male gaze. However, the female characters remain “deterministically delineated” by being presented as “good” for being virginal (Ann) and “bad” for being sexual (Kathie), and ultimately, this demonstrates that the roles of the female characters are defined in relation to a man. Additionally, Out of the Past shows that with the death of Kathie, at the expense of Jeff’s sacrifice, the traditional gender expectation of male dominance over women is restored proclaiming that in the world of film noir, men are in control and continue to have power over women.

Works Cited

Harry M. Benshoff and Sean Griffin. America on Film. 2nd Ed. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.
Place, Janey. “Women in Film Noir,” in Women in Film Noir. Ed. E. Ann Kaplan. London: BFI Publishing, 1998, 47-68. Print
Hays, Will. The Motion Picture Production Code. Appendix I. Print.
Out of the Past. Dir. Jacques Tourneau. RKO. 1947. Film