Out of the Past

Out of the Past is the first film noir movie I had ever seen, and I must admit, I was slightly hesitant about it. I always thought films noir would be cheesy and overdone, but this one in particular was really good. It had a darker, edgier point of view than I was used to seeing in older movies. I guess I never watched movies as closely as I did with Out of the Past. I noticed, within this film, smaller details that added to the overall mood. For example, the casting directors made an interesting choice in casting the leading lady Kathie Moffat. Jane Greer, with dark hair to match her character's personality, fills the role of the femme fatale perfectly. She is beautiful, seductive, and as powerful and manipulative as her male counterparts.

In a similar way, Virginia Huston looks and plays the role of the trusting, blond-haired girlfriend Ann Miller. She looks the picture of innocence, willing to believe any story Jeff tells and to forgive him of his past. She wears mainly light-colored clothing, while Jane Greer wears increasingly darker clothes, as her true nature is further discovered. It is ironic that Kathie's final outfit resembles a nun's habit although she has just killed Whit. She takes control of the situation, thus reversing the gender stereotypes. Women are assumed to be the weaker sex, naive and innocent. Men are thought to be stronger, smarter, and more powerful. Kathie takes that power from both Whit and Jeff, as well as from Jeff's partner. She reverses the gender ideas facing women, proving that women can be just as cunning as men. However, the problem with femmes fatale is that they almost always die at the end of the movie. Kathie's story does not end differently. She causes, and dies in, a car accident after realizing that Jeff has set her up to be caught by the police.

Kathie's dying is not something that the audience mourns. Jeff, however, also dies in the accident. This is felt through the audience. Jeff is the one who tried to change for the better; he is the main character and the one that people most connect with. The movie, however, has a very moral theme to it. Jeff is not technically a good guy; he has done bad things in his past. His death is the writer's way of making peace with the world.

I was wrong to be hesitant about films noir. I like the style, the drama, and the overarching moral theme. Out of the Past was a really interesting look into the genre, and because of it, I cannot wait to see more films like it.