Race, Nation, and Gendered Noir Anxiety
Race, Nation, and Gendered Noir Anxiety
Through a more intersectional, film studies approach, this chapter interrogates Cukor’s wartime and postwar handling of film noir style and content in four films: A Woman’s Face (1941), Keeper of the Flame (1942), Gaslight (1944), and A Double Life (1947). Through focus on subjects from fascism to blackface, the chapter explores the intersection of gender, race, and national anxiety central to World War II–era Hollywood aesthetics. Joan Crawford’s Anna goes from scarred criminal to feminine object of affection; and Ronald Colman (in an Oscar-winning performance) plays Anthony John, who devolves from acclaimed actor to vengeful murderer. Katharine Hepburn plays a mysterious recluse who labors to cover her dead husband’s fascist ambitions. And Ingrid Bergman finds her character gaslighted by her devious, avaricious husband.
Keywords: film noir, World War II, race, blackface, gaslighting, Othello
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