# Who is or was a "femme fatale"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785 "2013-02-09T14:09:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/41 "2013-02-10T16:43:22Z")
Through Post #40: Mary Astor in the Maltese Falcon The Baroness Anne Boleyn Lucrezia Borgia Anna Chapman Delilah Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker and Milady de Winter Eve of the Apple Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction Jane Greer from Out of the Past Mata Hari (2) Rita Hayworth (2) The Lady From Shanghai, and in Gilda, Salome Jezebel Hedy Lamarr (2) in Samson and Delilah Lola of Damn Yankees Julie London Lorelei the Mermaid Queen Mab, the Winter Queen from the Harry Dresden novels Lola Montez Ornella Muti as Princess Aura in the 1980 “Flash Gordon” Natasha Nogoodnik! Michelle Pfeiffer – Makin’ Whoopie Jessica Rabbit – Why Don’t You Do Right Keri Russell (Elizabeth Jennings) on the Americans Theresa Russell in Black Widow Salome Barbara Stanwyck (2) in Double Indemnity Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct Kathleen Turner (2) in Body Heat As far as I’m concerned “femme fatale” is a type and can be real or fictional. Pictures would be nice, but not essential, but a reference to what fictional work would really help if we are to go further than this thread with the concept. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/42 "2013-02-10T16:54:22Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Nice. Picture? Movie or whatever? It’s a Velvet Underground song off the album The Velvet Underground and Nico that Nico sang. I’m not sure Nico was a femme fatale though, but here she is anyway: https://www.youtube.com/embed/FjjDmX9Tkss?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/43 "2013-02-10T17:05:06Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > It’s a Velvet Underground song off the album The Velvet Underground and Nico that Nico sang. I’m not sure Nico was a femme fatale though, but here she is anyway: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjjDmX9Tkss](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjjDmX9Tkss) Thank you for the details. This [Wikipedia article on Nico](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico) may help others who weren’t aware of her. I’m adding Nico to the list. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/44 "2013-02-10T18:45:20Z")
Catwoman (Julie Newmar) Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) Catwoman (Eartha Kitt) Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) But maybe not Catwoman (Halle Berry) or Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). Numerous Bond Girls qualify as femme fatales, including Miss Taro (Dr No), Magda Volpe (Thunderball), Tiffany Case (Diamonds are Forever), Xenia Onatopp (Goldeneye), Severine (Skyfall) and many others. The Black Widow from Marvel Comics’ “the Avengers” was originally introduced as a femme fatale Soviet secret agent in early Iron-Man comic books. (of course she defected to the West eventually.) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/45 "2013-02-10T19:12:00Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Numerous Bond Girls qualify as femme fatales, including Miss Taro (Dr No), Magda Volpe (Thunderball), Tiffany Case (Diamonds are Forever), Xenia Onatopp (Goldeneye), Severine (Skyfall) and many others. Fiona Volpe in _Thunderball_. She would qualify for this thread on her voice, alone. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/46 "2013-02-10T19:33:44Z")
Let me suggest [Marozia di Roma](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13318497&postcount=26). Click the link to read a synopsis of that amazing woman written by SDMB’s own **Mississippienne** , though even [the Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marozia) describes her era as a “pornocracy.” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/47 "2013-02-10T20:10:33Z")
While I agree that many Bond girls technically qualify as _femme fatales_, they are typically extremely incompetent ones. I don’t think a real femme fatale should fall in love with their target at the drop of the hat. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/48 "2013-02-10T20:13:41Z")
Two nominations from Classical history: Cleopatra and Messalina. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/49 "2013-02-10T21:14:07Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > Ornella Muti as Princess Aura in the 1980 “Flash Gordon” As my friends’ then-4-year-old son noted, when watching that movie… “She’s bad. But, she sure is pretty.” She’s also aged very, very well. [http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNTEwODQ0NTk0Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTU3OTc1Mg@@.\_V1.\_SX214\_CR0,0,214,314\_.jpg](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNTEwODQ0NTk0Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTU3OTc1Mg@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/50 "2013-02-10T21:39:54Z")
Lana Turner in \* The Postman Always Rings Twice.\* ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/51 "2013-02-11T06:07:32Z")
Through Post #50: Mary Astor in the Maltese Falcon The Baroness The Black Widow from Marvel Comics’ “the Avengers” Anne Boleyn Lucrezia Borgia Tiffany Case (Diamonds are Forever) Anna Chapman Cleopatra Delilah Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker and Milady de Winter Eve of the Apple Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction Jane Greer from Out of the Past Mata Hari (2) Rita Hayworth (2) The Lady From Shanghai, and in Gilda, Salome Jezebel Eartha Kitt (Catwoman) Hedy Lamarr (2) in Samson and Delilah Lola of Damn Yankees Julie London Lorelei the Mermaid Queen Mab, the Winter Queen from the Harry Dresden novels Marozia di Roma Lee Meriwether (Catwoman) Messalina Lola Montez Ornella Muti as Princess Aura in the 1980 “Flash Gordon” Julie Newmar (Catwoman) Nico Natasha Nogoodnik Xenia Onatopp (Goldeneye) Michelle Pfeiffer (2) – Makin’ Whoopie and (Catwoman) Jessica Rabbit – Why Don’t You Do Right Keri Russell (Elizabeth Jennings) on the Americans Theresa Russell in Black Widow Salome Severine (Skyfall) Barbara Stanwyck (2) in Double Indemnity Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct Miss Taro (Dr No) Kathleen Turner (2) in Body Heat Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice Fiona Volpe in Thunderball Magda Volpe (Thunderball) ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/52 "2013-02-11T23:48:24Z")
Theda Bara in most of her movies ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/53 "2013-02-12T00:50:08Z")
My thought on the modern Femme Fatale is [Taylor Swift](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/taylor-swift-boyfriends_n_2435241.html#quiz_5898). Not her voice or performance but she does seem fairly fatal when she slays her exes in song or at the Grammys. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/54 "2013-02-12T14:55:19Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Who was in **The Last Seduction** , Linda Fiorentino, I think? That’s who I came in here to add. Linda Fiorentino as Bridget Gregory/Wendy Kroy in The Last Seduction. Oh. My. God! I freaking love that movie! She is the most evil woman in any movie I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/55 "2013-02-12T15:27:30Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > My thought on the modern Femme Fatale is [Taylor Swift](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/taylor-swift-boyfriends_n_2435241.html#quiz_5898). Not her voice or performance but she does seem fairly fatal when she slays her exes in song or at the Grammys. > [@Enright3](#): > > That’s who I came in here to add. > Linda Fiorentino as Bridget Gregory/Wendy Kroy in The Last Seduction. Oh. My. God! I freaking love that movie! She is the most evil woman in any movie I’ve ever seen. The list is now up to 46 names. Anybody have suggestions for what to do with it? Poll? Something else? ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/56 "2013-02-12T16:19:19Z")
[Veronica Lake](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000043/?ref_=sr_6) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/57 "2013-02-12T16:20:08Z")
Cool, it falls to me to bring it up to 47. [Rekha](http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2866/vlcsnap2011110819h54m48.png)—in pretty much all of her roles. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/58 "2013-02-12T17:24:48Z")
I think Will Eisner needs to be mentioned more often, and his drawings seem the epitome of femme fatale, so I give you [Sand Serif](http://lothlaurien.ca/rds/Archive/2008christmas/images/ClassicSAND.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785/59 "2013-02-12T17:47:57Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > I think Will Eisner needs to be mentioned more often, and his drawings seem the epitome of femme fatale, so I give you [Sand Serif](http://lothlaurien.ca/rds/Archive/2008christmas/images/ClassicSAND.jpg). Good call! You’ve helped me to consider the Kerry Drake comic strip’s character **Champagne**. Whether a true “femme fatale” or just enough to play with a preteen’s libido, I asked a while back [An Extremely Arcane Request](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=200916) that I’m still trying to get to the bottom of. Anyway I’m adding Champagne to the list. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-or-was-a-femme-fatale/649785.md?page=2)