Femme Fatale: Cinema's Most Unforgettable Lethal Ladies

by Ursini, James

  Chicago Syndicate (1955). D: Fred Sears. C: Allison Hayes, Paul Stewart.

  Chu-Chin-Chow (1934). D: Walter Forde. C: Anna May Wong, George Robey, Fritz Kortner.

  Cleopatra (1917). D: J. Gordon Edwards. C: Theda Bara, Fritz Leiber, Thurston Hall.

  Cleopatra (1963). D: Joe Mankiewicz. C: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison.

  Cobra (1925). D: Joseph Henabery. C: Rudolph Valentino, Nita Naldi.

  Coffy (1973). D: Jack Hill. C: Pam Grier, Robert DoQui.

  Crime of Passion (1957). D: Gerd Oswald. C: Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr.

  Cry-Baby (1990). D: John Waters. C: Johnny Depp, Traci Lords.

  CSI (TV Series). C: Melinda Clarke, William Petersen.

  Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). D: Yimou Zhang. C: Li Gong, Yun-Fat Chow.

  Dangerous (1935). D: Alfred E. Green. C: Bette Davis, Franchot Tone.

  Dangerous to Know (1938). D: Robert Florey. C: Anna May Wong, Akim Tamiroff.

  Date with an Angel (1987). D: Tom McLoughlin. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Michael Knight.

  Daughter of the Dragon (1931). D: Lloyd Corrigan. C: Anna May Wong, Warner Oland.

  Deathlands (2003). D: Joshua Butler. C: Traci Lords, Vincent Spano.

  Desperado (1995). D: Robert Rodriguez. C: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek.

  La devoradora (1946). D: Fernando de Fuentes. C: Maria Félix, Julio Villareal.

  The Disembodied (1957). D: Walter Grauman. C: Allison Hayes, Paul Burke.

  Dishonored (1931). D: Josef von Sternberg. C: Marlene Dietrich, Victor McLagen.

  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920). D: John S. Robertson. C: John Barrymore, Nita Naldi.

  La dolce vita (1960). D: Federico Fellini. C: Anita Ekberg, Marcello Mastroianni.

  Don Juan (or If Don Juan Were a Woman) (1973). D: Roger Vadim. C: Brigitte Bardot, Robert Hossein.

  Double Indemnity (1944). D: Billy Wilder. C: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson.

  Ecstasy (1993). D: Gustav Machaty. C: Hedy Lamarr, Aribert Mog.

  8? (1963). D: Federico Fellini. C: Barbara Steele, Marcello Mastroianni.

  Entrapment (1999). D: Jon Amiel. C: Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

  Eros (2004). D: Kar Wai Wong. C: Li Gong.

  Fallen Angel (1945). D: Otto Preminger. C: Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell.

  Fast Food (1988). D: Michael Simpson. C: Jim Varney, Traci Lords.

  Fiebre (1970). D: Armando Bo. C: Isabel Sarli, Armando Bo.

  The File on Thelma Jordon (1950). D: Robert Siodmak. C: Barbara Stanwyck, Wendell Corey.

  The Final Inquiry (2006). D: Guilio Base. C: Ornella Muti, Daniele Liotti.

  Fine Gold (1989). D: Jose Antonio de la Loma. C: Tia Carrere, Andrew Stevens.

  Flash Gordon (1980). D: Mike Hodges. C: Ornella Muti, Sam Jones, Max Von Sydow.

  Flesh and the Devil (1926). D: Clarence Brown. C: Greta Garbo, Gilbert Roland, Lars Hanson.

  A Fool There Was (1915). D: Frank Powell. C: Theda Bara, Edward José.

  Fools Rush In (1997). D: AndyTennant. C: Salma Hayek, Matthew Perry.

  Forever Amber (1947). D: Otto Preminger, John Stahl. C: Cornel Wilde, Linda Darnell, George Sanders.

  42nd Street (1933). D: Lloyd Bacon. C: Bebe Daniels, Warner Baxter, Ruby Keeler.

  The Four Musketeers (2005). D: Pierre Aknine. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Vincent Elbaz, Tcheky Karyo.

  Foxfire (1996). D: Annette Haywood-Carter. C: Angelina Jolie, Hedy Burress, Jenny Shimizu.

  Foxy Brown (1974). D: Jack Hill. C: Pam Grier, Peter Brown.

  Frida (2002). D: JulieTaymor. C: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina.

  From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). D: Robert Rodriguez. C: George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Salma Hayek.

  Fuego (1969). D: Armando Bo. C: Isabel Sarli, Armando Bo.

  The Garden of Allah (1936). D: Richard Boleslawski. C: Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer.

  La generala (1971). D: Juan Ibáñez. C: Maria Félix, Ignacio López Tarso.

  Gia (1998). D: Michael Cristofer. C: Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Mitchell.

  Gilda (1946). D: Charles Vidor. C: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready.

  The Girl from Trieste (1982). D: Pasquale Festa Campanile. C: Ben Gazzara, Ornella Muti.

  Girl, Interrupted (1999). D: James Mangold. C: Angelina Jolie, Winona Ryder.

  Gloria (1999). D: Sidney Lumet. C: Sharon Stone, Jean-Luke Figueroa, George C. Scott.

  And God Created Woman (1956). D: Roger Vadim. C: Brigitte Bardot, Curd Jurgens, Jean-Louis Trintignant.

  Goddess of Love, a.k.a. Venus of Cheronea (1958). D: Fernando Cerchio,Viktor Tourjansky. C: Belinda Lee, Jacques Sernas.

  Grindhouse (2007)—“Werewolf Women of the SS.” D: Rob Zombie. C: Sybil Danning.

  Gunslinger (1956). D: Roger Corman. C: Beverly Garland, Allison Hayes, John Ireland.

  Hangover Square (1945). D: John Brahm. C: Linda Darnell, Laird Cregar, George Sanders.

  The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004). D: Asia Argento. C: Asia Argento, Ornella Muti, Jimmy Bennett.

  Hell’s Angels (1930). D: Howard Hughes, Edmund Goulding, James Whale. C: Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon, James Hall.

  Hell’s Hinges (1916). D: Charles Swickard, William S. Hart. C: William S. Hart, Louise Glaum.

  High Fidelity (2000). D: Stephen Frears. C: Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack.

  How Much Do You Love Me? (2005). D: Bertrand Blier. C: Monica Bellucci, Gerard Depardieu, Bernard Campan.

  Howling // (1985). D: Philippe Mora. C: Sybil Danning, Christopher Lee.

  Hula (1927). D: Victor Fleming. C: Clara Bow, Clive Brook.

  The Hypnotic Eye (1960). D: George Blair. C: Jacques Bergerac, Allison Hayes.

  I’m No Angel (1933). D: Wesley Ruggles. C: Mae West, Cary Grant.

  Ilsa series (1975-1977). C: DyanneThorne.

  Inside (2007). D: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury. C: Béatrice Dalle, Alysson Paradis.

  Intolerable Cruelty (2003). D: Coen Brothers. C: Catherine Zeta-Jones, George Clooney.

  It (1927). D: Clarence Badger, Josef von Sternberg. C: Clara Bow, Antonio Moreno.

  Jezebel (1938). D: William Wyler. C: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent.

  Joseph andHis Brethren (1960). D: Irving Rapper, Luciano Ricci. C: Belinda Lee, Robert Morley.

  Ju Dou (1990). D: Yimou Zhang. C: Li Gong.

  Kill Bill (2003). D: Quentin Tarantino. C: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu.

  Killer Tongue (1996). D: Alberto Sciamma. C: Melinda Clarke, Jason Durr.

  The Killers (1946). D: Robert Siodmak. C: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien.

  The Killing Club, a.k.a. You’re Killing Me (2001). D: Antoni Stutz. C: Traci Lords, Julie Bowen.

  Klondike Annie (1936). D: Raoul Walsh. C: Mae West, Victor McLagen.

  Kull the Conqueror (1997). D: John Nicolella. C: Kevin Sorbo, Tia Carrere, Karina Lombard.

  The Lady Eve (1941). D: Preston Sturges. C: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda.

  The Lady from Shanghai (1947). D: Orson Welles. C: Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth, Everett Sloane.

  The Last Mistress, a.k.a. The Old Mistress (2007). D: Catherine Breillat. C: Asia Argento, Fu’ad Ait Aattou, Roxane Mesquida.

  Laura (1944). D: Otto Preminger. C: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb.

  Leave Her to Heaven (1945). D: John Stahl. C: Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde.

  The Little Foxes (1941). D: William Wyler. C: Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright.

  Lonely Hearts (2006). D: Todd Robinson. C: Salma Hayek, Jared Leto, John Travolta.

  The Long Hair of Death (1964). D: Antonio Margheriti. C: Barbara Steele, George Ardisson, Halina Zalewska.

  Love Is My Profession, a.k.a. En cas de malheur (1958). D: Claude Autant-Lara. C: Brigitte Bardot, Jean Gabin.

  The Loves of Carmen (1948). D: Charles Vidor. C: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford.

  The Lovers of the Outer Tomb, a.k.a. The Faceless Monster (1965). D: Mario Caiano. C: Barbara St
eele, Paul Muller, Helga Line.

  Maciste in the Land of the Cyclops (1961). D: Antonio Leonviola. C: Gordon Mitchell, Chelo Alonso, Vira Silenti.

  Maciste in the Valley of the Kings, a.k.a. Son of Samson (1960). D: Carlo Campogalliani. C: Chelo Alonso, Mark Forest, Angelo Zanolli.

  Madame Du Barry (1917). D: J. Gordon Edwards. C: Theda Bara, Charles Clary.

  Madame Du Barry (1919). D: Ernst Lubitsch. C: Pola Negri, Emil Jannings.

  Malena (2000). D: Giuseppe Tornatore. C: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro.

  The Maltese Falcon (1931). D: Roy Del Ruth. C: Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez.

  Manon of the Spring (1986). D: Claude Berri. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil.

  Mantrap (1926). D: Victor Fleming. C: Clara Bow, Ernest Torrence, Percy Marmont.

  Marie Antoinette (2006). D: Sofia Coppola. C: Asia Argento, Kirsten Dunst.

  Married with Children (TV Series). C: Tia Carrere, Traci Lords, Ed O’Neill.

  Mata Hari (1931). D: George Fitzmaurice. C: Greta Garbo, Ramon Navarro, Lionel Barrymore.

  The Matrix Reloaded; The Matrix Revolutions (2003). D: Wachowski Brothers. C: Keanu Reeves, Monica Bellucci.

  Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). D: Rob Marshall. C: Li Gong, Ziyi Zhang.

  Messalina (1951). D: Carmine Gallone. C: Maria Felix, Georges Marchal. -

  Messalina (1960). D: Vittorio Cottafavi. C: Belinda Lee, Spiros Focás.

  Metropolis (1927). D: Fritz Lang. C: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge.

  Miami Vice (2006). D: Michael Mann. C: Li Gong, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx.

  Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005). D: Doug Liman. C: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt.

  Mistress of Atlantis (1932). D: G.W Pabst. C: Brigitte Helm, John Stuart.

  Mogambo (1953). D: John Ford. C: Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly.

  The Mongols (1961). D: Andre De Toth, Riccardo Freda, Leopoldo Savona. C: Jack Palance, Anita Ekberg.

  Morocco (1930). D: Josef von Sternberg. C: Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper, Adolphe Menjou.

  The Most Beautiful Wife (1970). D: Damiano Damiani. C: Ornella Muti, Alessio Orano.

  My Teacher’s Wife (1995). D: Bruce Leddy. C: Tia Carrere, Jason London.

  Nathalie (2003). D: Anne Fontaine. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Fanny Ardant, Gerard Depardieu.

  Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud (1995). D: Claude Sautet. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Michel Serrault.

  New Rose Hotel (1998). D: Abel Ferrara. C: Asia Argento, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe.

  New Wave Hookers ( 1985). D: Gregory Hippolyte, a.k.a. Gregory Dark. C: Traci Lords.

  Night After Night (1932). D: Archie Mayo. C: George Raft, Mae West.

  The Nights of Lucretia Borgia (1959). D: Sergio Grieco. C: Belinda Lee, Jacques Sernas.

  Nip/Tuck (TV Series). C: Tia Carrere, Dylan Walsh.

  The O.C. (TV Series). C: Melinda Clarke, Peter Gallagher.

  Of Human Bondage (1934). D: John Cromwell. C: Bette Davis, Leslie Howard.

  Original Sin (2001). D: Michael Cristofer. C: Angelina Jolie, Antonio Banderas.

  Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951). D: Albert Lewin. C: Ava Gardner, James Mason.

  Pandora’s Box (1929). D: G.W Pabst. C: Louise Brooks.

  Paris Holiday (1958). D: Gerd Oswald. C: Bob Hope, Anita Ekberg, Fernandel.

  Parisian Love (1925). D: Louis J. Gasnier. C: Clara Bow, Donald Keith.

  The Passion of the Christ (2004). D: Mel Gibson. C: Monica Bellucci, James Caviezel.

  Payback (1999). D: Brian Helgeland. C: Mel Gibson, Lucy Liu.

  The Phantom (1996). D: Simon Wincer. C: Billy Zane, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

  Piccadilly (1929). D: E.A. Dupont. C: Anna May Wong, Gilda Gray.

  Pit and the Pendulum (1961). D: Roger Corman. C: Barbara Steele, Vincent Price.

  A Place in the Sun (1951). D: George Stevens. C: Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift.

  Point of Terror (1971). D: Alex Nicol. C: Dyanne Thorne, Peter Carpenter.

  Prison Break (TV Series). C: Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Dominic Purcell.

  Queen of the Tartars (1961). D: Sergio Grieco. C: Chelo Alonso, Jacques Sernas, Folco Lulli.

  Raintree County (1957). D: Edward Dmytryk. C: Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Eva Marie Saint.

  Reaching for the Moon (1930). D: Edmund Goulding. C: Bebe Daniels, Douglas Fairbanks.

  Reckless (1935). D: Victor Fleming. C: Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, William Powell.

  Red Dust (1932). D: Victor Fleming. C: Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Mary Astor.

  Red Hair (1928). D: Clarence Badger. C: Clara Bow, Lane Chandler.

  Red-Headed Woman (1932). D: Jack Conway. C: Jean Harlow, Chester Morris, Lewis Stone.

  Red Rover (2003). D: Marc Grenier. C: Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, William Baldwin.

  Relic Hunter (TV Series). C: Tia Carrere.

  La répétition (2001). D: Catherine Corsini. C: Emmanuelle Béart, Pascale Bussières, Dani Levy.

  Return of the Living Dead III (1993). D: Brian Yuzna. C: Melinda Clarke, J. Trevor Edmond.

  Return of the Native (1994). D: Jack Gold. C: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Clive Owen, Ray Stevenson.

  Return to Two Moon Junction (1995). D: Farhad Mann. C: Melinda Clarke, Louise Fletcher.

  Rio Rita (1929). D: Luther Reed. C: Bebe Daniels, John Boles.

  Rise (2007). D: Sebastien Gutierrez. C: Lucy Liu, Michael Chiklis.

  Road of the Giants a.k.a. Valley of the Doomed (1960). D: Guido Malatesta. C: Chelo Alonso, Don Megowan.

  Salome (1918). D: J. Gordon Edwards. C: Theda Bara, G. Raymond Nye.

  Salome (1923). D: Charles Bryant. C: Nazimova, Mitchell Lewis.

  Samson and Delilah (1949). D: Cecil B. DeMille. C: Hedy Lamarr, Victor Mature.

  Sappho (1921). D: Dimitri Buchowetzki. C: Pola Negri, Alfred Abel.

  Scarlet Diva (2000). D: Asia Argento. C: Asia Argento, Jean Shepard.