The 10 Best Femme Fatale Films to Watch After ‘Hit Man’

The femme fatale is a figure that dates back centuries. In Greek mythology there were The Sirens, whose song dragged sailors to the depths of the seas, as well as Clytemnestra — wife, seductress, and ultimately murderer of King Agamemnon. Even Eve can be considered one for luring Adam into eating the forbidden fruit. But it was motion pictures that elevated the archetype to common nomenclature, starting at the form’s inception with characters played by actresses like Greta Garbo and Louise Brooks, then flourishing in the ‘40s and ‘50s with the popularity of pulp crime narratives. 

Bombshells like Rita Hayworth and Barbara Stanwyck came to define the femme fatale, with directors like Charles Vidor and Billy Wilder wielding their strength against the hapless men who populate their films. The ‘80s and ‘90s saw a revitalization of the character type with the rise of erotic thrillers. Glenn Close and Sharon Stone both owe their careers to the femme fatales they unleashed unto the world, making audiences never look at rabbits or leg-crossing the same way again. More modern interpretations can be found in the work of Gus Van Sant and David Fincher, but filmmakers continue to find new ways to play with the murky figure. 

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The tradition carries on in Richard Linklater and Glen Powell’s latest comedy “Hit Man.” Centering on a professor-turned-police-informant (Powell) whose skill for luring would-be murderers into confessions brings him into contact with an abused woman (Adria Arjona) interested in killing her husband, the conceit of “Hit Man” flips the script on the femme fatale character, utilizing elements of noir cinema to craft a romantic comedy worth falling head-over-heels for, no questions asked. In honor of the film’s release in select theaters and in anticipation of it dropping on Netflix June 7, enjoy IndieWire’s list of the ten best femme fatale films.

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