Last Updated: 5/23/25
Note: It's simple and straightforward: the greatest femmes fatales in cinema history. In order to be considered, they must be alluring and seductive females in a mysterious way who lead males and sometimes females into danger or causing their destruction. It doesn't always have to occur in films noirs or neo-noirs.

These femmes fatales have made the cut because they contributed brilliance to films in most, if not all, aspects: acting, characters, screenplay, plot, direction, editing, cinematography, and so on. They must also be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Then, I think about cultural phenomenon, uniqueness, famous movie moments, iconic scenes and/or lines, cinematic power, and timelessness.

This list is based on what I have seen so far and is limited to the top 44 with 0 honorable mentions in that order. While ranking femmes fatales, I am simultaneously thinking about evilness before beauty and beauty before evilness. Sometimes, it may not be the evilness per se but rather the harbinger of it.

1. Matty Walker
Body Heat (1981)

2. Cora Smith
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

3. Catherine Tramell
Basic Instinct (1992)

4. Norma Desmond
Sunset Boulevard (1950)

5. Evelyn Mulwray
Chinatown (1974)

6. Mrs. Johnny Iselin
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

7. Bonnie Parker
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

8. Abigail Williams
The Crucible (1996)

9. Mallory Knox
Natural Born Killers (1994)

10. Phyllis Dietrichson
Double Indemnity (1944)

11. Catharine/Renée/Margaret/Marielle
Black Widow (1987)

12. Diane Tremayne
Angel Face (1952)

13. Evelyn Draper
Play Misty for Me (1971)

14. Mildred Havelend
Lady in the Lake (1946)

15. Adrian Forrester
The Crush (1993)

16. Dorothy Vallens
Blue Velvet (1986)

17. Elsa Bannister
The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

18. Kelly Van Ryan
Wild Things (1998)

19. Kitty Collins
The Killers (1946)

20. Evie Zamora
Thirteen (2003)

21. Juliet Hulme
Heavenly Creatures (1994)

22. Dolly Harshaw
The Hot Spot (1990)

23. Margo Lannington
Where Danger Lives (1950)

24. Eugenia Alabaster Adamson
Angels & Insects (1995)

25. Brigid O'Shaughnessy
The Maltese Falcon (1941)

26. Daisy Buchanan
The Great Gatsby (1974)

27. Rachel Munro
China Moon (1994)

28. Grace McKenna
U Turn (1997)

29. Ashton Main
North and South: Book I (1985)

30. Jill Merrill
Night Editor (1946)

31. Scarlett O'Hara
Gone with the Wind (1939)

32. Rose
Color of Night (1994)

33. Hedra Carlson
Single White Female (1992)

34. Marquise de Merteuil
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

35. Annie Laurie Starr
Gun Crazy (1950)

36. Barbara Rose
The War of the Roses (1989)

37. Rebecca
Split Image (1982)

38. Natalie Strout
In the Bedroom (2001)

39. Helen Grayle
Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

40. Cristal Connors
Showgirls (1995)

41. Jacy Farrow
The Last Picture Show (1971)

42. Ruby Gentry
Ruby Gentry (1952)

43. Suzie Toller
Wild Things (1998)

44. Chelsea Turner
Love Stinks (1999)