Film noir the most influential of the early noirs. A slew of now-renowned noir "bad girls" followed, such as those played by Rita Hayworth in "Gilda" (1946), Lana Turner in "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946), Ava Gardner in "The Killers" (1946), and Jane Greer in "Out of the Past" (1947). The iconic noir counterpart to the femme fatale, the private eye, came to the fore in films such as "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), with Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade, and "Murder, My Sweet" (1944), with Dick Powell as Philip Marlowe. The prevalence of the private eye as a lead character declined
Jessica Lange Always Rings Twice" (1981). Upon offering her the part, he gave her the sealed envelope in which he had placed the piece of paper with her name on it. Although the controversial film received mixed reviews, Lange was widely praised for her performance. While editing "The Postman Always Rings Twice", Graeme Clifford realized he had found the leading lady for his next film – his first as a director; a biographical film of actress Frances Farmer, whose disillusionment with Hollywood and chaotic family background led her down a tragic path. Filming "Frances" (1982), which co-starred Kim Stanley and Sam Shepard,