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
Lana Turner in popular culture impact as a gay icon as far back as her appearance "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946): "[Upon the release of "Imitation of Life",] Turner's gay iconocity quotient had already reached a very high level 12 years previously with the release of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" Even 70 years later one never comes out unscathed from a viewing. The head wrap! The shoes! The shorts! That movie is a lesson in style and in it, Turner is a lesson in stylishness." Additionally, Guilbert notes Turner's personal scandals (such as the 1958 Stompanato killing), frequent romances and eight-total marriages as