Maltese Falcon

Brigid O'Shaughnessy and Lady Lou are both dynamic characters with intriguing personalities. As seen in their respective roles in The Maltese Falcon and She Done Him Wrong, both possess the ability to tantalize the men around them. Throughout both works, one can observe the tactics these women utilize in an attempt to reach their goals. However, despite their manipulations, the battle of the sexes ends favoring the men who do not make themselves susceptible to …

…narrative: the woman dominates and seduces those men around her, however, she is subdued by the intellect and endurance of one man. This common ending reveals the futility of womens' attempts at outsmarting men. Because the value system of men and women differ vastly, women will fall short in the battle of the sexes. Despite the temptation of their bodies and of their money, neither of the women dominate their target man in the end.