Folk horror and the modern world converged during the 1970s and produced perhaps cinema's most varied selection of femme fatales to date. From Britt Ekland's impassioned seduction of Sergeant Howie in The Wicker Man to the nuanced case of Evelyn Mulwray in Chinatown, the '70s leading ladies with a taste for blood provided some iconic on-screen villains.
Keep your wits about you as we dissect the legacy of the decade's best-loved (and most feared) femme fatales.
© Getty Images,WireImage via Getty ImagesCharlotte starred as the deadly Mrs Grayle in 'Farewell, My Lovely'
Charlotte Rampling – Mrs Grayle in Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
Charlotte Rampling, star of 45 Years (2015) and Dune: Part Two (2024), brought Mrs Grayle to life in Farewell, My Lovely (1975). She conceals her murderous history and controls those around her, ticking each box on the femme fatale checklist.
Since then, the Oscar-nominated actress has kept busy on screen in several acclaimed feature films including Swimming Pool, Melancholia and crime series Broadchurch.
© Getty Images,Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesFaye Dunaway's Evelyn Mulwray was a departure from the femme fatale stereotype
Faye Dunaway – Evelyn Mulwray in Chinatown (1974)
In the case of Evelyn Mulwray, played by Faye Dunaway in 1974's Chinatown, the 'femme fatale' is far from straightforward. Under her mystery lies a dark past and the character resists being shoe-horned into the 'black widow' archetype.
Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway is still a regular on-screen with credits in Grey's Anatomy, The Thomas Crown Affair and, of course, Bonnie and Clyde.
© Getty ImagesSoledad Miranda defined the '70s femme fatale in European horror
Soledad Miranda – Mrs Johnson in She Killed in Ecstasy (1971)
Born in 1943, Soledad Miranda defined European horror for many during the '70s. It was her role in She Killed in Ecstasy that continues to be a stylish and mysterious favourite.
The actress sadly passed in 1970 at the age of 27. Her other acting credits include folk horror Vampyros Lesbos, The Mighty Ursus and The Devil Came from Akasava.
© Getty Images,FilmMagic via Getty ImagesKaren Black starred Hitchcock thriller 'Family Plot'
Karen Black – Fran in Family Plot (1976)
Karen Black starred in the Hitchcock thriller Family Plot in 1976 as Fran, half of the criminal duo kidnapping wealthy people who they ransom for diamonds.
The Oscar-nominee had several star roles during the '70s including projects like Five Easy Pieces, The Great Gatsby and Nashville. The actress sadly passed away in 2013 from cancer, with one of her final posthumous credits being the 2014 drama A Walk Into a Split Mind.
© Getty ImagesJessica Walter's Evelyn Draper forms a possessive obsession over radio DJ Dave
Jessica Walter – Evelyn in Play Misty for Me (1971)
Jessica Walter's Evelyn becomes increasingly obsessed with Clint Eastwood's Dave, a radio jockey who she casually dates.
The Primetime Emmy-winning actress worked on 84 episodes of Arrested Development throughout the 2000s and the 1966 sports drama Grand Prix. She sadly passed in 2021 at the age of 80.
© Getty ImagesBritt Ekland attempted to woo Sergeant Howie in 'The Wicker Man'
Britt Ekland – Willow MacGregor in The Wicker Man (1973)
Iconic '70s folk horror The Wicker Man starred Christopher Lee, Edward Woodward and Britt Ekland, who works to seduce Woodward's Sergeant Howie on behalf of the cult at the heart of the remote community.
Her other major credits include '70s Bond hit The Man with the Golden Gun and Michael Caine crime thriller Get Carter. The actress stepped away from acting in 2006 and now occasionally appears on the red carpet.
