This study analyses three critically acclaimed psychological thriller films starring female leads: Black Narcissus (1947) featuring Kathleen Byron as Sister Ruth; Fatal Attraction (1987) starring Glenn Close; and Black Swan starring Natalie Portman (2010).
An analysis is made of each woman’s performances, evaluating how well their embodiment of each character represents their declining mental health and psychological disorders. Using psychiatric evaluative papers to explain their naturalistic interpretation of these manic characters, analysis is focused on key areas such as their use of hair, eye movements, use of their mouth and vocal tones, alongside movements of the body.
Closing discussions explain that all three female actors portray their decline toward mental instability sensitively and effectively while their characters struggle to balance their occupational and social lives with their lust and denial of affection.