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Film Noir Classic noir and neo-noir movies

Classic Film Noir (1940 - 1959)

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) [Available through C/WMARS]

Great heist film with an outstanding performance by Sterling Hayden. Based on the novel by W.R. Burnett. Also starring Louis Calhern and Jean Hagen, with a bit part by Marilyn Monroe; directed by John Huston.

The Big Heat (1953) [Available through C/WMARS]

Gritty story of an honest police sergeant who risks his job and his life when his investigations lead to the exposure of the crime syndicate that controls the city administration. A noir classic. Based on the book by William P. McGivern. Starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Jocelyn Brando; directed by Fritz Lang.

The Big Sleep (1946) [Available through C/WMARS]

PI Philip Marlowe is hired by millionaire General Sternwood to learn who is blackmailing his young daughter and gets involved in a web of sex, blackmail, and murder. Based on the novel by Raymond Chandler. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Martha Vickers; directed by Howard Hawks. Remade in 1978 in a disappointing version starring Robert Mitchum.

Black Angel (1946) [Available through C/WMARS]

When a beautiful blackmailer is murdered, the wife of the accused murderer sets out to clear her husband's name. Based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich. Starring Dan Duryea, June Vincent, and Peter Lorre; directed by Roy William Neill.

The Blue Dahlia (1946)

A returning war veteran finds his faithless wife murdered and himself a suspect. Written by Raymond Chandler. Starring Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, and William Bendix; directed by George Marshall.

The Blue Gardenia (1953) [Available through C/WMARS]

A young woman believes she has killed a man and approaches a tabloid journalist for help. Starring Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Ann Sothern; directed by Fritz Lang.

Body and Soul (1947) [Available through C/WMARS]

Tale of an up-and-coming boxer who alienates everyone close to him. A bravura performance by John Garfield. With Lili Palmer and Hazel Brooks; directed by Robert Rossen.

Brute Force (1947) [Available through C/WMARS]

Brutal prison film, with a sadistic guard and a violent attempted escape. Based on a story by Robert Patterson. Starring Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, and Charles Bickford; directed by Jules Dassin.

Crossfire (1947) [Available through C/WMARS]

A police captain methodically unravels the truth behind the brutal murder of a Jewish man by a returning WWII veteran. Based on the novel The Brick Foxhole by Richard Brooks (which actually concerned homophobia rather than anti-semitism). Starring Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, and Robert Ryan; directed by Edward Dmytryk.

D.O.A. (1950) [Available through C/WMARS]

A man reports his own murder to the police. Starring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, and Neville Brand; directed by Rudolph Maté. Remade in 1988 with Dennis Quaid.

Dead Reckoning (1947)

A soldier runs away rather than receive the Medal of Honor. His former commanding officer gets permission to investigate and love and death soon follow. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott, and Morris Carnovsky; directed by John Crowell.

Detour (1945)

A young hitch-hiker gets a ride --- which propels him into a nightmare of death and blackmail. Starring Tom Neal, Ann Savage, and Claudia Drake; directed by Edward G. Ulmer.

Force of Evil (1948)

A racketeer's lawyer finds that his boss has found a way to bankrupt New York's numbers banks but gets wedged between the numbers racket and a new prosecutor's anti-crime campaign. A forgotten film noir classic. Based on the book Tucker's People by Ira Wolfert. Starring John Garfield, Thomas Gomez, and Beatrice Pearson; directed by Abraham Polonsky.

Gilda (1946) [Available through C/WMARS]

A South American casino owner hires a young American as his right-hand man, who once was the lover of the owner's new bride. Starring Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, and George Macready; directed by Charles Vidor.

The Glass Key (1942) [Available through C/WMARS]

Intricate mystery about a politician accused of murder, who solicits his right-hand man to hunt down the real killer. Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. Starring Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and Alan Ladd; directed by Stuart Heisler.

He Walked by Night (1948) [Available through C/WMARS]

An LAPD sergeant follows the trail of a devious cop-killer. Told in semi-documentary style, this was the inspiration for the radio and TV show, Dragnet. Based on the exploits of a real criminal who terrorized LA in the post-war period. Starring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, and Roy Roberts; directed by Alfred Werker (and Anthony Mann).

The Hitch-Hiker (1953) [Available through C/WMARS]

Two middle-class American homebodies on vacation in Mexico pick up a hitch-hiker, who turns out to be a psychopathic serial killer. Starring Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman; directed by Ida Lupino (the only woman to direct classic film noir).

I Want to Live! (1958)

A screen adaptation of the dramatic events in the life of a "B-Girl," Barbara Graham, which led to a sensational murder trial and her execution. Based on a newspaper article by Edward Montgomery and the letters of Barbara Graham. Academy Award for Best Actress. Starring Susan Hayward, Simon Oakland, and Virginia Vincent; directed by Robert Wise.

In a Lonely Place (1950) [Available through C/WMARS]

A hotheaded Hollywood screenwriter, questioned for murder, is drawn to his neighbor when she confirms his alibi. His volatile nature eventually threatens to destroy their one last chance for real love. Based on the novel by Dorothy B. Hughes. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame, and Frank Lovejoy; directed by Nicholas Ray.

Key Largo (1948)

A disillusioned returning World War II veteran has lost the will to fight ... until he arrives at a rundown hotel in Key Largo. There a mobster holes up against a raging storm, holding the veteran, the hotel owner and the owner's widowed daughter-in-law at gunpoint. Based on the play by Maxwell Anderson. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, and Lauren Bacall; directed by John Huston.

The Killers (1946) [Available through C/WMARS]

Two professional killers invade a small town and kill a gas station attendant, who was expecting them. An insurance investigator pursues the case. Based on the story by Ernest Hemingway. Another classic must-see. Starring Burt Lancaster (his first role), Ava Gardner, and Edmond O'Brien; directed by Robert Siodmak. Remade in 1964 in a version featuring Lee Marvin and Ronald Reagan and directed by Don Siegel.

The Killing (1956) [Available through C/WMARS]

Straightforward account of a racetrack robbery engineered by a group of small-time crooks. A taut heist drama with excellent performances and an exciting score by Gerald Fried. Based on the novel Clean Break by Lionel White. Starring Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, and Vince Edwards; directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) [Available through C/WMARS]

A doomed female hitch-hiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit." Raw and gritty. Based on the novel by Mickey Spillane. Considered by many critics to be the last “true” noir film. Starring Ralph Meeker, Paul Stewart, and Albert Dekker; directed by Robert Aldrich.

The Lady from Shanghai (1948) [Available through C/WMARS]

Tour de force from Orson Welles. A seaman becomes involved in the murderous intrigue of a crippled lawyer and his homicidal and frustrated wife. Justly famous for its culminating shoot-out in a hall of mirrors. Based on the novel If I Should Die Before I Wake by Sherwood King, with screenplay by Welles. Starring Welles, Rita Hayworth, and Everett Sloane; produced and directed by Orson Welles.

Laura (1944)

The detective assigned to the murder case of a beautiful young woman named Laura is stirred by her portrait and adoring descriptions by her admirers, and finds he, too, is strangely under her spell. Based on the novel by Vera Caspary. Academy Award for Cinematography. Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb; directed by Otto Preminger.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Humphrey Bogart as PI Sam Spade, on the trail of his partner's murderer and the “stuff that dreams are made of.” Considered the first film noir. Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett; screenplay by John Huston. With Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, and Elisha Cook Jr; directed by John Huston (his directorial debut).

Murder, My Sweet (1944) [Available through C/WMARS]

A private detective searches for an ex-convict's missing girlfriend and finds himself in a dark world of mayhem and murder. Based on the novel Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler. Starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, and Anne Shirley; directed by Edward Dmytryk. Remade in 1975 as Farewell, My Lovely, starring Robert Mitchum as Marlowe.

The Naked City (1948) [Available through C/WMARS]

Semi-documentary film follows a murder investigation by the NYPD. One of the first films noir to be shot entirely on location. “There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.” Academy Awards for Cinematography and Editing. Starring Barry Fitzgerald, Ted de Corsia, and Dorothy Hart; directed by Jules Dassin.

Niagara (1953) [Available through C/WMARS]

Taut tale about a faithless wife plotting to kill her husband and run off with her lover. Filmed on location at Niagara Falls. Starring Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, and Jean Peters; directed by Henry Hathaway.

Out of the Past (1947) [Available through C/WMARS]

Suspenseful tale of double-crosses, deceit and murder. A PI hired to find a gangster's girlfriend falls in love with her himself. Telling use of the flashback technique. Based on the novel Build My Gallows High by Daniel Mainwaring (as Geoffrey Homes). Starring Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, and Jane Greer; directed by Jacques Tourneur. Remade in 1984 as Against All Odds with Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward.

Panic in the Streets (1950) [Available through C/WMARS]

A public health doctor and a policeman have only 48 hours to track down a killer infected with bubonic plague. Shot on location in New Orleans. Academy Award for Best Story. Starring Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Jack Palance; directed by Elia Kazan.

Pickup on South Street (1953) [Available through C/WMARS]

A New York pickpocket plays the cops against the Commies when he steals a wallet containing government secrets. Thelma Ritter was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a sympathetic police informant. Starring Richard Widmark and Jean Peters; directed by Samuel Fuller.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

Steamy tale of a drifter who conspires with his lover to kill her husband. Based on the novel by James M. Cain. Starring Lana Turner, John Garfield, and Cecil Kellaway; directed by Tay Garnett. Remade in 1981 starring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange.

Road House (1948) [Available through C/WMARS]

A sultry torch singer comes between the owner of a roadside cocktail lounge and his best friend. Starring Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, and Richard Widmark; directed by Jean Negulesco.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) [Available through C/WMARS]

An unscrupulous woman takes up with her old boyfriend, without bothering to keep the affair from her husband, and involves him in murder and betrayal. Based on a story by Jack Patrick. Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, and Kirk Douglas (his first role); directed by Lewis Milestone.

Strangers on a Train (1951)

A tennis star is harassed on a train by a psychotic who wants to swap murders, and who then proceeds to carry out his part of the unconfirmed bargain. Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith. Starring Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, and Robert Walker; directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Rated PG.

Suddenly (1954)

Unusual early film about a plot to kill the President, with Frank Sinatra as a psychopathic WWII veteran who leads a team of hired assassins. With Sterling Hayden and James Gleason; directed by Lewis Allen.

The Third Man (1949) [Available through C/WMARS]

An American pulp fiction writer searches for a friend who turns out to be the king-pin of the Austrian black market. Set in post-war Vienna. Featuring a haunting zither score by Anton Karas. Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Based on a story by Graham Greene. Starring Joseph Cotton, Valli, and Orson Welles; produced and directed by Carol Reed.

Touch of Evil (1958) [Available through C/WMARS]

An elaborate mystery involving a corrupt police official in a squalid town on the Mexican border and a murder that ensnares a narcotics agent and his wife. Based on the novel Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson, with screenplay by Orson Welles. Starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Orson Welles; directed by Welles. Rated PG-13.

White Heat (1949)

Cody Jarrett is a psychopathic gangster and a ruthless killer who is anything but rational with his fierce headaches and strong mother-fixation. One of James Cagney's signature roles. “Made it, Ma. Top of the world!” With Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, and Margaret Wycherly; directed by Raoul Walsh.

Note: Classic films noir were produced prior to the advent of the MPAA rating system and are unrated. These films generally concentrate on themes of violence, sexuality, crime, and corruption, and may not be suitable for younger viewers.

Neo-Noir (1960 - present)

Angel Heart (1987)

A journey of violence and murder that canvasses the streets of Harlem, the jazz clubs of New Orleans, and voodoo rituals in the swamps of Louisiana. From the novel Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg. Starring Mickey Rourke, Robert DeNiro, and Lisa Bonet; written and directed by Alan Parker. Rated R.

Blade Runner (1982)

Los Angeles, 2019: Deckard, an expert "blade runner," must identify and execute four replicants, (genetically engineered beings virtually identical to humans) which have illegally returned to earth from their off-world slave duty. Based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young; directed by Ridley Scott. Rated R.

Body Heat (1981) [Available through C/WMARS]

A likable, unambitious lawyer and his siren-like lover plot to kill her wealthy husband. Steamy return to a classic noir plot. Starrring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Richard Crenna, with Ted Danson as the ‘dancing DA.' Written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Rated R.

Blood Simple (1984) [Available through C/WMARS]

A jealous husband hires a sleazy private eye to murder his adulterous wife and her lover. Violent indie classic. First film by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan. Starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, and Dan Hedaya. Rated R.

Cape Fear (1962) [Available through C/WMARS]

An ex-con is determined to wreak bloody vengeance on the small-town lawyer who helped send him to jail. Based on the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. Starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Polly Bergen; directed by J. Lee Thompson. Not rated. Remade in an R-rated version in 1991 with Robert DeNiro, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange, and directed by Martin Scorsese.

Chinatown (1974)

What begins as a seemingly routine matrimonial snoop job mushrooms into a murderous regional and personal scandal in this disillusioned vision of a seedy, sunkissed, pre-war Southern California. Academy Award for Original Screenplay. Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston; written by Robert Towne; directed by Roman Polanski. Rated R.

Fargo (1996)

A pregnant midwestern policewoman investigates a kidnapping gone horribly wrong . . . and the bodies begin to pile up. Academy Awards for Best Actress and Screenplay. Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi; written by Joel and Ethan Coen; directed by Joel Coen. Rated R.

The French Connection (1971)

A pair of NYC cops stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection. Features one of the best car chases in cinema history. Based on the novel by Robin Moore. Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, Director, Screenplay and Editing. Starring Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle, with Fernando Rey and Roy Scheider; directed by William Friedkin. Rated R. Followed by The French Connection II (1975).

The Grifters (1990) [Available through C/WMARS]

A small-time conman has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend --- both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play. Based on the novel by Jim Thompson, with screenplay by Donald E. Westlake. Starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, and Annette Bening; directed by Stephen Frears. Rated R.

Klute (1971)

When detective John Klute comes to New York to investigate the disappearance of a friend, the trail leads to Bree Daniels, a call girl. Together they face the menace of a psychotic murderer. Academy Award for Best Actress. Starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and Roy Scheider; produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula. Rated R.

L.A. Confidential (1997) [Available through C/WMARS]

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slaying of the patrons at an all-night diner. A lush tribute to tough film-noir crime films. Based on the novel by James Ellroy. Academy Awards for Best Screenplay (Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson) and Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger). Starring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, and Guy Pearce; directed by Curtis Hanson. Rated R.

Mulholland Falls (1996) [Available through C/WMARS]

In 1940s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD, called the “Hat Squad,” investigates the murder of a young woman. What begins as a simple murder case turns into a politically embroiled tug of war. Jazzed-up return to classic film noir territory --- retro noir. Starring Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, and Chazz Palminteri; directed by Lee Tamahori. Rated R.

Point Blank (1967) [Available through C/WMARS]

A professional criminal helps pull off an underworld heist, then is gunned down and left for dead. He resurfaces to track down his share of the loot. One of the first of the “neo-noirs.” Based on the novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake writing as Richard Stark. Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, and Keenan Wynn; directed by John Boorman. Not rated.

Pulp Fiction (1994) [Available through C/WMARS]

Clever, dark film that tells four separate stories that are gradually brought together. Involved are two low-rent hit men, their boss and his sexy wife, a prizefighter, and a pair of desperate robbers. Academy Award for Best Screenplay. Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman; written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Rated R.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Violent take on the traditional heist movie. Starring Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, and Chris Penn, with a cameo by classic Hollywood ‘tough guy' Lawrence Tierney; written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Rated R.

Se7en (1991) [Available through C/WMARS]

A psychological thriller about two detectives on the trail of a serial killer who chooses his victims according to the seven deadly sins. Tense and violent. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow; directed by David Fincher. Rated R.

Taxi Driver (1976)

A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in a city whose perceived decadence and sleaze feed his urge to violently lash out. Starring Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, with Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle, and Jodie Foster; screenplay by Paul Schrader; directed by Martin Scorsese. Rated R.

Tightrope (1984) [Available through C/WMARS]

When homicide cop Wes Block investigates a string of brutal sex murders, he discovers a chilling link between himself and the suspect. Set in New Orleans. Starring Clint Eastwood and Genevieve Bujold; written and directed by Richard Tuggle. Rated R.

True Confessions (1981) [Available through C/WMARS]

An extraordinary tale of two brothers, one a priest, the other a cop, set on a collision course by a brutal murder. Based on the novel by John Gregory Dunne, itself loosely based on the Black Dahlia murder case. Starring Robert Duvall, Robert DeNiro, and Charles Durning; directed by Ulu Grosbard. Rated R.

The Usual Suspects (1995)

When twenty-nine dead bodies are found floating in Long Beach harbor, a U.S. Customs agent investigates. A modern noir classic; watch it once . . . and then watch it again. Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) and Original Screenplay (Christopher McQuarrie). Starring Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, and Chazz Palminteri; directed by Bryan Singer. Rated R.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style , edited by Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward (Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press, 1988)  791.430909 F487 1988

Film synopses with cast and crew lists for classic and neo-noir films from the 1940s to the 1990s, with essays on the history of noir and neo-noir.

A Panorama of American Film Noir, 1941-1953 by Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton; introduction by James Naremore; translated from the French by Paul Hammond ( San Francisco: City Lights Books, c2002) 791.43655 BORDE

The original classic essay on film noir by two French critics, now translated into English. Includes film lists.

Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher (New York: Free Press, c1997) 791.43655 C466s

Far-ranging essay on noir and its roots in urban America. Includes detailed discussions of many of the classic films noir.

WEB SITES:

Film Noir

History and overview of the genre, with lists of recommended films. From the Greatest Films site.

Crime Culture: Crime Films

Includes detailed essays on classic noir and neo-noir, with some reviews.

Full-text articles and essays on Film noir

From UC Berkeley.

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This page last updated: January 26, 2008