Beginner’s Guide to Film Noir

The Third Man

Year: 1949
Directed by: Carol Reed

But who was the third man? That would make a great drinking game.

For my money, this is the greatest film Carol Reed ever directed and one of the greatest films ever made. You’ll see it on top of the greatest American films and greatest British films lists because both countries claim it as their own — it was a co-production between British Lion Films in the UK and Selznick International Pictures in the US.

Like Laura, the film has a great twist that I won’t spoil for those of you who have thus remained unspoiled. I will say that Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles are all amazing in their roles, Anton Karas’ score is one of the most unique you’ll ever come across and, Robert Krasker’s cinematography is to die for.

Rent it on YouTube | Rent it on Netflix | Check it out on MUBI | Like it? Buy it on Amazon.com

Sunset Blvd.

Also known as: Sunset Boulevard
Year: 1950
Directed by: Billy Wilder

Sunset Blvd. tops pretty much everyone’s “best film noir” lists, and for good reason.

At this point the term “film noir” had been coined and the accidental creation of this tone had been noticed and was starting to be employed on purpose. Sometimes for the worse rather than for the better.

Enter Billy Wilder’s film, which takes the characteristics of the films from this era and turns them on their heads. Our femme fatale is not a young, beautiful blonde, and our leading man is already dead. Instead of investigating the dark side of average America, we get an exploration of the dark side of Hollywood.

This film isn’t just essential noir, it’s essential viewing for everyone.

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The Big Heat 

Year: 1953
Directed by: Fritz Lang

Before I go into my love of this film, I want to mention that I didn’t have room for Nicholas Ray’s 1950 film In A Lonely Place starring Bogart and Gloria Grahame which I highly recommend you watch.

The reason I didn’t have room for Ray’s film was because I just had to mention a Fritz Lang; he made several films during this era and they are all so fantastic for various reasons — when you get into more advanced noir, I suggest you watch The Blue Gardenia.

Gloria Grahame steals The Big Heat, which also features Glenn Ford and Lee Marvin. You’ll never look at your coffee pot the same way again.

Check it out on MUBI | Like it? Buy it on Amazon.com

The Night of the Hunter

Year: 1955
Directed by:  Charles Laughton

Robert Mitchum was another important figure in the film noir era, and The Night of the Hunter is him at his finest, though I also recommend Out of the Past.

Directed by Academy Award winning actor Charles Laughton, the film was way ahead of its time and wasn’t all that highly regarded when it was released; Laughton never directed another picture.

Nearly sixty years later, we all realize what a loss that really was. Stanley Cortez’s cinematography is some of the best you will see from this era; it is so haunting. This film also features great performances from Shelley Winters and silent film siren, Lillian Gish.

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Touch of Evil

Year: 1958
Directed by: Orson Welles

Orson Welles’ first foray into noir, 1949’s The Lady From Shanghai, is good albeit kind of flawed.

His next venture into the world of noir, nearly a decade later, would prove to be one of his greatest films. At the time of its release it was taken from him in post-production and reedited by the studio. This led to Welles writing a 58-page memo detailing editorial changes he wanted.

These changes fell onto deaf ears and it wasn’t until the film’s 50th anniversary that Academy Award winning film editor Walter Murch took Welles’ memo, and did his best to restore the film to the auteur’s original vision. The result is a film that may not be for everyone, but one whose greatness cannot be ignored.

Scholars often cite this film as the end of the film noir era. Once you’ve made it this far you’ll have done a great survey of the era, and I’m sure you’ll be hungry for more.

Rent it on YouTube | Check it out on MUBI | Like it? Buy it on Amazon.com