Every movie genre has certain landmark films. Movies that exemplify the genre so well, that watching them can often be the best way to experience its meaning.
Want to know what makes a movie a western? You can start by watching Stagecoach and Once Upon a Time in the West. Trying to learn more about science fiction films? Starting with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, and Blade Runner is a pretty good bet.
Now, whether film noir is technically a “genre,” is a longstanding debate. Opinions vary and other terms like series, style, or movement are sometimes preferred. Regardless, the film noir label has enough notoriety, that it is often discussed in the same conversation as other classic genres like the screwball comedy.
If you want a written description of film noir, I encourage you to read the What is Film Noir? page. But perhaps just as helpful, is seeing the movies that show the core film noir elements directly on the screen. After all, film is a visual medium, and when we try to describe it with words, we cannot capture everything.
Here then, are 10 film noir examples (in order of release). Essentials that epitomize the essence of film noir. They are not necessarily the greatest, but they are so synonymous with the term, that they can help prime anyone for further exploration of the subject.
1. The Maltese Falcon (Warner Bros, 1941)
A good place to begin when exploring film noir examples is The Maltese Falcon. It is often cited as the first movie of film noir’s classic era, but it is much more than just an early innovator.
Its noir roots run deep, based on Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled novel by the same name. It was faithfully adapted for the screen and directed by John Huston. After he was able to convince studio mogul Jack Warner that a third screen version of the book was a good idea.
The Maltese Falcon stars Humphrey Bogart as the iconic private investigator Sam Spade. Someone who clearly maintains his own code of ethics. Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet headline an all-star cast of obsessive characters too. All playing unscrupulous citizens who resort to any means necessary to acquire what they want.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Claustrophobic interior sets, studio created city scenes, themes of obsession and moral ambiguity, unusual framing, daring camerawork, tough-talking dialogue
2. Double Indemnity (Paramount, 1944)
If we could only recommend one film to showcase the essence of film noir, it would be Double Indemnity.
Also adapted from a hard-boiled novel of the same name, this time by James M. Cain. Double Indemnity has the added distinction of multiple hard-boiled writing influences, as it was Raymond Chandler who helped legendary writer/director Billy Wilder craft the screenplay.
It is a classic victim of desire story, complete with a devious femme fatale and an unlikely investigator. Themes of cynicism, obsession, and fate are visually enhanced by low-key lighting and expressionistic tones. Voiceover narration and flashbacks brings the audience into the mind of the anti-hero. Complimenting the sharp, expertly written dialogue from Chandler and Wilder.
Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson star in perhaps the most defining of all film noir examples.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Night scenes, train settings, themes of cynicism and fate, voiceover narration, flashbacks, victims, femme fatales, investigators, low-key lighting, dark shadows, hard contrasts
3. Detour (PRC, 1945)
Film noir was an especially attractive subject for B-movies. Quick shooting schedules and affordable set designs could make for low budgets when necessary. And probably the most famous of all B-level film noir examples is Edgar G. Ulmer’s, Detour.
It is told from the perspective of the main character Al Roberts with flashback voiceover framing, as he recounts the events that led him into a Reno diner. The setting quickly moves to the road, where the anti-hero recalls his bad luck and short-sighted decisions.
Minimalistic sets, economic cutting, and variable expressionistic lighting certainly reveal Detour to be a low budget film. Yet, those methods do not seem to detract from the noir essence of the film. If anything, they probably accentuate it. Detour is an excellent reminder that piles of money are not required for memorable filmmaking.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Diners, night club settings, road scenes, flashback storytelling, femme fatales, themes of fate and randomness
4. Out of the Past (RKO, 1947)
When bringing up the subject of film noir, Out of the Past invariably seems to enter the conversation. And for good reason. It arguably checks as many boxes as any of the film noir examples.
Directed by Jacques Tourneur with cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca, Out of the Past represents a direct link to Val Lewton’s influence on film noir. The strong contrasts and strategic low-key lighting once used to make Val Lewton’s low budget RKO horror films scary, transferred over nicely to this story of deceit and underhanded lawlessness.
Noir mainstay Robert Mitchum stars as a former private detective who cannot seem to escape his past. Jane Greer plays a femme fatale character and Kirk Douglas fills the prototypical role of professional criminal. The settings, characters, visual motifs, and themes all scream film noir. Add a top-tier cast and expert direction, and you have a film deserving of the recognition it usually receives.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Bars, night clubs, casino and diner settings, private detectives, professional criminals, femme fatales, complex plots, flashbacks, tough-talking dialogue, unusual light positioning, low-key lighting ratios, themes of obsession and an inescapable past
5. The Naked City (Universal, 1948)
Although the “police documentary” was initially regarded as separate from film noir, the major consensus has shifted over the years. Now, these “docu-noirs” are largely considered a category within the film noir canon. And arguably the most famous example of this subset is The Naked City.
Directed and produced by major noir figures Jules Dassin and Mark Hellinger, respectively, The Naked City takes the docu-noir style to the streets of New York City. Mark Hellinger himself narrates the story of a police investigation into a puzzling criminal maze. It is told primarily from the perspective of the police department, as the officers scour the city for clues.
The Naked City echoes earlier American movies like The House on 92nd Street and Boomerang!. While it also shows the influence of Italian Neorealism films being made in the ruins of World War II Europe. It infuses real life into noir through on-location shooting and non-professional extras. But keeps certain expressionistic methods that disorient the viewer. It is an essential for experiencing the different forms film noir has taken over the years.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Big city settings, police investigators, professional criminals, voiceover narration, semi-documentary on-location shooting
6. The Asphalt Jungle (MGM, 1950)
The caper (or heist) movie is a famous subset of film noir as well. When the professional criminals of the underworld come together to compliment each others’ talents, there is the potential for a big score. And to fully experience a caper film, we’d suggest starting with The Asphalt Jungle.
In it, director John Huston revives many of the interior visual techniques used in The Maltese Falcon. But also sprinkles in plenty of on-location shooting that had become popular since his directorial debut. That nice balance creates a seriously sinister atmosphere of the city underworld. Where professional criminals run the show.
Mostly told from the criminal perspective, but with some glimpse into the police side as well, The Asphalt Jungle does its best to showcase the bad side of city life. Themes of moral ambiguity and corruption are intensified by visual motifs like varied camera angles and deep focus. The Asphalt Jungle is a must for film noir examples, and anyone who enjoys a good heist story.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Underworld settings, professional criminals, police investigators, unusual positioning of light sources, varying camera heights/angles, objects in front of the camera, deep focus, themes of corruption and moral ambiguity
7. Sunset Blvd. (Paramount, 1950)
Cynicism is one of the most important themes in all film noir. And no film captures that better than Sunset Blvd. Writer/director Billy Wilder is back again, this time turning the mirror directly at Hollywood itself.
Young star William Holden is paired up with industry legends Gloria Swanson and Erich Von Stroheim. Who both play characters quite reminiscent of their actual selves. The set design imparts incredible claustrophobia and there are certain uses of expressionistic lighting. But for the most part, Sunset Blvd. is not an essential for its settings or visual motifs. It is the story and themes that reserve its place on the list of film noir examples.
It is definitely an example of social issues being brought to the screen. The story highlights several victims of the movie industry, where vulnerability, isolation, and obsession can sometimes overpower fame. It is a look at the dark side of movies, just like film noir looks at the darker side of life in general. And although it may not be as prototypically noir as Double Indemnity or Out of the Past for instance, the underlying themes executed to perfection by Billy Wilder make Sunset Blvd. essential viewing.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Claustrophobic interior sets, victims of circumstance and society, flashbacks, voiceover narration, themes of cynicism, vulnerability, isolation, obsession, and the reversal of the “American Dream”
8. The Big Heat (Columbia, 1953)
Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Lee Marvin deliver some of the most chilling film noir performances in this story of corruption, isolation, and revenge. It is extra famous for one particularly violent scene, but The Big Heat offers much more than just shock factor.
Directed by German emigre Fritz Lang who was part of the undeniable link to film noir’s foundation in German Expressionism (Click here for a primer on German Expressionism). The story is told primarily from the perspective of one police officer, played by Glenn Ford, amid a sea of crime and corruption. And when his investigation turns him towards the wrong people, it leads to disaster and an unrelenting search for justice.
Studio based shooting well into the 1950s and reserved choices for expressionistic lighting and camerawork do not make The Big Heat the unforgettable film it has become. But the characters, settings, plot, and themes certainly do. Pair that with historic acting performances and pushing the boundaries of on-screen violence, and you get an important film in the evolution of film noir’s classic era.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Police stations, criminal hangouts, police investigators, professional criminals, themes of moral ambiguity, guilt, isolation, and corruption
9. Kiss Me Deadly (United Artists, 1955)
One of the late masterpieces of the classic era is Kiss Me Deadly. As film noir continues to become more psychological and violent, the prototype private detective character changed too. Enter Mike Hammer, the creation of author Mickey Spillane.
Called out early on for being self-centered, underhanded professionally, and clearly enjoying violence, the Mike Hammer character takes the idea of having one’s own moral code to the next level. He navigates a complex mystery and its many characters entirely how he sees fit. And soon, the plot begins to reflect the anxieties of a new world in 1955.
Other mainstay characters like federal agents, a femme fatale, and victims of circumstance navigate numerous noir settings in this thrilling movie that uses nearly every visual technique in the noir toolbox. Low-key lighting, high and low camera angles, depth of field, jarring closeups, objects obscuring the view of the camera…etc all work together to compound the feelings of anxiety and paranoia that grip every minute of this essential. Film noir has come a long way since its development in the early 1940s.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Road scenes, claustrophobic interiors, boxing gyms, bars, private investigators, federal agents, femme fatales, hardboiled dialogue, low-key lighting, varied camera heights/angles, objects obscuring the frame, themes of vulnerability, anxiety, paranoia, and moral ambiguity
10. Touch of Evil (Universal, 1958)
Rounding out the essentials list is Touch of Evil, the movie usually regarded as the end of film noir’s classic era. That point remains contested to this day, but one viewing of Orson Welles’ disorienting story can reveal why many consider it the epitaph of the classic era.
It boasts an all-star cast, with Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Orson Welles leading the way. Marlene Dietrich plays a part too, along with a small but historically impactful role by Dennis Weaver as the motel night man. The story is rooted in the Whit Masterson novel Badge of Evil, and contains many elements of noir. From the settings, to the characters, to the themes.
It is the cinematography and visual expression of the film that gives it a special place in film noir history though. Director Orson Welles and Director of Photography Russell Metty take the visual motifs of noir and push them to the limit. The lighting contrasts and shadow placement is extensive. And the camera positions, angles, and movement are so disorienting, that it is hard to imagine filmmakers going further, without the movie becoming unwatchable.
Like The Maltese Falcon though, Touch of Evil is more than just a landmark film in terms of timing. It is a master filmmaker at work, helping to alter the course of film history.
Film Noir Elements to Look For: Dangerous settings, themes of vulnerability and corruption, police investigators, professional criminals, low-key lighting, off-center framing, tilted camera angles, intense close-ups, objects obscuring the frame