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If you are a fan of movies, there is a good chance you have heard the term “film noir” at some point. Someone might have used it to describe a detective film from the 1940s. Or perhaps a crime thriller with a complex story. What is the meaning of film noir though? Where did it come from, and what makes a movie a film noir?

These remain tough questions to answer, despite some of the hallmark features of famous noir films. There are intricate plots almost always revolving around criminal activity. Characters who struggle with their own psychology and ethical compass. The intentional use of light and shadow to add a particular effect. All of which seem to transport the viewer from the wonderful possibilities of life that movies can sometimes show, to the dark underbelly of a difficult and occasionally unfair world.

Beneath the surface of these films lies a fascinating history though. One that can help reveal the underlying essence of film noir. It is a story of various artistic and commercial influences, that meshed together with major world events of the time. The result was a new form of filmmaking that continues to captivate viewers and influence what we see on screens today. 

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Edward G. Robinson in The Stranger

RKO, 1946

Why Examine Film Noir?

Before diving into the historical context and common elements of film noir, let’s first take a step back. Why is it worth examining a series of primarily black and white films, several decades into the 21st century?  Certainly, there are some people who enjoy older noir films for feelings of nostalgia. They long for the past, and watching an older film can briefly transport them to another time. Then there are those who simply enjoy the stories, the acting, or the themes. Some viewers even look to older movies to understand society or the art of a different age. 

While these are all legitimate reasons in their own right to keep film noir alive, we believe there are additional benefits if we expand the discussion. More awareness can help introduce the subject to new people who could thoroughly enjoy the films. Deeper investigation and conversation can be great for noir enthusiasts too. It can allow them to grow their knowledge and connect with others who share the same passion. And lastly, thanks to film noir’s incredible influence on future filmmaking, examining it can give us new levels of perspective and enjoyment when we watch the movies and tv shows made today. 

Shadows of Noir

In fact, our Shadows of Noir name is not just about the shadows on the screen of noir films. It is also in reference to the “shadows” that film noir continues to cast on the movies and tv shows made today. Some recent works are clear homage pieces to the older world of film noir. But beyond those, the traces of film noir’s elements are all over contemporary cinema. It is because of the filmmaking methods that were established or popularized during the classic era of film noir, that many current movies are made the way they are. Put simply, film noir not only changed the game when it first emerged, it continues to influence what we see now. 

The Term "Film Noir"

Emergence & Adoption

We feel the first step is examining film noir is to review the term. At this point, it is well accepted that film noir emerged in the early 1940s. However, it grew so naturally out of influences and world events, that there was no specific term for it initially. That changed in 1946 though, when French critics who had been shut off to movies made in the US because of World War II, had the chance to watch Hollywood films of the preceding five years. What they observed was a dramatic shift. The movies were dark, both in appearance and theme. The critics used the term film noir, or “black film,” when writing about them. And the label is still used today. 

Especially after World War II ended, this dark movement in cinema intensified. Despite being largely unappreciated at the time, filmmakers quickly adopted the new techniques, and hundreds of noir films were produced by the latter stages of the 1950s. Ultimately, the cycle ran its course. Filmmakers pushed the boundaries of noir conventions and other industry factors made the production of noir films less appealing.  The term remained though, and gained significant adoption once the films and the period were examined more closely. Thankfully, interest in film noir was revived by excellent studies, which showed how impactful this brief period of film history was.

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Lizabeth Scott in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

Paramount, 1946

Side Note - Definition Disagreements

In spite of its importance, film noir remains a broad term applied in many ways. Film books, essays, and mainstream media explanations are filled with different interpretations of its meaning. Some argue film noir is a full-fledged cinematic genre, like the western or screwball comedy. Others argue it is more of a visual style, and categorize films largely based on photography. Then there are those who refer to film noir more as a collective movement within film history, marked by a specific mood or tone. Likening it to other significant film developments like German Expressionism or the French New Wave.

At Shadows of Noir, all perspectives and explanations of film noir are encouraged. These varying viewpoints get people talking and help grow interest. After all, respectfully acknowledging other opinions is central to the Shadows of Noir vision (See About). Our goal at Shadows of Noir is primarily to be a guide. So we will do our best to present as many relevant viewpoints as possible, rather than get particular about definitions. It is our hope that this approach will grow interest, promote discussion, and allow as many people as possible to enjoy the broad landscape of film noir.

Historical Context

So how did film noir naturally emerge and alter the landscape of filmmaking for generations? While many agree that film noir emerged in the early 1940s, there were many influences prior to 1940 that made it possible. Furthermore, the shift in the late 1950s was not the end of the film noir story. The figure below shows several developments from 1920 to 1980 that help illustrate where film noir falls in the grand scheme of movie history. Please keep in mind that this is a guide. The figures and dates are both approximate and debatable, just like the true nature of film noir. 

film noir meaning

Influences

The central figure in grey represents the classic era of film noir that has already been referenced. It starts in the early 1940s and ends in the late 1950s. The exact endpoints are frequently debated, but it is largely acknowledged that there were several influencing factors that led to film noir’s formation shortly after 1940. The influences shown in light-gold begin with American hard-boiled crime literature and German Expressionist cinema. Two of the earlier and longer duration influences of film noir. 

In addition, other artistic influences at the time included the Hollywood gangster picture, French poetic realism films, the horror films of Val Lewton and RKO Studios , and even a parallel film movement at the time called Italian Neorealism. World War II and its massive impact was a direct factor as well. As were other world events after World War II which altered the course of film noir. It was with all these ingredients, and a few catalyst films like Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon, that the new movement towards film noir began.

Legacy

As mentioned though, the cycle ran its course and the classic era ended in the late 1950s. However, the impact of film noir was both rapid and long-lasting. In fact, film noir’s influence was so immediate, that the impact was felt before the classic era even ended. Prior to 1950, there is evidence of the film noir style starting to move into other kinds of movies, creating new sub-genres. Some argue these hybrid films belong in the noir canon, while others would exclude them. But the point here is that noir certainly affected other films, and quickly. Classic examples of these sub-genre films would include Duel in the Sun or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as they transposed elements of noir style on established movie genres. 

Perhaps more famous are the movies after the conclusion of the classic era that pay homage to the brilliance of film noir. These post-classic noir films are often referred to as neo-noir. This category is enormous and worthy of extensive discussion as well. Great films like Chinatown and Taxi Driver are usually cited as prototypical examples, which made film noir popular with younger generations. And while recent neo-noirs show a clear link between the classic era of film noir and contemporary cinema, we can see just how far-reaching its influence is today by digging into the underlying elements. 

Elements of Film Noir

Knowing the origins of the term and where film noir fits in history begs a certain question. What was so drastically different about it, that it deserves a separate label and classification? Well, in summary, film noir turned many Hollywood movie conventions of the time on their head. First off, it was not concerned with uplifting the audience. Instead of romanticized dream worlds, stories often took place in dark, unsafe places. Characters gained depth too. They struggled to maintain their own moral code, sometimes getting the viewer to question theirs. Ordinary citizens made bad decisions, and villains pushed the boundaries of what was allowable on screen.

Social issues were brought to the forefront, rather than hidden. The movie stars were not automatically in the middle of the screen with flattering light. They could be barely in the frame, blanketed with shadows, or obscured by set objects. Flashbacks and dream sequences kept the viewer wondering about time, or what was real. Extreme lighting, camera angles, and editing further disoriented the audience. Which only made some complex plots even more confusing. Lighthearted entertainment was replaced with thought-provoking ambiguity. Reminding the audience that life can be tough, and there is not always a right answer. 

Common Elements of Film Noir

What are you likely to see in film noir then? Although the noir landscape is vast, encompassing many different variations, there are many similarities to highlight. Below are many of the common settings, characters, plots, storytelling conventions, visual motifs, and themes of film noir.

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The Fisherman Setting in D.O.A.

United Artists, 1950

Settings

Dark, ominous settings that convey an unsafe world and impending doom

  • Often set in a big city, with occasional suburban locations
  • Scenes primarily taking place at night
  • “Road” settings like highways, gas stations, and roadside restaurants
  • Train stations and train yards
  • Claustrophobic interiors
    • Diners
    • Small offices
    • City apartments
    • Police interrogation rooms
  • Criminal/gangster hangouts like corrupt night-clubs or boxing gyms
Main Characters​

Victims of fate/obsession who commit crimes, hardened criminals, and the people who investigate their misdeeds

  • “Regular” citizens gone bad
  • Victims of circumstance, desire, or society that turn to crime
  • Compulsive or professional criminals
    • Gangsters/grifters
    • Femme fatales
    • Impulsive maniacs
  • Criminal investigators
    • Police officers and detectives
    • Federal agents
    • Private eyes
    • Journalists
Plots​

Stories revolving around criminal activity, shown from the investigator and/or criminal perspective

  • Investigator perspective
    • Police/federal agent cases
    • Private eye working for a client
    • Journalists researching stories
    • Medical examinations, often psychiatric
    • Law-abiding citizens searching for the truth
  • Criminal perspective
    • Events tempting regular citizens
    • Gangsters plotting and executing crimes
    • Maniacs acting on impulses
    • Falsely accused victims trying to prove their innocence
    • Convicted criminals in prison
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Low-Key Lighting in The Hitch-Hiker

RKO, 1953

Visual Motifs​

Dramatic lighting, camerawork, and framing that amplify the dark tone of the subject matter

  • Lighting
    • Low-key lighting ratios producing dark shadows and strong contrasts 
    • Unusual positioning and direction of light sources
  • Camerawork
    • Great depth of field from wide-angle lenses
    • Tilted (canted) angle shots
    • Low-angle shots looking up at claustrophobic ceilings
    • High-angle shots focused downward to foreshadow doom
    • Intense close-ups
  • Framing
    • Off-center positioning of stars
    • Frame within a frame shots
    • Objects near the camera obscuring the frame
    • Mirrors shots showing multiple perspectives
Storytelling Conventions​

Writing and narrative framing that promotes ambiguity and distorts the viewers’ sense of reality

  • Dream sequences and hallucination scenes
  • Complex stories with many characters and small details that factor in
  • Flashbacks and a fractured sense of time
  • Voiceover narration changing the relationship with the audience
  • Unrealistically tough-talking, sharp dialogue
  • Semi-documentary stories shot on-location, disguising fiction as real events
Themes​

Pessimistic messages/topics that reveal the tough, treacherous side of life

  • Cynicism
  • Vulnerability
  • Obsession
  • Moral ambiguity
  • Anxiety
  • Guilt
  • Fate and lack of free will
  • An inescapable past
  • Randomness
  • Paranoia
  • Isolation
  • Corruption
  • Complexities of human psychology
    • Psychotherapy
    • Trauma
  • Reversal of the “American Dream”

Next Steps

For those who were curious about the meaning of film noir, we hope this brief outline helped shed some light on the subject. It remains a term used in many contexts, but the intention was to help clarify the term with background information about its origins, place in history, and common elements. Ideally, it will make watching noir movies more enjoyable.

And for anyone intrigued by the background and eager to find out more, please know that this article only scratches the surface. There is incredible depth behind these areas, and much more that is worthy of discussion too. And it is the goal at Shadows of Noir to examine and discuss as many areas as possible in the articles and podcasts. So we would invite anyone interested to follow the links below, and continue journeying into the fascinating world of film noir.

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Creative Credits

Logo Designed by Clayton McCormack

Film Still from The Stranger (RKO, 1946)

Film Still from The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (Paramount, 1946)

Historical Context Visual created by Shadows of Noir, LLC

Film Still from D.O.A. (United Artists, 1950)

Film Still from The Hitch-Hiker (RKO, 1953)

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