Film noir got its name in 1946 when French critic Nino Frank expressed his fascination with the dark Hollywood melodramas of the time. The far-reaching influence of film noir is staggering and remains an international phenomenon. We've tried to stay within some of the parameters of film noir - okay, maybe we've broken some rules - and put together a list of noir films and noir inspired films. All true film buffs: here are ten must-see noir classics.
1. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Tired, embittered, lonely private detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) accidentally becomes involved in the conspiracies of a criminal organization chasing a mysterious statue of a Maltese falcon. At the same time, he is tormented by the issue of unrequited love for a femme fatale (Mary Astor), who hires him at the beginning of the film and sets off the whole whirlwind of events.
2. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Billy Wilder's devastating look at fading stardom brings William Holden as screenwriter to silent film star Nora Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who hires him to write her a script that will bring her back to the big screen. If we want to see the dark side of Hollywood, then this is it. And if we want noir, how else could we describe a film that begins with the death of the protagonist?
3. Touch of Evil (1958)
After a car explosion on the US side of the US-Mexico border, Mexican agent Miguel Vargas (Charlton Heston) sets out to investigate the traumatic incident alongside the limping and aging US police chief Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles). Vargas stumbles upon shocking connections between the police and the criminal world.
4. The Third Man (1949)
The story takes place in Vienna immediately after World War II. American writer Rollo Martins (Joseph Cotten) tries to explain the mystery surrounding the disappearance of one of his classmates, Harry Lime (Orson Welles), whose death is incomprehensible to him. As his research progresses, Martins learns the real truth about his friend's role. He reveals himself as an adventurer of great style, who has descended into the black market and drug smuggling. He stopped neither before murder nor before betrayal….
5. Double Indemnity (1944)
Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is an insurance agent who falls in love with the wrong woman. Barbara Stanwyck is Phyllis Dietrichson, his femme fatale. There is nothing they can do to prevent events that lead them in only one direction: to an elevator too many kilometers away. No matter how carefully they plan to kill her husband, Walter sums up the situation best (right at the beginning of the film) with the words: “I killed a man. I killed a man for money. I killed a man for a woman. Now I have neither money nor woman."
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6. The Big Sleep (1946)
Tired, bitter, lonely private detective Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) becomes involved in the conspiracies of an aristocratic society through a web of coincidences. A femme fatale (Lauren Bacall) also plays a key role in this. Deep Sleep is a film that will make us laugh out loud. Not from laughter. Raymond Chandler, the author of the cult novel on which the film is based, created a hero characterized by caustic cynicism and venomous, merciless dialogue.
7. Chinatown (1974)
This noir film needs no special mention. Roman Polanski's brilliant film is a true dharma. Jack Nicholson is Jake Gittes, a private detective who looks for evidence of adultery, but accidentally stumbles upon much more. Murder? Complications? Oh yeah. Clearly, Chinatown is pure film noir, with a female fatale as well. Cold beauty Evelyn Cross (Faye Dunaway), who is consumed by a terrible secret and who nevertheless confuses the head of the main character.
8. Blade Runner (1982)
Unmistakably, The Exterminator is a sci-fi film noir inspired by both Metropolis and Marlene Dietrich's Blue Angel. Harrison Ford stars in the titular role of Exterminator Deckard, who hunts man-made humans in a terrifying cyber-future (2019 Los Angeles, to be exact).
9. Blood Simple (1984)
Marty (Dan Hedaya), the owner of a corner restaurant, finds out that his wife Abby (Frances McDormand) is cheating on him with a bartender (John Getz), so he decides to get rid of them. But because he doesn't want to get his hands dirty himself, he hires Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh), a fat, greasy, slimy private detective, who becomes his execution squad, but not completely - the treacherous, pathologically greedy Loren starts playing his own game.
10. LA Confidential (1997)
Los Angeles, early fifties. The rapidly developing city opens up opportunities for everyone who dreams of a career and money. But the truth is different.. drugs, murders, corruption, prostitution and extortion - this is the way to success and easy money. Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), three police officers, are each trying to solve the mystery of the murders in a nightclub on their own. But the matter is more complicated than it seems...
