The term itself is literally translated as "Black Cinema (or film)" and so defined by French critics post WW2 to describe the increasing trend of American crime dramas shot with murky, shadowy grays often with anti-hero protagonists. The description evolved to center around mid-to-lower economic-class characters that were enticed, often by circumstance, to do something illegal... in pursuit of love and/or money. Wilder's Double Indemnity and Edgar Ulmer's Detour would be prime mid-1940s examples. The nebulous Noir moniker expanded to include films with plot devices of amnesia, recent ex-convict characters, flash-back (remembered) narratives, femme fatales, tragic conflict between individual and society, shared guilt, pathos, classic nemesis and occasional obtuse camera angles. These became the mainstay recognizable stylistic norms building the distinguishing keys of 'Film-Noir'. Most often the plots were derived from the hard-boiled pulp fiction crime novels of the era. More of a theme or mood than to be pigeon-holed as a 'genre' - perhaps the beauty of 'Film-Noir' is its lack of limitation, and its corresponding problematic nature of strict classification.

NOTE: Titles in bold are, or have been at one time, available on DVD. Images are linked to, frequently very large, scans for both posters and star photos (not necessarily glossies from that corresponding film). More will be added over time - please continue to re-visit and comment HERE on titles you may feel have enough merit to considered for addition to the list. Your opinion matters greatly to us. We developed this page for you.