 This image is a complete depiction of film noir. It shows a murder that takes place during a dark and rainy night in what appears to be an abandoned street. The killer is a beautiful woman who probably seduced the dead man and killed him when he was least expecting it |
A French Phrase meaning “black film.” This film genre emerged in the early 1940s and became more prevalent in the U.S. during the post-war era. It was unique in the sense that it differed in subject matter, setting, and characters. These black-and-white films portrayed disillusioned and desperate characters in the world of crime and corruption. These various elements combined with low-key lighting and an urban setting depicted a dark world full of tension, pessimism, and oppression.
The origin of film noir can be traced to American pulp literature and German expressionism in the years following the Great Depression. American writers started to publish crime stories that depicted the fear and anxiety many were feeling in response to the urban expansion and corruption found in America at this time. In Europe, the best directors were being trained to make movies in the new style of German Expressionism. With the rise of the Nazi party, many of these directors who were studying at a film studio in Berlin, fled the country due to worsening political conditions. In the early 1940s, Hollywood experienced a mixing of the new fiction produced by the American writers of this time with the cinematic style of the German directors. This combination produced what came to be known as film noir. In the end, it was the French who dubbed this unlikely combination film noir. Film noir reached its peak in 1944, with the release of many classic films such as Double Indemnity and Laura.
 [Linda Darnell, Percy Kilbride and Dana Andrews in Otto Preminger’s Fallen Angel (1945).] Here, we see the femme fatale inside with a man who has probably fallen for her charm and will later suffer because of it. Outside, in the shadows, lurks either a man who is part of the crime or the detective who is trying to gather information. |
In terms of setting, the story takes place at night usually in weather that’s either rainy or foggy. In terms of characters, the protagonist, who is usually a cop or a private detective, appears to be a cynic on the surface, but in reality is a hero who believes in moral idealism. Perhaps the most important character is the femme fatale: the beautiful, yet dangerous woman whose loyalty and honesty is constantly being questioned. The context of these films is one of moral ambiguity. As the investigation continues, social problems such as crime and corruption are discovered in what seems to be an immoral environment. As for content, we see the recurring theme of murder and when it comes to writing style, writers often slip in sarcastic humor. In terms of the hero, at the end, we see that he is often flawed and not in full control of his actions.
Noir never really ended, instead it moved to television. In the 1950s, Hollywood transformed in an attempt to compete with television. In order to attract people to theaters, studios had to show the audience what they couldn’t see at home. This included a widescreen context in which color and extras were a must---everything that was the opposite of noir. Many of the writers, directors, and actors who participated in film noir on the big screen, adjusted to the move by appearing on television.
