I Wish I Could Watch These 10 Essential Noir Movies Again For The First Time

The film noir genre still has plenty of fans all these decades later, but there’s no replacement for watching the true classics for the first time. For anyone looking to get into film noir, there are certain movies that should be seen essential, whether they’re detective stories, social satires or something else entirely.

The best films noir have proven their staying power throughout the decades, and they still influence neo-noir and other crime movies in some ways today. For fans of the genre, there’s nothing better than discovering another true classic for the first time, because there’s only a finite amount.

10

The Big Sleep (1946)

Bogart And Bacall Make A Perfect Duo

The Big Sleep - poster - Humphrey Bogart

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The Big Sleep

Approved

Crime

Film Noir

Mystery

Release Date

August 31, 1946

Runtime

114 Minutes

Director

Howard Hawks

Writers

William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman, Raymond Chandler

Cast

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    Humphrey Bogart

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Lauren Bacall

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    John Ridgely

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Martha Vickers

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Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made four films together, which are all worth watching for fans of the film noir genre. By the time they made The Big Sleep, they were already the most talked-about couple in Hollywood, and Warner Bros changed the script to give them more time together on screen.

Warner Bros changed the script to give Bogart and Bacall more time together on screen.

The Big Sleep is notoriously hard to follow, and it leaves some puzzling questions about the plot even after the credits roll. However, this knotty mystery is wrapped in one of the most stylish shaggy dog stories ever filmed, crackling with exquisite dialogue and bolstered by a great cast.

9

The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Charles Laughton’s One Directorial Hit Remains A Masterpiece

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

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The Night of the Hunter

Not Rated

Thriller

Drama

Crime

9/10

Release Date

August 26, 1955

Runtime

93 Minutes

Director

Charles Laughton

Writers

Davis Grubb, James Agee, Charles Laughton

Cast

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    Robert Mitchum

    Preacher Harry Powell

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    Billy Chapin

    John Harper

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Charles Laughton was primarily known as an actor, both on stage and on screen. The Night of the Hunter was the one feature-length film he got to direct, and it stands out as something completely unique. If it had been a financial success, it’s possible that Laughton would have had a long and distinguished career as a director, but The Night of the Hunter instead represents the beginning of what might have been.

Imagery-from-Who-Framed-Roger-Rabbit-and-The-Batman

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For all Laughton’s striking chiaroscuro compositions, The Night of the Hunter is also worth watching for Robert Mitchum’s incredible performance as a slimy, soulless serial killer. Mitchum provides a malevolent presence throughout a dark crime story. He’s immediately captivating, and it’s enough to make the audience wonder why The Night of the Hunter doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

8

Sweet Smell Of Success (1957)

Tony Curtis And Burt Lancaster Star In A Dark Satire

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) - Poster

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Sweet Smell of Success

Approved

Film Noir

Drama

Release Date

July 4, 1957

Runtime

96 Minutes

Director

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers

Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman, Alexander Mackendrick

Cast

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    Burt Lancaster

    J.J. Hunsecker

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Tony Curtis

    Sidney Falco

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Susan Harrison

    Susan Hunsecker

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Martin Milner

    Steve Dallas

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Although film noir is mostly associated with crime, some of the genre’s classics are more straightforward dramas. Sweet Smell of Success peers into the murky world of New York City’s print media landscape, as a press agent and a powerful columnist conspire to break up a relationship.

There are no heroes in Sweet Smell of Success, just two immoral characters who work together when it’s convenient for them to do so, and go to war when they get in each other’s way. Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster both deliver great performances. Curtis in particular highlights the wry humor that punctuates the dialogue.

7

Shadow Of A Doubt (1943)

Alfred Hithcock Was A Master Of Film Noir

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Shadow of a Doubt

Passed

Thriller

Film Noir

Release Date

January 15, 1943

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, Alma Reville, Gordon McDonell

Cast

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    Teresa Wright

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Joseph Cotten

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    Macdonald Carey

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    Henry Travers

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Many of Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies fall into the film noir genre, like Strangers on a Train, Rebecca, Spellbound and more. Shadow of a Doubt should be in the conversation for the director’s greatest contribution to the genre, thanks partly to an unforgettable villain performance by Joseph Cotten.

Alfred Hitchcock cited Shadow of a Doubt as his personal favorite from his filmography, so it’s worth paying close attention to. The story hints at the dark underbelly of the dream of a happy family, suggesting that true evil can come from anywhere, often close to home.

6

Diabolique (1955)

The French Film Had A Global Impact

Les Diaboliques 1955 film Poster

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Diabolique

NR

Drama

Horror

Crime

Release Date

January 29, 1955

Runtime

117 Minutes

Director

Henri-Georges Clouzot

Writers

Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jérôme Géronimi

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Véra Clouzot

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Simone Signoret

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Paul Meurisse

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Charles Vanel

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Diabolique – or Les Diaboliques as it is sometimes known – has the look and feel of an Alfred Hitchcock film, but Henri-Georges Clouzot optioned the screenplay to ensure that Hitchcock never got his hands on it. The result is an unforgettable noir thriller with plenty of horror elements.

Gloria Swanson In Sunset Boulevard, Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity, and Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

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Film noir is sometimes thought of as a mostly American genre, so it’s interesting to see a few international classics which have made an impact. Diabolique deserves its place alongside the greats, with an intoxicating blend of horror and crime, as a man’s wife and mistress conspire to murder him.

5

Laura (1944)

Otto Preminger Was A Master Of Noir

Laura (1944) - Poster

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Laura

Approved

Film Noir

Drama

Mystery

Release Date

October 11, 1944

Runtime

88 Minutes

Director

Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian

Writers

Vera Caspary, Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhardt

Cast

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    Gene Tierney

    LAura Hunt

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Dana Andrews

    Det. Lt. Mark McPherson

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Clifton Webb

    Waldo Lydecker

  • Headshot Of Vincent Price

    Vincent Price

    Shelby Carpenter

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Laura starts with a detective investigating the death of Laura Hunt, but, of course, all is not what it seems. Otto Preminger’s delightfully sleazy high society drama unfolds like a taut whodunnit, but there are a few twists which change the entire complexion of the story.

There’s a satirical, acerbic dimension to Laura‘s vision of high society. Even in the midst of a murder investigation, people have time to trade barbs and fight over status symbols. This adds another layer to Laura‘s entertainment value, but it also contributes to the depressing tragedy of innocent people being caught in the crossfire of petty, small-minded villains.

4

The Killing (1956)

Stanley Kubrick’s Heist Thriller Has Aged Brilliantly

The Killing 1956

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The Killing

Approved

Crime

Drama

Film Noir

Release Date

June 6, 1956

Runtime

84 Minutes

Director

Stanley Kubrick

Writers

Stanley Kubrick, Jim Thompson, Lionel White

Producers

James B. Harris

Cast

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    Sterling Hayden

    Fay

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Coleen Gray

    Johnny Clay

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Vince Edwards

    Val Cannon

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jay C. Flippen

    Marvin Unger

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The Killing isn’t often considered one of Stanley Kubrick’s best movies, but it shows off the director’s impressive mastery of different genres once again. Along with movies like Asphalt Jungle and Rififi, The Killing helped shape the heist genre, and its influence can still be seen today.

The Killing barrels along at an infectious pace, even though its non-linear structure weaves in and out in the build-up to the heist. Kubrick creates a muddle of cause and effect, piling on top of one another until it’s hard to keep track of each character’s crimes and culpability. Once it gets to the heist, however, the story straightens out and becomes laser-focused.

3

Double Indemnity (1944)

Double Indemnity Sums Up The Genre

Double Indemnity 1944 Movie Poster

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Double Indemnity

Not Rated

Crime

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

10/10

Release Date

July 3, 1944

Runtime

107 Minutes

Director

Billy Wilder

Writers

Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler

Cast

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    Fred MacMurray

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    Barbara Stanwyck

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If someone wants to gain an understanding of film noir for the first time, Double Indemnity is the perfect place to start. It captures so much of what makes the genre what it is, and it set the standard for film noir for many years. Barbara Stanwyck’s cunning femme fatale helped create a whole archetype.

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2

Phyllis Dietrichson seduces a suave insurance salesman into murdering her husband. He thinks that he’s in control the whole time, only to realize that he’s trapped in the web that she has spun for him. Double Indemnity draws the audience in too, but an intelligent script by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler stays one step ahead.

2

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Billy Wilder Continued Working In Film Noir

Sunset_Boulevard_(1950_poster)

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Sunset Boulevard

Approved

Film Noir

Drama

9/10

Release Date

August 10, 1950

Runtime

110 Minutes

Director

Billy Wilder

Writers

Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, D.M. Marshman Jr.

Cast

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    William Holden

    Joe Gillis

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gloria Swanson

    Norma Desmond

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Billy Wilder was one of the great masters of film noir. Six years after Double Indemnity, he continued to drive the genre forward with Sunset Boulevard, a tale of desperation and despair set against a backdrop of Hollywood glamour. Gloria Swanson stars as an aging movie star trying to return to her glory years.

Sunset Boulevard proves that film noir can often be funny. Wilder had a knack for comedic dialogue, and there’s a lot of dark humor throughout his tale of Hollywood depravity. This humor doesn’t make the film any less impactful when it needs to be. Sunset Boulevard‘s unforgettable ending cements its place as a classic.

1

The Third Man (1949)

Orson Welles Sets A Post-War Thriller Alight

The Third Man Movie Poster

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The Third Man

Approved

Noir

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

7/10

Release Date

February 1, 1950

Runtime

93 Minutes

Director

Carol Reed

Writers

Graham Greene, Orson Welles, Alexander Korda

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Orson Welles

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Joseph Cotten

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Film noir categorizes many of Orson Welles’ best movies, including Touch of Evil and The Lady From Shanghai. The Third Man is arguably more influential and compelling than any other, although Welles only acts in it, rather than directing and writing too.

The action is expertly tempered by the dynamic between the characters.

Even before Welles appears on-screen, his impish grin illuminated beneath a doorway, his presence looms large over The Third Man. His introduction shakes up a beguiling mystery, and the narrative soon shifts gears to become a battle of wills between two men with opposing philosophies. It’s a thriller with rare power, because the action is expertly tempered by the dynamic between the characters.