What Is “Film Noir”?

What is film noir?

Film noir is a stylized type of cinema characterized by pessimism, fatalism, and cynicism. The term was first used in France after World War II to describe American thrillers or detective films of the 1940s and 1950s. However, the history of Hollywood film noir can be traced back to the 1920s. Literally meaning “black film,” the term was used by French critics to describe Hollywood movies filled with unprecedented darkness and pessimism.

It’s hard to say whether it is a genre or a style, and the noir elements listed below don’t all have to be present for a film to be considered noir. But this style is extremely common.

Common elements of film noir:

• Anti-hero protagonist
• Femme fatale
• Tight, concise dialogue
• High-contrast imagery
• Postwar disillusionment

Film noir arises from an age of anxiety

This filmmaking style is characteristic of a painful period in history. The cynicism and pessimism of the Great Depression became deeply rooted in the American psyche. Then came World War II: many men were sent to the front lines, while many women took over their jobs in their absence.

After the war, there was a period of uncertainty. People returned from the battlefield traumatized, and the world had lost much of its innocence. One theory holds that when men came back, they found that women’s roles had changed dramatically. Housewives themselves had become workers, so gender roles that had existed for decades were perceived as having been disrupted.

To address this sense of insecurity, film noir gave us stories of men being used by powerful, sometimes even sinister women. Again, this is only one theory about how and why noir became such a prominent style/genre in the postwar period.

In fact, many of the iconic noirs Hollywood made in the 1940s were adapted from novels of the 1930s. Thus, one could say that World War II had nothing to do with the original material, though it may explain the later popularity of the films.

Examples of film noir

What does cynicism look like in cinema? Is it dialogue full of irony and biting remarks? Or is it simply the high-contrast imagery in every scene? Note the bleak feeling in these three classic films noir.

This suspenseful noir starring Humphrey Bogart left a lasting impact with its spectacular cinematography and sinister use of shadow.

Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, and Vincent Price star in this classic noir, whose outstanding performances are considered textbook for the genre.

This noir murder mystery, featuring the hugely popular duo of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The Blue Dahlia tells the story of a sailor who returns home to find that his wife is having an affair, and that his son has died as a result of her alcoholism. It is one of many noir films that reflect wartime disillusionment.

Many critics believe that film noir ended with the 1958 release of one of Orson Welles’s best films, Touch of Evil. Today, some films are influenced by this genre (or style)...

Almost everything David Lynch does seems to echo noir. The audiovisual texture and overall feel of Mulholland Drive are undoubtedly influenced by film noir.

Every scene in noir carries a touch of madness. Stark lighting and extensive flashbacks capture the thrilling feel of the era, while the frequent murders only intensify the pervasive pessimism.