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 post–World War II France 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 do not all have to be present for a film to be considered noir. But this style is very common.

Common elements of film noir:

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

Film Noir Originated in an Age of Anxiety

This filmmaking style is marked by a particularly painful period in history. The cynicism and pessimism of the Great Depression became deeply ingrained in the American psyche. Then came World War II, when many men were sent to the front lines and 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 men came back to find that women’s roles had changed significantly. Housewives themselves had become workers, and the gender roles that had existed for decades were perceived as having been disrupted.

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

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

Examples of Film Noir

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

This suspenseful noir starring Humphrey Bogart made a lasting impact through its spectacular cinematography and sinister use of shadows.

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

This noir murder mystery, featuring the popular duo Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The Blue Dahlia tells the story of a sailor who returns home to discover his wife’s infidelity and that his son has died due to her alcoholism. It is one of many noirs 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)…

Nearly everything David Lynch does seems to resonate with noir. The audiovisual style and mood of Mulholland Drive are undoubtedly influenced by film noir.

Every scene in noir carries a touch of madness. The stark lighting and heavy use of flashbacks capture the exhilarating feel of that era, while the frequent murders only heighten the sense of pessimism.