Posted on 08/08/2026 2:55:55 PM PDT by Tacrolimus1mg
I'm looking to introduce my future husband to some film noir, either on DVD, streaming or film (I have a number of projectors to choose from). He didn't watch a lot of classic movies growing up, and we're both late eighties babies, so there wasn't a ton of it on TV to begin with. I didn't really get to indulge this hobby until my dad started restoring projectors.
List me your favorite noir films, popular or obscure. I'd like to see some I haven't heard of before.
Thank you in advance!
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Almost forgot: The Last Run (1971) George C. Scott
Murder by Contract (free on youtube)
Cited by Martin Scorsese as the film that influence him the most Source
Pioneers many elements you've seen in dozens of such movies. Subtle focus on the killer's quirks and hangups, his "getting in shape", great obsession scene in the weapons store, odd music cues (including Perry Botkin guitar work)
I don’t have any sleepers. They are all pretty well known.
“The Big Sleep:, 1946, Humphrey Bogart
“White Heat”, 1949, James Cagney
“Angels with Dirty Faces”, 1938, Cagney and Bogart
“This Gun for Hire,” I mean who doesn’t love Veronica Lake?
Is “Mancurian Candiate” considered film noir or thriller? I am not sure...
For something modern, “L.A. Confidential”.
Definition:
Film noir — French term meaning “black film” or “dark film”.
It describes a Hollywood crime and detective drama style from the 1940s and 1950s. These movies feature cynical heroes, dark and shadowy black-and-white visuals, and pessimistic or fatalistic themes.
Cynical Anti-Hero: The protagonist is often a hard-boiled private investigator, down-on-his-luck detective, or an ordinary man caught in a bad situation. They are usually world-weary and morally gray.
Femme Fatale: A seductive, mysterious, and dangerous woman who uses her charm to manipulate the protagonist into criminal or fatal situations.Disorienting
Complex, Non-linear Narratives: Plots are filled with twists, red herrings, and framing devices like flashbacks and voiceover narration.Pessimistic
Themes: Stories focus on corruption, obsession, fatalism, and entrapment, rarely offering happy or tidy endings.
I heartily recommend it, folks.
Great movie.
“The Stranger”
Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young
“The Lady from Shanghai”
Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth
“Gilda”
Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford
Don’t miss “Executive Suite”!
“Citizen Kane”
Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton
I love murder mysteries and ‘who-done-its.’ Obviously. ;)
Chinatown is my pic for best movie ever. For 10 years i cleaned house and did the laundry every Saturday morning with Chinatown on in the background. Wife watched it for the first time last year and loved it.
John Huston as the villain is great.
Bogart was so lame. He always played the same person.
I found that movie to be profoundly boring.
DOA
Impact
Raw Deal
The Hitch Hiker
High Sierra
The Big Combo
Seconds for
The Third Man
Out of the Past
Kiss of Death
Pickup on South Street
Chinatown and Two Jakes makes a good double feature.
Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing.
Of course Robert Mitchum’s Night of the Hunter and Cape Fear are amazing.
I picked up a film noir film posters calendar a couple years ago. And then watched all the films during their month. I found most of them on Amazon Prime. And then Prime would “suggest” other film noirs. So I’d watch or 2 or 3 in a day. Great fun. That’s a good line to tap.
Casablanca, 1942.
Humphrey Bogart
Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman
Ilsa Lund
Paul Henreid
Victor Laszlo
Peter Lorre
Ugarte
Claude Rains
Captain Louis Renault
Sydney Greenstreet
Signor Ferrari
Madeleine Lebeau
Yvonne
Joy Page
Annina Brandel
Dooley Wilson
Sam
I especially like the plastic surgeon.
Bogart was so lame. He always played the same person.
Programming alert! Apparently it was Gene Tierney Day today on TCM. “Leave Her to Heaven” is on at 8pm Eastern time 😀
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