Film Noir: Notable Then and Notable Now
“Of all the varieties of films Hollywood produced during the flory days of the studio system, noirs hold up best.” - Eddie Muller
During my junior year of college, I took a course on film noir that was taught by a brilliant professor. His course taught me the mult-faceted elements of cinema as a whole, and he always exuded excitement about the topic. What struck me the most about film noir was how timeless it remains in media as well as society. For example, there are still various forms of the cinematic genre on the smaller screen. This includes the new Batman animated series, as well as older television programs like Breaking Bad. The structure of a film noir resembles a choose your own adventure, but with the mayhem of crime, because the audience member is also doing the work. They decide to invest in either the misanthropic hero, or the corrupt villain. Sometimes, the hero is guilty of a crime that they did not commit, or is trying to uncover the truth behind one. However, there are instances where the hero becomes a version of themselves that reflects a villain. There are also certain films, where everyone involved is morally ambiguous, and has an ulterior motive. Thanks to cinema classes as well as access to these gems, more individuals can discover these cult classic films.
Top 5 Best Film Noir Movies Ranked By Me
(All of these films are available to be watched in entirety, and without ads on the Internet Archive)
1. Kiss Me Deadly (1955 dir. Robert Aldrich
Based loosely upon Mickey Spillane’s 1952 novel under the same name, Robert Aldrich’s film captivates its audience with its introduction. It opens with a woman in trouble, Christina (Cloris Leachman), heavily panting. She is seen barefoot, and running on the road from an ominous threat, then she gets picked up by a private detective who is called Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker). Before Hammer can drop Christina off at the bus station, something deadly happens, and the private detective wakes up in a hospital room. Overall, Aldrich’s film carries an eerie feeling that leaves the viewer on edge until the end title washes over the screen.
2. Mildred Pierce (1945 dir. Michael Curtiz)
Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford) is an everyday woman who faces many challenges that still remain relevant. After Mildred separates from her husband, she is left on her own to raise her two daughters, Kay and Veda. To make ends meet, Mildred begins working as a baker and a waitress. Veda (Ann Blyth), grows up into a corrupted character that makes Michael Curtiz adapted this film from the acclaimed novel with the same title by James M. Cain. It’s the perfect mother’s day film because it makes a person appreciate the mother they have. On the other hand, for mothers, it can also help them cherish not having a Veda in the lives to darken their doorstep.
3. Double Indemnity (1944 dir. Billy Wilder)
Wilder’s film opens with Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who has hit rock bottom, and is wounded by a gunshot. Walter’s story begins with him working as a sleazy insurance salesman, and meeting the married Phyliss Deitrich (Barbara Stanwyck). His only true friend is Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) who provides a juxtaposition to Phyllis as being a law-abiding citizen. Edward G. Robinson remains the underrated part of Wilder’s film, who is deserving of more praise because of his charm. James M. Cain also wrote the novel for which this film is based on, and adapted for the screen.
4. The Third Man (1949 dir. Carol Reed)
Suppose someone was traveling all the way to a foreign country from the United States, to see their childhood friend for a job. Upon arrival, this person finds out that their friend is being buried after being hit by a car. Carol Reed’s film opens with this premise which follows a writer named Holly Martens (Joseph Cotten), who is traveling to Vienna to visit his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Holly is driven by his own ego, and decides to stay in order to uncover the mystery behind Harry’s death. Although, the strangest part about all this is how everyone at the funeral has a different story about Harry. Fair warning: after watching this film, one may see spiral staircases in a darker light.
5. The Night of the Hunter (1955 dir. Charles Laughton)
Charles Laughton’s film is an adaptation of Davis Grubb’s 1953 novel written under the same name. This story carries the blackness of evil which is embodied by a self proclaimed man of God named Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum). The two individuals who are able to see his sinister nature the most are siblings, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl Harper (Sally Jane Bruce). Unfortunately, their recently widowed mother, Willa Harper (Shelley Winters), has become Harry’s new target. Despite being panned by critics upon release, this film remains a cult classic with its cinematography by Stanley Cortez, and spellbinding acting. Not only is it film noir, but it is also a mixture of Southern gothic storytelling, and horror. The mixture of all these genres allows for the viewer to be captivated by a film that feels like its own work of art.
Natasha Hendler is an M.A. student at Binghamton University studying French and translation. Her research pertains to examining feminist as well as psychoanalytical theories in cinema as well as literature. She is very passionate about French female writers from the 18th and 19th century: Émilie du Châtelet, Eugénie Foa, Sophie de Ségur and many more! You can follow her on Instagram: @natasha._.h11.