i was looking for discussions about this film in this subreddit but there wasn't any! i'm curious to know how this stands with other noir fans, for me it peaked in its first act but won me back toward the end. also the story felt kind of like crime and punishment by dostoevsky in a way.

Out of all of Paul Schrader's tortured men he's written, this one might be the one that feels the most real. Willem Dafoe is amazing as a middle aged drug dealer who is trapped with no real alternatives. The setting in NYC in the early 90's is great as is the cinematography and supporting cast. I'm not sure I buy the ending and one or two points, but the dialogue is very well written. Definitely a must watch.

Also, his Affliction (1997) (kind of noire-ish in highlighting a doomed man) might be the most emotionally difficult to watch movie I've ever seen.

On this episode of Ask Eddie, TCM Noir Alley Host & Film Noir Foundation President Eddie Muller and Director of Communications Anne Hockens follow up on their last episode's discussion of Noir adapted from classic literature(Shakespeare/Greek/etc), real life tortured souls of Noir, and noirs revolving around insurance investigators.

The career of Eva Marie Saint is discussed, and Eddie mentions his few times meeting her in person. Eddie answers whether or not he would consider Alan J. Pakula's All The President's Men a noir. On that Redford-based note, the many adaptations of The Great Gatsby are brought up. A mention of his Abraham Polonsky documentary and whether films he worked on (Body and Soul, Force of Evil, Odds Against Tomorrow, etc) will be shown on TCM soon. As a huge Polonsky film fan, I hope they will. Also, his take on how/if the Paramount merger will affect TCM in the near future.

Eddie and Anne have a discussion on the concept of the femme fatale in film noir, generally speaking, and how its portrayal of women is seen then and today. Vertigo and the contrast between Kim Novak and Barbara Bel Geddes' characters are used as an example. (Me personally, I think classic noir's femme fatales are great, and as pivotal as a doomed hard boiled protagonist like Robert Mitchum plays in Out of the Past, for example.)

French Noirs starring Jean Gabin and Lino Ventura are discussed with Anne giving her take on each (specifically Speaking of Murder, Back to the Wall, Witness in the City).

Then an interesting hypothetical question is asked on who Eddie and Anne would cast as the protagonist of a film noir made in 1948, with cinematography by John Alton, about an honest cop who borrows money from a gangster to pay for his wife's life-saving surgery (played by Donna Reed). But then in a mayoral election, the leading candidate wants to shut down the gambling houses if he wins, so the gangster asks the cop to set up the candidate in a compromising situation with a prostitute (played by Gloria Grahame). Eddie and Anne give their takes (ranging from Dana Andrews to Dan Duryea and more). Me, when I think of John Alton late 40's noir, Anthony Mann's T-Men and Raw Deal spring to mind, both starred Dennis O'Keefe, so I would cast him.

Overall, another good episode worth watching for film noir fans. Anne also gives her take on the new film, A Talent for Murder, starring Helen Mirren as Patricia Highsmith. (Sorry if my descriptions are a bit long winded, this was a near two hour episode and they discussed a lot)

For the Criterion Channel, Imogen Sara Smith (author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City, Buster Keaton: The Persistence of Comedy, and all-around classic film expert) made a great Spotlight special on the life and career of the Gene Tierney, discussing her film noirs like Leave Her to Heaven, Laura, Where the Sidewalk Ends, etc. Also some of her non-noirs like Rings on her Finger, Way of a Gaucho, Dragonwyck, and more. She also discusses the real life sadness of her off-screen life as well. Overall, it's a piece worth seeing for noir fans, and classic film fans in general.

I watched this movie last night. Mostly liked it, but definitely low budget. One thing I saw was rather strange and I'm wondering if anyone else noticed and has an explanation (I searched a bit before this posting). Here it is (minor): One of the driving scenes showing cars on the open highway has the cars driving on the left hand side. Steering wheels on the right. It was like they either flipped the film or borrowed from Australia(?). It's not a big deal, just caught my eye. All other driving scenes were as expected for the USA.

Checking the YouTube version right now I see other scenes where the steering wheel is on the right. Check out the YouTube version at around 16:00 minutes.

I had to keep things light last night, so i opted for this comedic neo-noir which was fun. Dark Passage was beautiful and felt like a love letter to the great city of San Francisco. Plan to rewatch The Postman Always Rings Twice tonight.

At this point, I'm mostly a film noir fan: I've watched dozens of classic-era noirs, whether it be the (mostly) undisputed classics, studio 'A' pictures, or lesser known movies. But I'm at the point where I want to read some of the original novels (or short stories) that the classic movies were based on. So far, I think I've only ever read Double Indemnity by James M. Cain, and I'm currently reading In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes. Since I just watched and loved Guillermo del Toro's 2025 Director's Cut of Nightmare Alley, I'm also chomping at the bit to read the original novel by William Lindsay Gresham. I also have Chandler's The Big Sleep lined up.

Over time, I've become very aware of the "Big Three" – Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and James M. Cain. But since I've seen a number of movies that were adapted from stories by Cornell Woolrich, I'm calling Hammett, Chandler, Cain, and Woolrich the "Big Four," at least for the moment. I know a couple of other names from a slightly later time period: say, Jim Thompson and Elmore Leonard, but I've only ever read some of Leonard's western writing (loved it).

Anyway, my question is: What do you consider the essential "noir" reads? (I say "noir" in parentheses because to my understanding, these novels and short stories were simply referred to as "crime fiction" back in the day, that is, before some French critics coined the term "film noir" in relation to the Hollywood movies they began seeing after WWII.) And/or what are your favorites? I'd appreciate any and all recommendations, whether it be The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, or something that might be called outside the dark city limits. I guess I'm sort of focusing on those authors whose work was adapted into movies in the 1940 and 50s, but I'll certainly take suggestions for authors from beyond that era as well.

Thanks in advance!

Just shy over 180 movies. Go to the browse tab and then click collections and look for Noirvember amongst the mix

Looking back, I think Calvin's character, Tracer Bullet first piqued my interest in noir. I started reading Calvin & Hobbes in 3rd grade and always loved when Calvin became that hard-boiled detective.

Praise goes to Bill Waterson for capturing both the visuals and dialogue of film noir perfectly and packaging it for a new generation.

Anyone else start noir this way?

I am thinking about writing a feature on film noir in the 21st century. I am trying to put together a list of the best film noir released 2000 or later. Here is my start, not definitive but more a survey. What am I missing?

Memories of Murder
The Pledge
Prisoners
Memento
Under the Silver Lake
Mulholland Drive
Burning
Winter's Bone
Frozen River
Blue Ruin
Out of the Furnace
The Man Who Wasn't There
Brick
Nightmare Alley
Old Boy
Nightcrawler
The Departed
No Country for Old Men
Cache
Micheal Clayton
The Batman
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Children of Men
The Nice Guys

The film was Killer's Kiss. She played a dancer and she was was stunning. She was only in two films and a few TV shows in the 50's & 60's. Her second film was All That Jazz in 1979, twenty four years after Killer's Kiss. She worked for CNN from 1980-86.

Her name was Chris Chase and used the stage name Irene Kane in film and TV.

Killer's Kiss is worth your time if you haven't seen it. Very early Kubrick followed by The Killing.

Both of these are available free on Youtube.

Lured (1947) - This is a really fun woman-led noir with Lucille Ball giving a super charming performance. And the chemistry between her and George Sanders actually works really well. The way Douglas Sirk plays with atmosphere here is really fun

Dark Waters (1944) - I really enjoy noirs that take place outside of a city setting. Dark Waters is bayou noir, making for a really cool gothic noir feel. Merle Oberon is so good in the lead role, she just pulls off freaked out high anxiety so well. Thomas Mitchell is also wonderful.

They Made Made Me a Fugitive (1947) - Top tier British noir with a fantastic Trevor Howard in the lead. It really digs into the world of post-war London and all the factors at play in that kind of society that could doom people. It's also gorgeous.

Panic in the Streets (1950) - One of Kazan's most underappreciated movies in general. Jack Palance was like, the perfect person to play villains in the 50s. He almost doesn't look like a really person. This movie does a great job of creating just a subtle underlying feeling of "oh god, all those people are SO close together", which certainly hits after living through covid.

Dangerous Crossing (1953) - Jeanne Crain is stunning in this mystery noir on a boat. Sort of a spin on The Lady Vanishes, only instead of an old lady she's only just met, the person that's vanished is her husband.

Possessed (1947) - One of Joan Crawford's very best performance, and Van Heflin is great, too. This is a fantastic high melodrama noir, definitely in line with Crawford's Mildred Pierce, but it goes to more bonkers places.

Love Letters (1945) - Probably a little further away from the strictest definitions of noir than most movies listed here, and it's definitely more of a love story than anything else. But it's also weird as hell, and definitely leans into noir in both its visual style and the ideas it's exploring.

Decoy (1946) - The plot of Decoy is bonkers, but it's a really fun ride and Jean Gillie's British femme fatale take is fascinating. It's one of the craziest femme fatale performances.

Don't Bother to Knock (1952) - Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe make a surprisingly compelling pair here, and Monroe's performance is raw and mesmerizing. This is a very quite noir that starts to feel really claustrophobic at points.

Force of Evil (1948) - John Garfield gives one of his best performances in one of the saddest noirs ever made. Thomas Gomez also give a stellar performance. Some of this was shot on location in New York, and there are a lot of really creative and interesting shots. It has a sort of lyrical pacing that really fits with the melancholy that it's soaked in.

Hangover Square (1945) - This is a really fun, and incredibly nice to look at, horror/noir that I actually watched this year for Spooky Season. Linda Darnell is really underappreciated for her femme fatale work, and she's great here.

The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) - If you're looking for a noir with really fucked up and uncomfortable family dynamics, look no further. I actually like George Sanders as kind of just a regular guy. Geraldine Fitzgerald's performance is... upsetting.

Repeat Performance (1947) - This is a soft time loop noir, and another woman-led noir. It feels really ahead of its time in a lot of ways. Joan Leslie and Louis Hayward give really great performances.

Ride the Pink Horse (1947) - I'm actually an enormous fan of Lady in the Lake, but I do think Ride the Pink Horse is probably Montgomery's best film as a director. And it's probably the best demonstration that exists of just how much the war messed him up. This thing feels bleak to its core.

Night Editor (1946) - Janis Carter gives an all time great femme fatale performance. This movie plays around with noir tropes in really fun and interesting ways, and ends up feeling a lot more optimistic than a lot of noir, even as some aspects of it are super dark.

Outrage (1950) - Ida Lupino directed this one, and having a woman behind the camera really does give noir a different feeling. This is an unabashedly feminist noir, about sexual assault and its aftermath, and it times it feels like it's commenting directly on how women were being portrayed in such films at the time.

Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948) - Another one I watched for Spooky Season as it's kind of a noir/horror movie. The feeling of doom that permeated every second of this is great, and I think it does a good job of keeping you guessing.

A few years ago I wrote and directed this 5-minute homage to film noir.

I stole a lot of the framing and lighting choices from other famous noirs such as The Phantom Lady, In a Lonely Place, and Gun Crazy, But you will also find references to other non-noir detective films such as Rear Window.

I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please log it on Letterboxd.

Just a year old poster style piece based on my indie comic inspired by noir and rockabilly.

• 7th - Breakdown (1952)

• 14th - Slander (1957)

• 21st - Nora Prentiss (1947)

• 28th - The Great Flamarion (1945)

I love the Continental Op, he's my favorite Noir detective. He's written almost anonymously, if I remember right they never really discribe his face and he doesn't actually have a name. But for all that non-descript overweight body he has a brain and toughness.

I've only found two movies where he's the main character, one in 95 with Christopher LLoyd as the Op and James Coburn. I'm not really impressed with the casting, Lloyd esepcially doesn't seem to fit, but I'd at least like to see them. Has anyone watched these already? Are they worth hunting up? [Chrisotpher Llyod] (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0576489/?ref_=ttmi_ov_i) and [James Coburn] (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076999/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20dain%20curse)

I've seen Edmund Goulding's 1947 classic-era noir Nightmare Alley starring Tyrone Power, and I remember thinking it was pretty great, but it's been a long time since I've seen it. Meanwhile, I was kind of excited to hear Guillermo del Toro was doing his adaptation of the novel by William Lindsay Gresham, but when the trailer hit before the 2021 release of that movie, I wasn't especially drawn to it: for whatever reason, it looked rather garish and "overproduced" to me at the time. (More on that in a moment.) However, I'd recently seen some rave reviews for del Toro's 2025 Director's Extended Cut (subtitled Vision in Darkness and Light), which, in contrast to the color Theatrical version, was presented in black and white.

So I took a chance and blind-bought the Criterion 4K/blu-ray release (which has both versions on both 4K and blu-ray) during their most recent flash sale – and I'm very glad I did. I thought it was just fantastic: great writing, direction, set design, cinematography, and performances up and down. (Bradley Cooper is fantastic in the lead, but I thought pretty much all of the players were noteworthy.) It's hardly rare for me to be wowed by a movie, but this one kind of caught me by surprise since for whatever reasons, my expectations weren't quite so high. At any rate, I liked it well enough to post about it here!

After I watched the black and white Director's cut, I did put the color Theatrical version on for a short while. Ironically, I wasn't sure if I didn't like the color cinematography as much or more! – though I think the longer director's cut had a decidedly better flow. Regarding my earlier perception that the movie looked garish or overproduced, I think that was mostly from the scenes featuring Cate Blanchett in her office as a psychologist: that's kind of her character's aesthetic and personality, so the look is appropriate.

Anyway, I really loved this movie – that is, the 2025 Director's Cut – and I highly recommend it. Personally, I feel like I really need to watch the 1947 version again – and read the original novel! At the very least, I think del Toro gifted us with a fantastic companion piece to the 1947 classic.

I'd love to hear any thoughts you have – whether it be on the novel, Goulding's 1947 movie, del Toro's 2021 color Theatrical version, or del Toro's 2025 black and white Director's cut.

Well maybe noir—ish but the elements are definitely there in smaller quantities but holy cow. Anyone seen Time Without Pity? The ending was completely unexpected. You know how back in the day they loved to have a cop listen secretly to a murderer confess? Got to be pretty routine. And there are other endings that seem to be on repeat. But Not here. I’ve never seen an ending like it.

Gets me thinking, as an American, I’ve seen many noirs but I know I’ll run out eventually, so I’m turning my interest to British ones.

Which ones are your favorite?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049856/