Film Noir

I enjoyed reading through this concise outline of film noir, an often misunderstood and woefully underappreciated film style. Now I know that noir is not a genre. The author recalls dozens of film noir movies, a majority of which I had never heard of. He mentions Double Indemnity once, and it’s a huge benefit to be able to easily remember film and connect it to the points the author is making. Some elements are instantly recognizable as film noir, even to someone like me who doesn’t know a whole lot about the topic. The author also mentions these elements, all of which are featured in Double Indemnity: the affinity for nighttime scenes, the importance of lighting and especially shadows, scenes with rain, and romantic intrigue. I also found it interesting that film noir draws influence from many different sources including German Expressionism and post-war disillusionment. The author also explains the origins of the “hardboiled” character, an idea that has now become an expected trope or cliché of the style. Film noir’s obsession with vice, crime, corruption, and other unsavory acts traces its roots back to the pessimistic and dismal analysis of 1940s America and the characters inhabiting it.