Hello everyone
Noir is one of those terms that gets readily thrown about.
The term was first applied to crime dramas which came out of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s (film noir). These movies were built on the 1930s (private) detective genre popularized by the novels of Dashiell Hammett, James M Cain, and Raymond Chandler. The genre was then coupled with the visual style of 1920s German Expressionism movies.
These original noir movies are still highly influential in today’s films and novels.
Elements of Noir
It’s quite possible to slant the view of what constitutes noir by the choice of films considered to be “noir”. And when we think about books which fall within the noir genre, we’re often a long way from what might be thought of as original or purist noir. However, let me stick with films—and at least initially, the earliest examples of noir—and focus on some of the characteristics of genre. I’ll leave you to draw the connection back to novels.
Distinct Visual Style
In noir movies, there is a characteristic visual style with very high contrast (so, bright light cutting across dark shadows, and much hidden in those dark shadows). The style is more pronounced in earlier films where black and white gave fewer options.
And very often there is light coming through blinds or other filters to obscure the illumination, literally giving a visual effect of light and shade.
The Dame
There is a “dame”…a woman…a femme fatale.
This woman may initially appear as the love interest, but:
- in the context of the story, she is always more significant than a simple love interest, and
- she always has her own mind.
The woman always wants something and is ruthless is pursuing her aim. She is cunning and is underestimated by everyone around her, usually including the male protagonist who she dupes.
These movies were made before the notion of feminism as we understand today. While it would be wrong to call these women protofeminists, their character and their role in the drama was far more enlightened than many of the roles played by women in the succeeding decades (even today, in many cases). Indeed, their modern approach (by our standards) is one of the reasons these women do not fit in their world, where their intelligence and their agency is unexpected and is misunderstood by the other characters.
Private Eye
Another regular feature of the noir genre is the private eye (or other non-police detective).
There may be police, but the police are there as a hindrance for the PI. And occasionally, if there are police, then there is one officer who is fighting the department and thereby acting very much like a PI.
The PI is a man—and they are always men—who is prepared to break the rules, but he breaks the rules for the right reason. He has a code—his own unshakeable moral code, but one which the viewer can agree—and it is his pursuit of his own code where he needs to do the right thing that will lead him to break the rules.
And of course, so often the reason the PI is acting is because of a woman.
Temptation and Betrayal
Beyond the look, and the interaction between the dame and the PI as individuals, there are often two key themes in noir:
- temptation, and
- betrayal
Often, it is the dame tempting the PI and then betraying him. The temptation is usually love or money (or both), and the woman is quite aware of what she is doing, having few other options. She will happily use flattery and manipulation to exploit the PI’s blind spots.
However, the PI will often know that he is being exploited (or at least that an attempt is being made to exploit him). He will go along with the subterfuge without letting on that he knows what is happening. Often he’ll seemingly let himself be played because he enjoys it, but usually he wants to stay close to the woman to try to find information to serve his needs.
Any betrayal isn’t simply an act of treachery, often it’s brutal. That brutality is not physical; with noir there’s less brutality on screen and certainly not that much blood. Instead, the brutality is emotional—the brutality of intimates.
Noir is less about solving a crime…although often it’s about committing a crime. This isn’t police procedural fare or a whodunnit.
Good vs Evil
If we step up from temptation and betrayal—and the interactions of the leading characters—noir often has a very simple over-arching theme: good vs evil.
While the theme is clear, it’s never clear where the line between good and evil is drawn. There are so many shades, so many nuances, and every character is grubby and yet redeemable.
Hats and Humphrey
There are two other key tells that you’re watching a noir movie:
- the men are wearing (trilby) hats, and/or
- it features Humphrey Bogart
I joke, but Bogart was in a lot of these movies.
For Your Viewing Pleasure
If I’ve piqued your interested and you’d like to watch a movie or two, I have some recommendations.
Classic Noir
This first group are very much what might be considered as classic noir; the original archetypes. Virtually all the elements I’ve talked about are present in all these movies. However, since most of these movies were made in the 1940s, they have all aged and may not be as watchable as more modern content.
The Maltese Falcon Dashiell Hammett’s novel of the same name has been adapted several times. The version linked to is the 1941 filming of The Maltese Falcon which has all the elements of noir, including Humphrey Bogart. If you’re going to watch one classic noir movie, this is the one to watch.
The Big Sleep The Big Sleep started as a novel by Raymond Chandler which was adapted for the screen several times. The best known adaptation—and the one that definitively fits the description of classic noir—is the 1946 version starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Double Indemnity Moving on from Bogart, but not from Chandler (who co-wrote, based on a James M Cain novel), Double Indemnity does not include a conventional private eye, but sees an insurance salesman lured by a housewife who is accused of murdering her husband.
Sunset Boulevard Although not considered as noir by many, nonetheless Sunset Boulevard has all the elements—a femme fatale who manipulates a man chasing money. However, in terms of plot and feel, this differs from many other noir movies…it’s hard to say more without giving away the twist.
The Big Heat The Big Heat is another movie that doesn’t follow the strict expectations of noir. However, there is a good slug of corruption—indeed, the protagonist is a police officer who effectively has to work as a PI because of corruption in the police department.
More Recent
If you want something more recent—and in color—then I have two considerations for you. Both are excellent examples of the noir genre (or neo-noir genre, as more recent noir is often termed) and will satisfy the purists looking for a classic noir story while offering a gripping tale. For me, these are movies that I watch time and again, always finding something new with each viewing.
Chinatown Chinatown has all the classic noir elements, and it’s got Jack Nicholson at his best. Where the classic noir movies don’t completely stand up against more modern films, Chinatown does.
Devil in a Blue Dress Based on Walter Mosley’s first novel in the Easy Rawlins series, Devil in a Blue Dress is classic noir, but it’s anything but average. Watch it for a great story, but also watch it for Don Cheadle’s electric portrayal of the character Mouse.
Showing Their Influences
The influence of noir—in fiction and in movies—is substantial. This is one of the reasons why it’s hard to narrowly define noir—its influence has been so wide that so many movies could be called noir. No movie is better or worse for meeting the strictures of noir—the definition is simply there to help viewers get a feel for the kind of movie they might be about to watch.
If you want something modern (or at least not in black and white) and noir-ish, but which purists might suggest do not follow the rules of noir, then I have some suggestions.
The Big Lebowski My first suggestion from this group is The Big Lebowski. This is more of a black comedy, but it is widely sprinkled with elements of noir, and an unconventional private eye.
The Long Goodbye The Long Goodbye is based on the Raymond Chandler novel of the same name. Elliot Gould plays the character of private investigator Philip Marlowe—the same character who is played by Bogart in The Big Sleep. There are many elements of noir, but this is a much lighter piece, with Gould playing the role with a knowing link. Watch it, and also listen to the John Williams score which is a masterpiece.
L.A. Confidential The last movie I want to mention is L.A. Confidential, based on James Ellroy’s novel of the same name. In some ways this is harder to classify—Ellroy is his own genre, and this is close to the source material—but it’s noir enough, and it’s a great movie.
Until August
I’ll be back in August, until then, you’ve got a lot of watching.
Until then.
All the best
Simon