Film noir refers to stylish crime dramas produced in Hollywood from the 1940s to 1950s. These films are characterized by gloomy lighting, shadowy urban settings, and morally ambiguous protagonists. A defining element is the femme fatale - a mysterious and deceptive woman who often leads the protagonist into danger through her beauty and manipulation. Film noir was influenced by German Expressionism and adapted from American literary works, featuring themes of paranoia, guilt, and moral corruption. Famous noir directors included Orson Welles, John Huston, Billy Wilder, and Fritz Lang.

1. Film Noir

4. Mostly shot in gloomy greys, blacks and whites.

5. deep focus or depth of field camera work

6. Juxtaposition of elements

7. Ominous shadows and skewed camera angles

8. Urban Night scenes with deep shadows, wet asphalt and dimly lit with low rent apartments.

10. Often leads the main person into compromising dangers and deadly situations

11. Archetype of literature and art

13. Plots and Themes often taken from adaptations of American Literary works

15. Alienation

16. Bleakness

17. Disillusionment

18. Disenchantment

19. Pessimism

20. Ambiguity

21. Moral Corruption

22. Evil

23. Guilt

24. Desperation

27. Orson Welles

28. John Huston

29. Billy Wilder

30. Edgar Ulmer

31. Douglas Sirk

32. Robert Siodmak

33. Fritz Lang

34. Otto Preminger

36. The Big Sleep – Howard Hawks

37. In a Lonely Place – Nicholas Ray

38. The Asphalt Jungle – John Huston

39. Key Largo – John Huston

40. Laura – Otto Preminger

41. The Lady from Shanghai – Orson Welles

42. The Woman in the Window – Fritz Lang