The film noir genre is an undoubtedly unique one, as it’s perhaps the only genre that has a specific period during which it existed: from the early 1940s until the end of the 1950s. There were movies before this period that led to what can be classified as film noir, and noir movies made after the 1950s were over are sometimes called neo-noir films. To be a classic/quintessential film noir movie, though, a movie needs to have been released in the ‘40s or ‘50s.
Film noir movies are classified by theirmorally dubious characters, moody atmospheres, sometimes complex plots, downbeat endings (more often than not), and certain visual aestheticsthat are instantly recognizable. There were many film noir movies released during the genre’s reign, and some of the lesser-known ones tend to get overlooked. These overlooked movies include the following, which all came out in the 1950s and are undoubtedly worth watching for anyone who’s into film noir as a genre.
15’No Way Out' (1950)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
The most well-known film released in 1950 thatJoseph L. Mankiewiczdirected was certainlyAll About Eve, but that doesn’t meanNo Way Out(not to be mixed up withthe Kevin Costner movie of the same name) should be overlooked. It’s certainly different, being a take on the film noir genre that also deals thematically with race in a pretty head-on way.
No Way Outis about a black doctor being accused of murder, with the film also being notable because it featuredSidney Poitierin his first starring role. It’s a movie that’s somewhat old-school as far as the technical qualities go,but it feels ahead of its time when it comes to the issues it decides to explore, as well as thanks to the way it explores such issues.
No Way Out
14’Black River' (1957)
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Before directing some ofthe greatest international movies of all time, including the epicThe Human Conditiontrilogy,Masaki Kobayashiwas behind a particular grim Japanese noir title calledBlack River. It’s largely about two downtrodden people in a relationship who have to deal with a particularly shady landlord who cares little for his tenants and has possible ties to organized crime.
The term film noir translates toeither “black” or “dark” film, so when something’s in that genre and it has the wordBlackin the title, you’re able to rest easy that things are going to be pretty grim. Well, you won’t rest easy in the traditional sense, because this film’s pretty miserable.But it is well-made and uncompromising in its approach to certain societal issues/woes, which is something many good film noir movies strive for.
Watch on Criterion
13’The Thief' (1952)
Directed by Russell Rouse
In 1952, there was a film noir movie calledThe Thief, and then in 1981,Michael Mann made a defining neo-noir moviewith a film simply calledThief. The latter lives up to the simple title better than the former, though 1952’sThe Thiefdoes have an intriguing gimmick that sets it apart from most comparable film noir titles: there’s no dialogue.
It clocks in at almost 90 minutes and plays out entirely visually, and has a fairly straightforward story that involves Cold War-era paranoia, more or less being about a nuclear physicist going on the run so he’s not caught for selling information to Russia. It’s a film that’s admirable for its ambition and uniqueness. It doesn’t entirely work in practice, but it’s a noble experiment andworth seeking out for anyone after something less conventional than your average classic noir film.Buy on Amazon
12’Clash by Night' (1952)
Directed by Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang made most of his best filmsin the first half or so of his career, in Germany, but he also directed numerous interesting movies in the second half of his career, where he mostly worked in the U.S. He was behind a handful of interesting film noir movies during this time, includingClash by Night, which is, broadly speaking, about a restless wife falling for a close friend of her husband’s.
It’s more about melodrama and romance than it is about crime/thriller elements, the way you’d expect most film noir movies to be, butClash by Nightstill fits within the noir category to some extent. It’s largely solid, being elevated somewhat by a rather impressive cast that includes heavyweight talents of their era likeBarbara Stanwyck,Robert Ryan, and evenMarilyn Monroe.
Rent on Apple TV
11’Touchez Pas au Grisbi' (1954)
Directed by Jacques Becker
Touchez Pas au Grisbican count itself among the greats, as far asold-school French crime/gangster movies go, though it’s somewhat underrated and lesser-known overall. Like just about any satisfying work of film noir, it takes something relatively straightforward and adds complexity in interesting ways, largely revolving around an attempt to pull off a big and potentially final heist that proves easier said than done.
There’s a lot of personal drama among characters, romantic or otherwise, and a fairly honest look at growing old, and how it particularly relates to those who find themselves growing out of a life of crime.Touchez Pas au Grisbiis stylish and very efficiently made, moving well across a runtime of 95 minutes and proving to be an interesting blend of cool and somber elements, in almost equal measure.
Buy on Amazon
10’Suddenly' (1954)
Directed by Lewis Allen
Just like many film noir movies made before – and a few made since – 1954’sSuddenlyisno-nonsense, straight to the point, and wastes little time, on account of its 77-minute runtime. The plot revolves around an assassin taking a family hostage while using their home as a location from which he can potentially assassinate the U.S. President, who’s passing through the small town in which the film takes place.
Suddenlyis the rare movie that can be watched on Wikipedia, of all places, on account of its copyright not being renewed. It’s worth watching for anyone who likes old-school thrillers and has 70-ish minutes to kill, and is also memorable for starringFrank Sinatrain one of the most interesting (and villainous/scary) roles he ever played.
Watch on Tubi
9’Nightfall' (1956)
Directed by Jacques Tourneur
Running for just one minute longer than the aforementionedSuddenly,Nightfallis another tightly-paced and engaging film noir movie that injects its thriller/crime storywith a little romance for good measure. The plot centers on a man who’s been accused of crimes he didn’t commit, so he goes on the run,hoping to evade both the law and those who are actually responsible for the crimes he’s been blamed for.
It’s twisty in a way that might hit familiar beats for those who are savvy when it comes to film noir, yet may still surprise those who aren’t too familiar with the genre.Nightfallmay not be a towering cinematic achievement or a masterpiece by any means, but it gets the job done and satisfies in exactly the ways a film of this kind should, and as such, it’s easy to recommend.Watch on Tubi
8’The Crimson Kimono' (1959)
Directed by Samuel Fuller
As mentioned before, noir-flavored movies released from 1960 onwards aren’t typically thought of as true “film noir movies,” making anything released at the very end of the 1950s definable as examples of very late film noir flicks.The Crimson Kimonois one of the best of these, and isn’t quite as well-known as something like 1958’sTouch of Evil, which is occasionallyheralded as the final great film noir movie.
The Crimson Kimonois very bold considering it was released in 1959, with its narrative concerning two men trying to solve the murder of a stripper. It’s progressive for having a main character be a Japanese man without treating him like a comical sidekick,which is what sadly seemed to happen more often than not, if one goes back far enough in film history. The story itself is also brave, as are some of the themes it deals with, ensuringThe Crimson Kimonoholds up surprisingly well for a film of its age.Rent on Apple TV
7’Armored Car Robbery' (1950)
Directed by Richard Fleischer
While it might notqualify as a true action movie,Armored Car Robberyalso isn’t too far off, being particularly fast-paced, explosive, and exciting by the standards of classic film noir. It also has the kind of wonderful title that more or less sums up exactly what to expect narratively from the film, as this 67-minute-long movie follows a tense robbery and its aftermath, showing various crooks attempting to get away with what they’ve taken.
It’sparticularly short, even by the standards of the 1950s, but the brevity ofArmored Car Robberyends up being one of its best qualities. It’s hard to imagine anyone coming away from a movie like this feeling as though it wasted their time or was dishonest about the kind of movie it was; it gets in and gets out in near record time, and is very well-paced throughout.Rent on Apple TV
6’The Big Combo' (1955)
Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
The Big Combois quintessentially film noir through and through, with some of the most striking shots and sequences of the entire genre/movement present in the film, and its title being perfectly noir, too.There’s something to be said about how great “The Adjective Noun” sorts of titles sound for this genre; see something as early asThe Maltese Falcon, a key/quintessential film noir title, and itself one of the first true film noir movies.
As forThe Big Combo, though, thisengaging and consistently tense crime filmrevolves around a police lieutenant who’s trying to bring a gangster to justice while also finding himself falling for the same gangster’s girlfriend. It takes a film noir kind of premise and other genre conventions and dials them up maybe not quite to 11, but ultimately not far off… this makes it ideal for anyone who likes their film noir movies to be as bombastic and in your face as possible.Rent on Apple TV
