The Dark Side of Cinema: Uncover the Masterpieces of Film Noir

Film noir has been debated among cinephiles, film critics, and film scholars for decades—to the point that even today, nobody really knows what it truly is. Many argue about whether film noir is a movie genre, sub-genre, cinematic style, academic term, or visual technique.

The Origins of Film Noir

The origin of the term dates back to French film critic Nino Frank, who in 1946 wrote an article in the French magazine L’Écran français about his reaction to several Hollywood movies of the time, specifically The Maltese Falcon (1941), Laura (1944), My Sweet (1944), and Double Indemnity (1944).

Frank referred to the pessimistic and dark movies Hollywood was churning out as Hollywood’s film noirs, claiming that contemporary crime films were surpassing the once-prevalent Western genre as the primary medium for exploring a man’s journey of self-discovery. However, the narrative focus now shifted from the Western’s high-stakes chases to Frank’s film noirs the harsh realities of violent death amidst the menacing and shadow-filled urban streets and city landscapes—a transition from the backdrop of grand romantic nature found in Westerns.

These types of new Hollywood films—particularly those related to the criminal underbelly of cityscapes—became prevalent in the post-World War II era of releases from 1944 through the late 1950s. 

Film noir somewhat faded out during the 1960s but came back in the post-Vietnam War era and beyond. The contemporary version of film noir is often referred to as neo-noir, which translates to “new dark.” It takes the dark elements of film noir and merges them into contemporary settings, future settings, and even non-urban settings in some cases.

Here we present 10 of the best noir films (and their scripts)—five in the classic film noir mold and five that fall under the neo-noir classification.

Read More: The Elements of Film Noir

Scripts from this Article

The Maltese Falcon

Sunset Boulevard

Touch of Evil

Double Indemnity

The Third Man

Chinatown

L.A. Confidential

Memento

The Usual Suspects

Blade Runner

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Screenplay by: John Huston

The Maltese Falcon sets the standard for film noir with its story of greed, betrayal, and moral ambiguity. Humphrey Bogart’s portrayal of private detective Sam Spade epitomizes the noir hero. He’s cynical, tough, and operates on a personal code of ethics. The film’s shadowy visuals, intricate plot, and the presence of a femme fatale (another common element of film noir movies) showcase the essential elements that would define the genre.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Screenplay by: Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman Jr.

Billy Wilder’s classic explores the dark side of Hollywood glamour, weaving a tale of obsession, madness, and the price of fame. It uses the dark elements of a dead man’s narration, telling flashbacks, and the stark contrast between the sunny exteriors of Los Angeles and the shadowy, decrepit mansion of Norma Desmond—all hallmarks of noir storytelling. 

The film’s critical look at the entertainment industry and its tragic, flawed characters underscore the thematic concerns of film noir with disillusionment and moral corruption.

Touch of Evil (1958)

Screenplay by: Orson Welles

Orson Welles’ film is celebrated for its innovative cinematography, including a famous long-take opening scene revealing the dark fate of a character. It explores corruption and morality in a border town. The visual style of the film uses stark lighting, unusual camera angles, and complex characters to highlight film noir’s stylistic and thematic elements of the darker aspects of human nature.

Double Indemnity (1944)

Screenplay by: Billy Wilder, James M. Cain, and Raymond Chandler

The definitive film noir with its tale of murder, lust, and betrayal. The insurance salesman’s plot with a client’s wife to murder her husband exemplifies noir themes of fatalism and duplicity. Its shadow-laden visual style, voice-over narration, and portrayal of a femme fatale cement its status as a genre classic.

Read More: Murderers’ Rows: The Greatest Screenwriting Teams Ever

The Third Man (1949)

Screenplay by: Graham Greene

The Third Man features a complex narrative of intrigue and deception. The film utilizes atmospheric war-torn city urban landscapes and the moral ambiguity of its characters — especially the anti-hero Harry Lime — to demonstrate the international appeal and adaptability of noir themes and aesthetics.

Chinatown (1974)

Screenplay by: Robert Towne

The quintessential revival of film noir and one of the first true neo-noir films of its time. The classic revisits and revitalizes noir themes within a 1970s context, focusing on a private detective’s investigation into corruption and scandal in Los Angeles. The film’s complex narrative, moral ambiguity, and stark portrayal of institutional corruption offer a modern take on the noir detective story, while its visual style pays homage to its film noir roots.

Read More: Why Is the Chinatown Screenplay Considered the Best Ever Written?

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Screenplay by: Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland

Over two decades after Chinatown, L.A. Confidential captured the essence of classic film noir within a 1950s Los Angeles setting, delving into police corruption and Hollywood’s seedy underbelly. The film’s multi-layered plot, morally complex characters, and stylish recreation of the noir aesthetic make it a standout example of neo-noir, demonstrating the genre’s enduring relevance.

Memento (2000)

Screenplay by: Christopher Nolan

Nolan uses innovative narrative structure and exploration of memory and identity to showcase neo-noir’s potential for psychological complexity. The script’s use of reverse chronology and the protagonist’s unreliable narration updated noir’s thematic concerns with perception and reality for a contemporary audience in a mind-blowing fashion.

Read More: How Christopher Nolan Develops Movie Concepts

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Screenplay by: Christopher McQuarrie

The Usual Suspects employs a key noir narrative device—the unreliable narrator—within a complex story of crime and deception centered around the mythical figure of Keyser Söze. The film’s dark, ambiguous tone and the final twist exemplify neo-noir’s fascination with narrative manipulation and moral ambiguity. It was an amazing update to film noir’s go-to dynamics.

Read More: Heist Movies That Totally Steal the Spotlight

Blade Runner (1982)

Screenplay by: Hampton Fancher, Philip K. Dick, and David Peoples

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic gave us a different kind of film noir, blending noir with science fiction amidst a dystopian vision of the future that revisits noir themes of identity, existential dread, and moral ambiguity. The film’s visual style, characterized by its use of shadow, neon-lit rain-soaked streets, and a protagonist reminiscent of the classic noir detective, marks it as a seminal work in the neo-noir subgenre. The original cut utilized throwback film noir narration. But even when subsequent cuts deleted that dynamic, the film noir elements are aplenty.  

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76