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Period: to
Film Noir 1920-2017
The Noir Films occurred in America during the war, and continued to be made in the 40s/50s. The films were inspired both by literature and previous film history along with the sociohistory of the period it grew out of, and German expressionism. Crime novels and so called pulp fiction, became very popular. The hard-boiled fictions, created a different kind of detective than those found in English and earlier detective stories.This fiction added a new tradition of realism to the detective fiction. -
The Maltese Falcon
A San Francisco detective agency, run by Sam Spade and Miles Archer, are confronted by Miss Wonderly, and that night everything changes. Miles is dead, and so is a man named Floyd Thursby. It seems Miss Wonderly is surrounded by dangerous men. There's Joel Cairo, the rich man, Kasper Gutman, with his feigned civility. Sam, who is suspected by the police of one or the other murder, is her only hope. More murders are yet to come from the lust for a statuette of a bird: the Maltese Falcon -
Double Indemnity
Double Indemnity is a 1944 film noir directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler. The screenplay was based on James M. Cain's 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eight-part serial in Liberty magazine. The film stars Fred MacMurray as an insurance salesman, Barbara Stanwyck as a provocative housewife who wishes her husband were dead, and Edward G. Robinson as a claims adjuster whose job is to find phony claims. -
Mildred Pierce
Monte Beragon, the second husband of Mildred Pierce is shot The police tell Mildred that they believe the murderer is her first husband, Bert Pierce. Bert has already been interrogated and has confessed to the crime. Mildred protests that he is too kind and gentle to commit murder, and goes on to relate her life story to the investigating officer. Mildred and Bert are unhappily married. Mildred supports the family, eventually the two decide to separate, and the story spirals. -
The Big Sleep
PD Philip Marlowe is summoned to the mansion of his new client General Sternwood, a wealthy retired general who wants to resolve gambling debts his daughter, Carmen owes. As Marlowe is leaving, the second daughter suspects her father's true motive for calling in a detective is to find his young friend Sean Regan, who had mysteriously disappeared a month earlier. The story continues with murder and deception. -
Out of the Past
Joe Stefanos arrives in a small town, Bridgeport, California, in search of Jeff Bailey. Jeff, owner of the town's gas station, is on a picnic with wholesome local girl Ann Miller. Though Ann trusts Jeff implicitly, her parents are wary of him, as is Jim, a local police officer who has been sweet on Ann since childhood. Jeff reluctantly agrees to meet with Whit, and Ann joins him to drive through the night to Whit's home on Lake Tahoe. On the way, Jeff tells Ann of his past -
Kiss Me Deadly
Mike Hammer, a tough Los Angeles private eye who is almost as brutal as the crooks he chases. One evening on a lonely country road, Hammer gives a ride to Christina, an attractive hitchhiker wearing nothing but a trench coat. She has escaped from a mental institution. Hammer awakens in some unknown location where he hears Christina screaming and being tortured to death. The thugs then push Hammer's car off a cliff with Christina's body and an unconscious Hammer inside. -
Sweet Smell of Success
Sidney Falco has been unable to gain mentions for his clients. Given one last chance by the bullying, intimidating Hunsecker, he schemes to plant a false rumor in a rival column that Dallas is a dope-smoking Communist, then encourages Hunsecker to rescue Dallas's reputation, certain that the headstrong boyfriend will reject Hunsecker's favor and end up looking bad to Susan.
