The Wondrous Art of Film Noir

 

Can't you just hear the fast-talking Trans-Atlantic
accent conversation in this still?

"Around here a set of morals won't cause any more stir than Mother's Day in an orphanage" Pat Novak, For Hire.

Film Noir. Literally meaning, "Dark Film" It basically describes any movie, radio or even television piece with a dark, crime-centered motif. From thrillers, to dramas, to even comedies, any genre can have elements of noir. I think the first things that comes to people's heads when they think film noir is that sort of sarcastic narration the genre is known for having, as well as the overall heavy shadows and use of contrast in the black and white pieces.

Personally, I quite enjoy the "Crime Thriller" style of film noir. A lot of these have a common theme of escaping criminals taking hostages and I've seen many of those from back there, and I consider it a favorite trope among film noir. It always seems to be done right. The conversations between the cornered criminal and the supposedly innocent hostage is always enjoyable. This is in part due to the acting of the time, and the usually superb, almost poetic writing that permeates every line of dialogue:  

The Hitchhiker (1953)
"When you got the know how, and a few bucks in your pocket,
you can buy anything and anyone, especially if 
you got them at the point of a gun,"

Film noir has lived on in popular culture mostly through parodies. The Whose Line is it Anyway game called Narrate is a great example of this. There, the music, as well as the slightly self-aware kind of narration is heavily parodied, to great comedic effect if you know the genre well. If I were allowed to speculate, I'd say even the people writing film noir inspired pieces back then, were self-aware of the predictability of the genre.

However, film noir is also a well-respected art. Many movies which fit the description are kept in the Library of Congress, the UCLA archive, and are free to view on the Internet Archive. This makes me very happy, because there's a lot to learn from film noir. Though there are examples of extravagant films of this genre, most of them shine in doing a lot with a little. Most have limited sets, a limited cast and limited music. Sometimes, they simply let a quiet score and facial expressions that were heavily darkened or exaggerated through the use of lighting tell the story. 

The Scar, or Hollow Triumphs (1948) Another beautiful piece with the similarly beautiful Joan Bennett. 

Perhaps similar to how a drawing is made in line art before being colored in, aspiring film makers who are learning the intricacies of shot composition and cinematography, ought to examine film noir before making pieces in color. There, they might find a better understanding of limited media. 

The Dark Past (1948)
These are all movies I've seen, so they're all a definite recommend from me.

Without sounding like I disdain all things to do with the present, in an age where just about anybody can make a picture and have it look absolutely spectacular using that computer that fits in your pocket, there's still something unrivaled about a beautifully preserved film noir on 16mm film.

The Dark Corner (1946)
With I Love Lucy star herself, Lucille Ball.

I can't recommend film noir enough. It's such a varied and interesting genre, that there's bound to be something you enjoy. Look around, try out different movies, search up actors and actresses and see what they made. When you're done with the movies, try radio programs, then television. Eventually you might find yourself saying, "Wait a minute" in everyday conversation like I do, and coming up with monologues for mundane, everyday situations. It's an interesting trip, and I hope you'll take it. 

I hope to see you back there.

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