This list celebrates the best of the classic film noir genre, from the 1940s to the present day. It includes classic films such as The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and Double Indemnity, as well as modern classics like L.A. Confidential and The Us
A film noir is a Hollywood crime drama film that emphasizes cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American film noir. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key, black-and-white visual style that has roots in German expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and attitudes expressed in classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression, known as noir fiction. Film noir encompasses a range of plots, commonly featuring mysteries/crime dramas, detective fiction, and stories with themes of corruption, organized crime, redemption, cynicism, and tragedy.