Movie title screens classic film noir the 1940s and 1950s. Maureen o hara, the only leading lady big enough and tough enough for. Seedy criminals, an alluring femme fatal, and an iconic macguffin. An actor neighbour, laurel gloria grahame, gives him an alibi, and later. Humphrey bogart takes the spotlight once again, this time in an adaptation of raymond chandler s novel.
The 2020 tcm classic film festival will cover a wide range of programming themes, including our central theme grand illusions. He becomes involved with a case that seems right out of the film noir playbook. Sterling hayden is a familiar face in film noir and starred in several films in the genre, including another acclaimed heist film, the asphalt jungle. And thats partly what made noir so popular at movie studios. He is considered one of the great film noir actors from the classic era, starring in fallen sparrow, nobody lives forever, the postman always rings twice, body and soul, force of evil, and ending.
Like hammett, chandler is a recurring scribe for the blueprints of film noir, responsible for the creation of one of its most acclaimed characters. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as johnny guitar, the asphalt jungle, and the killing. The love goddess portrayed the sexy, hedonistic, auburnhaired wife of south american casino owner ballin mundson george macready. Take a look at the guardian and observer critics list of. Thank heaven for the ecumenical definition of film noir used by the editors the fourth and fattest edition of the film noir encyclopedia. Robert mitchum was an underrated american leading man of enormous. One of hollywoods preeminent male stars of all time.
Actors tagged as film noir by the listal community. The ten best detectives in classic film noir westword. Film noir is largely defined by the decades of the 1940s and 1950s, so there are many actors known for appearing in precursors to film noir such as gangster movie icons, but those movies have no effect in grading this list. Orson welles was given the chance to direct again after his falling out at rko and he produced the stranger 1946, a solid film noir that starred edward g.
To minimize dispute the films included here should preferably feature a footnote linking to a reliable, published source which states that the mentioned film is considered to be a film noir by an expert in this field, e. In the novel badge of evil by whit masterson the source material. Rita hayworth was featured in this dark and complex noir of a love triangle with her sleek and sophisticated eroticism, lush hair and peaches and cream complexion. Film noirs 10 most dangerous leading ladies indiewire. Before nightcrawler hits theaters, lets look at 11 more films from the last 20 years that can be filed under modern noir.
They also exhibit an existential acceptance of random, arbitrary occurrences as being the determining factors in life. These films were not chosen for how highly rated they are overall, but how they rate in the subject of film noir movies. Although the hardboiled detective is the stereotypical noir hero, the central male characters in film. The 15 best noir films of the 1950s taste of cinema. These actors were not onedimensional like dane clark who was okay in supporting roles but he certainly was not a leading actor. Movie lists greatest 100 movies by decade or genre, actors, directors, performances and more. The most important actors of film noir classic era 19401960. The heroes of noir generally share certain qualities, such as moral ambiguity, a fatalistic outlook, and alienation from society. Here are a few examples of ways you can filter the charts.
Only hollywood, blackandwhite film noirs are looked at here. Film noir isnt always as truly dark as its cracked up to be, but nicholas ray s in a lonely place is one film where the desolation cuts to the bone. Noir regular edmund obrien and frank lovejoy play roy and gilbert, two friends on a. Top 10 westerns its the most allamerican of film genres, filled with hemen and black hats. The golden age of film noir the cinema of the disenchanted. Paul muni how can you not is beyond me i am a fugitive from a chain gang and scarface, richard basehart he walked by night and fourteen hours, james stewart a top 5 film noir actor in my book. Film noirs version of romeo and juliet, made with amazing conviction by nicholas ray. It is common knowledge that the 1940s and 1950s was still a largely segregated society, but hollywood was also known to be one of the first progressive institutions. Banned in occupied countries during the war, these films became available. Two of noirs defining actors, gloria grahame and humphrey bogart, portray starcrossed lovers in the film.
Early examples of the noir style include dark, stylized detective films such as john hustons the maltese falcon 1941, frank tuttles this gun for hire 1942, otto premingers laura 1944, and edward dmytryks murder, my sweet 1944. Memento 2000 amnesia has always been common to film noir, and this breakout feature from christopher nolan carries on the tradition to its maximum potential taking us on a backwards journey alongside. Film noir was massively influential but it died out within 10 years and neo noir emerged from the ashes. What filmmakers can learn about comedy from gene wilder. Film noir was the term given by french film critic nino frank in 1946 to hollywood crime films playing in france following wwii. Therefore, the composition of this list may be controversial. A scene from in a lonely place 1950, directed by nicholas ray and based on a novel by noir fiction writer dorothy b. Nov 27, 2017 their rich talents and vital beauty made the classic film noir genre. A french term meaning black film, or film of the night, inspired by the series noir, a line of cheap paperbacks that translated hardboiled american crime authors and found a popular audience in france. For years, film directing was a totally male dominated profession, and the hitchhiker is rare in that it was directed by a woman, actress ida lupino. Played on the screen by a variety of actors, marlowe was cool, calm and collected in the most egregious of situations and. The film noir actors page at brians drivein theater is devoted to the great crime and film noir film actors and actresses from the 1930s through the 1950s.
An unassuming actor named orson welles also puts in an. A movie which at no time misleads you into thinking there is going to be a happy ending. The 10 best film noir movies of alltime screenrant. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish hollywood crime dramas, particularly such that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as johnny guitar. While actors like dick powell changed his career to become a film noir lead, bogart hit the ground running with the maltese falcon 1941 which some consider to be the first official film noir. Slasher movies 100 greatest war movies 100 greatest western movies 100 greatest film musicals 100 greatest film noir movies 100 greatest gangster movies 100 greatest biography. The compendium is venerable30 years and countingbut the overall acuity of the opinions expressed are still very much alive. The golden age of film noir is regarded to be the 1940s and 1950s, and as with any set dates there is always some overlap of the style.
Search by film title, actor, director, genre and more to find great movies. A list of the 100 greatest films noir compiled by digital dream door. Lauren bacall and humphrey bogart in the film version. Title screens are the initial titles, usually projected at the beginning of a film, and following the logos of the film studio. Classic film noir in the criterion collection cinema cities. Set in vienna immediately after world war ii, it also stars two american actors, joseph cotten and orson welles. However, aspects of the film only seem familiar because of how many other pictures it influenced. I am actually finishing up a page on macmurray75 movieswith indemnity sitting on top. A smart, soulful film full of evocative details, including a wonderfully intricate soundtrack. They are often an ignored aspect of films, although they reflect the time period or era of the film, the mood or design of the film, and much more. These greatest film noir movies were chosen for their direction, acting, storyline, cinematography, box office success and popularity. Dane clark and ethel barrymore who was miscasted,too aside this was a good cast and while the movie was entirely filmed in the studio it was sometimes aboveaverage cinematography.
The prevalence of the private eye as a lead character declined in film noir of the 1950s, a period during which several. Working directly with the hollywood studios, the worlds notable film archives and private collectors, our programs feature some of the most revered movies of all timemany with new restorationsand long lost gems. Humphrey deforest bogart was born in new york city, new york, to maud humphrey. Jerry stiller, actor, comedian and seinfeld alum, dead at. Later on he became noted for appearing in supporting roles.
The 15 best noir films of the 1940s taste of cinema. Film noir encompassed a relatively short time span of less than 20 years and essentially ended by the late fifties. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish hollywood crime dramas. Some 70 years after the term film noir was first coined to describe a uniquely american phenomenon, take a trip through the screwedup landscape of. My idea for this post was inspired by an article written by tony dambra on the presence of black actors in largely white hollywood film noir. Stanwyck and macmurray are awesome together in double indemnity. Yet today, the interest in these films, both from a technical and cultural perspective is flourishing. In the film, humphrey bogart plays private investigator sam spade. Its set in hollywood, which might have something to do with it, and stars humphrey bogart as dix steele, an embittered and washedup screenwriter with a fiery temper. Happy to say i have pages on all of the actors you mentioned. Peter lorre, diana dors, barbara payton, humprey bogart, alfred hitchc.
Tag popularity top rated top rated popular recently rated date added. Film noir is not a clearly defined genre see here for details on the characteristics. Nov 27, 2017 their rich talents and vital beauty made the classic film noir genre the dynamic art form it has grown into today. The rest of the cast is filled with actors who have shown up in numerous noir films, with elisha cook jr. Disappointed i am in the omission of some actors that are regarded as giants in film noir. A guide to film noir genre roger ebert roger ebert. While some actors like robert ryan and richard widmark would get their start at the end of noirs most prominent decade, bogart reigned the crime flick through the 1940s and. There are obvious choices for my favorite film noir actors. Elsa is one of film noirs great fatal women, but she was then also welles. See more ideas about classic film noir, film noir and classic films.