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Classic Film Noir

Here be those darkly vexing offerings one should include in their diet periodically. Film Noir (literally 'black film or cinema') was coined by French film critics (first by Frank Nino in 1946) who noticed the trend of how 'dark' and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France following the war. It was a style of black and white American films that first evolved in the 1940s, became prominent in the post-war era, and lasted in a classic "Golden Age" period until about 1965. With the list below Alice has included many "Contempory Noirs", making browsing that much more "coloured"..... Right: Orson Wells stars and directs "A Touch Of Evil".

Call It Murder (1934)

5.5/10
Director: Chester Erskine
Starring: Henry Hull, Humphrey Bogart, Margaret Wycherley, Sidney Fox

Aka 'Midnight'. One of Humphrey Bogart's first featured roles was as a gangster in 'Call It Murder', the story of a man who must help his daughter whe... Read more

Call Northside 777 (1948)

7.4/10
Director: Henry Hathaway
Starring: James Stewart, Lee J Cobb, Richard Conte, Helen Walker

When a classified ad grabs the attention of Chicago Times editor Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb), he sends ace reporter P.J. McNeal (James Stewart) to dig u... Read more

Cape Fear (1961)

7.3/10
Director: J Lee Thompson
Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen

Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum star in Hollywood's classic tale of revenge and murder. Robert Mitchum is unforgettable as Max Cady, an ex-con determi... Read more

Cape Fear (Blu-ray) (1961)

7.3/10
Director: J Lee Thompson
Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen

Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum star in Hollywood's classic tale of revenge and murder. Robert Mitchum is unforgettable as Max Cady, an ex-con determi... Read more

Citizen Kane (1941)

8.4/10
Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane

Generally regarded as the greatest and most influential films of all time; Orson Welles directorial debut (he was only 25!) is the story of newspaper... Read more

Citizen Kane ( Blu-ray ) (1941)

8.4/10
Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Paul Stewart, Ruth...

Even people who have never seen Citizen Kane know it's the greatest film of all time. Orson Welles' debut has become an undisputed cultural benchmark... Read more

Clash By Night (1952)

7.2/10
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Ryan

Barbara Stanwyck gives a dynamic performance in this steamy psychodrama as the penned-up wife of a boring fishing boat captain whose yearning for exci... Read more

Confidential Report ( aka Mr Arkadin ) (1955)

7.4/10
Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles, Mischa Auer, Michael Redgrave

Orson Welles directed and starred in this film version of his own novel. Powerful financier Mr Arkadin (Welles) claims to be suffering from amnesia, a... Read more

Cover Girl / Gilda (1944)

Director: Charles Vidor
Starring: Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Glenn Ford, George Macready

"Cover Girl" (1944) - This delightful Kern-Gershwin musical has Kelly's brilliant dancing, Silvers' burlesque routines, Arden's wisecracks and Haywort... Read more

Crime Wave / Decoy (1954)

Director: Andre De Toth, Jack Bernhard
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Gene Nelson, Edward Norris, Jean Gillie, Charles Bronson

Film noir double feature features the underrated noir thriller 'Crime Wave' (1954), about a hardboiled LA cop out to get a 'reformed' ex-con who was l... Read more