My Classic Film Noir Favorites

[@Normalhowaboutyou]

Omg Another blabby host I just wanna see the scenes

[@ronnydee2]

I think whoever she may be is quite good at what she does. I'm hoping it's not AI

[@billystpaul8907]

OMG...Another blabby viewer who don't understand her channel

[@Normalhowaboutyou]

“Blabby Viewer” wrote as many words as as you lol. -didn’t mean to crash your Helen Reddy Party😂

[@philo5227]

@Normalhowaboutyou, People don't accuse you of being smart, do they?

[@Normalhowaboutyou]

@@philo5227 only Lefty’s accuse people these days. And guess what -you’re next

[@CarlyUTube]

Nothing is better than Film Noir. It’s not just a movie it’s a feeling. A character all it’s own🖤

[@deejinlondon7285]

Agreed, I love Film Noir.

[@ks4148]

I agree with the description of “comfort crime films.” Nothing beats a good noir on a Friday night to shut out the chaos of the modern world.

[@CinemaCities1978]

that's my ideal Friday night!

[@Jh98w]

100%.

[@elijahoder3667]

Add a freshly cooked meal hot off the stove, something to drink, and bam! Perfect Friday night

[@hollbri2]

exacly how i feel about film noir

[@robinlindberg6339]

​@@elijahoder3667 Yep.🤩

[@DansTravels5823]

My bank account is being drained because of this channel, but I am a big believer in physical media. 99 River Street is now on the way. For some reason I love stories that take place over a night or a few hours. CC has become my spirit channel.

[@CinemaCities1978]

my bank account is being drained because of this channel too 😂😂😂 but I love it!!! I think you're going to really enjoy 99 River Street. Evelyn Keyes really brings the 🔥 and John Payne is like a big steam roller.

[@RobbGF]

The great Evelyn Keyes - www.youtube.com/@ClassicRobbEvelynKeyes

[@rittdalton8749]

Good for you for choosing "99 River Street". You're going to eat it up and love every morsel (and there are many). It's one of my very favorites. So much so that I actually try NOT to watch it too often -- merely in an effort to keep it exciting and special. Enjoy the anticipation of receiving it, and savor it for years to come!!

[@Lonovavir]

It doesn't help that film noirs cost much more than modern films. I don't regret buying them.

[@CelluloidRooms]

I’ve discovered so many great films thanks to this channel.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Wow! That's so great! I'm so happy that I could introduce you to some great films.

[@frankholstein4499]

Same!

[@nickimontie]

I have so many on my list now. Thank you so much!

[@qtandem]

There's never enough love for Robert Ryan ❤️ Another Fritz Lang favorite of mine is Ministry of Fear, with Ray Milland and the great Dan Duryea in a supporting role.

[@MothGirl007]

Dan Duryea is probably my favorite actor in villainous Noir roles and I've seen Ministry of Fear twice on the big screen - it's quite good!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Whenever I think of Ministry of Fear I think of how lovely that cake looked. 😂

[@kendn01]

Thanks for the reference to Carol Burnett. "Raised to be Rotten" is one of my favorite of Carol's parodies!

[@CinemaCities1978]

That is one of my favorites too, it's up there with Mildred Fierce for me 😂

[@DanielOrme]

@@CinemaCities1978 I'm telling you, Carol Burnett would adore this channel. You can tell by the many films of this era she parodied. Maybe she is watching now. Carol? Are you out there??? 🤨

[@kendn01]

Agreed - especially when Carol (Mildred) says: " I don't need a brick to fall on me" and is immediately hit in the head with a brick....@@CinemaCities1978

[@davidgladstone6588]

@@kendn01 I found Carol in 1959 on the Sandy Becker show doing the Princess and the Pea. Hysterical.

[@perkinscurry8665]

You're absolutely right about Mary Astor in Act of Violence. It's amazing how her performance just pops out in an already terrific flick.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Everyone in that film is already giving amazing performances, then Mary appears and just blows them away.

[@stevemoody13]

You haven't steered me in the direction of anything I haven't loved! Your videos are incredible.

[@CinemaCities1978]

that's so cool but that's pressure!!! 😂 I hope I can keep that up!

[@susanmolnar9606]

I’ve always loved the genre of film noir. Whenever one is on tv I’m there watching and watching over again! Thanks.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Same here!

[@Kjt853]

For what it’s worth, one of my own favorites is “Dark Passage” (1947) with Bogie and Bacall. In quality it’s perhaps a rung below “The Big Sleep,” but I find “Passage” almost hypnotic, or at least dreamlike, with its 1st-person camera point-of-view in the first two-thirds. And Agnes Moorehead’s exit - what can beat it?

[@CinemaCities1978]

Dark Passage used air frequently on my local PBS station and it's one of my dad's favorite films. He's a big Bogart fan.

[@MothGirl007]

I love it too - it's kind of sheer madness, but in a good way.

[@Kjt853]

@@CinemaCities1978 I just spotted an error I made in my initial comment. The first-person camera p.o.v. occurs only in the *first* third of the movie; in the second third, Bogart’s face is covered with bandages. Mea culpa!

[@deejinlondon7285]

@@CinemaCities1978 Yeah, I am a big Boagert fan too. One of his really good films is The Treasure of Sierra Madre.

[@nanasewdear]

"Shadow of a Doubt" is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. Stellar performances by Joseph Cotton, Theresa Wright and even Macdonald Carey.

[@CinemaCities1978]

It's one of my favorite Hitchcock films too. It's another film that records a snapshot of a lost time and place with it's use of location shooting. I just love 1940s Santa Rosa in that movie.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

It's one of the great Hitchocks. I was lucky to have seen it in a theater back in the 1980s.

[@TheloniousCube]

Don't forget Hume Cronyn in a great comic relief part!

[@nanasewdear]

@@TheloniousCube He was in "Lifeboat" too! So young.

[@nanasewdear]

@@CinemaCities1978 Looking at location backgrounds and the set designs is all part of the fun for me. I love seeing vintage downtown LA in Harold Lloyd films. Now someone needs to invent a time machine...

[@josephmayo3253]

Wonderful video. My go to noirs are Maltese Falcon, Laura, Out of the Past, This Gun for Hire, Night & the City, Double Indemnity, Postman Always Rings Twice, The Killers, Clash By Night, and The Las Vegas Story.

[@CinemaCities1978]

The Las Vegas Story! That's got some great location shots of 1950s Las Vegas. Very different from the Vegas of today!

[@MothGirl007]

One of the great French Noirs is "Riffifi" (1955), directed by Jules Dassin. It was the original crime drama that "The Asphalt Jungle" was based on, and as good as that film is, I think the French version is just a tiny bit better. It's super suspenseful and quite brutal, and has a memorable ending. Highly recommended!

[@RistoLuukkonen]

Rififi is a great film, but it was made five years after The Asphalt Jungle.

[@moonriverdiver]

My favourite French noir director is Jean-Pierre Melville and his the Red Circle the ultimate heist movie.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

Finally found a channel where they love the same movies I do!❤️

[@Dpb-236]

Naked City was very fun. There were a lot of street scenes, so it was cool , I liked it.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I love the street scenes in that film. They paint a nice picture of day to day life in mid century NYC.

[@TheWaynos73]

Some of my Noir favourites: Detour, Split Second, Fallen Angel, Where The Sidewalk Ends, Black Tuesday, 5 Fingers

[@Dpb-236]

I love all of the movies you mentioned and the movies at the end.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I feel so bad that I left them off. I think I'll have to make a part 2. . .

[@samopaik8695]

Thanks for the Robert Ryan nod. Ace in the Hole, Night and the City , Thieves Highway , Too late for tears and Woman on the Run also worthwhile mentions.

[@jmadden9762]

99 River Street got me back into Noir. Pitfall showed how scary Raymond Burr can be. Crime Wave showed that in noir there's cigarette acting, coffee acting, and Sterin Hayden perfected toothpick acting

[@CinemaCities1978]

Cigareet acting, coffee acting, toothpick acting. . .I love that! 😀

[@azohundred1353]

Your list is amazing. For me, it's also impossible to choose a definitive Top 10, but I can give 10 I'll always like (in order of release): 1. Double Indemnity (1944) 2. The Big Sleep (1946) 3. Brute Force (1947) 4. The Lady From Shanghai (1947) 5. White Heat (1949) 6. Ace In The Hole (1951) 7. The Big Heat (1953) 8. The Big Combo (1955) 9. The Killing (1956) 10. Sweet Smell Of Success (1957) I know some will debate whether or not The Big Sleep, White Heat, and Ace In The Hole are film noir, but in my opinion, they fit the bill enough. Of course, there are countless honorable mentions, but that list could go on for a while. Film Noir Favorites are a great way to see other noirs that fans of the genre have missed. Great idea, Cinema Cities.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I know some people debate Clash By Night too . . . I love seeing what everyone else mentions. I found some new favorites from the comment sections of these videos. It's really a fun community that posts and shares lots a great stuff.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Great list. Essential stuff. I saw The Big Sleep on 35mm in an old movie house. It doesn't get any better than that.

[@rayfinkle9369]

Thanks for this list. The only one I hadn't seen was Brute Force and I just watched it. Very good!

[@suezelenitz1910]

I can never find the places where I can see these films for free. I am watching on KZbin.

[@jeromepudwill]

One of the best lists I've seen . . . but room for more! Including The Third Man, Touch Of Evil, Farewell, My Lovely, Mildred Pierce, Detour, Rififi and the original versions of Cape Fear and Night And The City. Even Chinatown, Blue Velvet, Body Heat, LA Confidential and The Last Seduction. Some would argue that Brute Force, White Heat, Sweet Smell Of Success and Ace In The Hole aren't true film noirs - just depends on who you ask and what their criteria is. Does it really require a femme fatale? Does the bad guy always have to lose all? Does the good guy really need to make just one bad decision that becomes his downfall? Must it always have low-key lighting? I can think of film noirs that violate every one of these and other tropes. So who's to say?!

[@FrankWinkel-uh2kq]

"... my comfort crime films." The vicarious thrill, the cautionary tale, viewed with wise setback distance from others' poor choices gives us the elbow room needed to savage that popcorn bowl.

[@arthurwright8827]

As the end of the video neared, I was already to cry foul for missing the best in my opinion noir, which is Laura! I’m glad you rated it highly as well. The rest of your list had many I haven’t seen, YET! Thanks for your time and effort putting this list together. It’s very much appreciated!

[@kimlerner389]

"Sterling Hayden, boyfriend of the channel" LOVE IT!

[@coolaunt516]

I see some major binges in my future!

[@CinemaCities1978]

enjoy!!

[@TheQuirkyCharacter]

My favorite Robert Ryan's film noir is Inferno (1953), a Technicolor movie. I fell in love with the Mojave Desert after watching it, and both the film and the scenery have haunted me ever since. . .

[@CinemaCities1978]

I watched Inferno last night. It was really thrilling and pretty suspenseful. I loved Ryan's performance. He was solo for most of the film with very few lines and he's really great at giving the action only performance.

[@kenharris2121]

Any Edmond O Brien movie along with Double Indemnity and Asphalt Jungle are my go to's

[@CinemaCities1978]

Speaking of O'Brien. . .I totally forgot the Hitch Hiker!!!! Love that one!

[@kenharris2121]

@CinemaCities1978 happy that I stirred your memory

[@marionmarino1616]

@@kenharris2121 O’Brian started out in radio in a private eye series. His voice absolutely magnetic. Movies caught up with him, notice his voice.

[@michaelrickels7386]

"Laura" is one of my absolute favorite films.

[@curiousworld7912]

I came back for a second watch, and you've named some greats - and a couple I've not yet seen. I loved '99 River Street', and wish Evelyn Keyes was more widely known and appreciated. She was great in one of my 'guilty pleasures', 'Mr. Soft Touch', with Glenn Ford. And, oh my! Thank you for your nod to Robert Ryan - what an amazing screen presence, he was!

[@CinemaCities1978]

I haven’t seen Mr Soft Touch. I’ve got it saved in my watch queue. Maybe I’ll watch it tonight.

[@curiousworld7912]

@@CinemaCities1978 I'd be interested in your reaction. It's a bit of a different slant on noir; yet, it very much has its place in the genre . And, it's got a great closing line. :)

[@johnnypalooka]

You just reminded me of so many films I want to rewatch. Great video. I've been discovering a load of great post war British crime/noir films lately. 2 of the best are Obsession aka The Hidden Room (Robert Newton is just GREAT in this) and Cast a Dark Shadow with Dirk Bogarde and Margaret Lockwood (Incredible performance by her). And Robert Ryan? Just the greatest. THE greatest.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Cast A Dark Shadow is sooo good. The way he says "Monie" whenever he's in trouble. . . he shouldn't have killed her in the first place! 😂

[@MothGirl007]

British crime drama is fantastic!

[@clara5924]

Thank you for providing me with more fantastic noir movies. From this list, I only knew Naked City and Martha Ivers. I'd like to see the rest.

[@CinemaCities1978]

You're welcome!

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

Laura and Shadow of a Doubt mentioned in the essentials! Laura *is* my favorite noir and Shadow of a Doubt is a top 5er for me. This genre is almost always straight banger after banger, if I had to only watch one for the rest of my life it'd probably be noir.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Shadow of a Doubt is another one I know word for word by heart. Noir is definitely my deserted island genre.

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

@@CinemaCities1978 Granted I would choose silent movies if the question was movie types, but this is about genre. I love "dark underbelly of suburbia" movies and Shadow of a Doubt shows how much more sordid your own neighborhood is than any alleyway over in the city better than nearly anything else.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I love those types of films too. I call them "seedy small town" movies.

[@lottaandgus]

Great choices! I'm so glad that people are discovering Act of Violence--and Pitfall is one of the true naturalist films of the forties.

[@inwalksgrace]

I watched Crime of Passion after watching another of your videos and LOVED it. Your channel is my new favorite place to find great films!

[@CinemaCities1978]

I'm so glad you loved it!

[@LayneMalachi]

I love Film Noir. I could watch these films over and over. I really like the film Impact (1949) with Brian Donlevy, Helen Walker, Ella Raines, and Charles Coburn. Thank you for this video. I enjoyed it very much.

[@NoahCross1]

This channel has great content and it deserves a bigger following. Ain't no taste like personal taste, you go Cities!

[@CinemaCities1978]

thank you!

[@SallySallySallySally]

Nice collection! Robert Ryan is always a treat. His appearance and bearing was tailor-made for his most frequent type of role. I chuckle when I imagine him attending one of his kid's PTA meetings. Would you want to be the teacher tasked with telling him how little Timmy/Lisa/Cheyney wasn't doing well? LOL. In real life, he was nothing like the characters he usually portrayed. But his stare alone was enough to intimidate anyone! (His 6' 4" frame didn't hurt either!)

[@CinemaCities1978]

He was very good at putting on the menace. I hope he wouldn't bring that energy to the PTA meeting. 😂

[@lmiddleman]

Excellent video. My fave is the original cut of The Big Sleep. The complex plot, the dialogue, the acting... it's great.

[@MothGirl007]

And Bosley Crowther didn't like it, which only elevates it more, imho.

[@GrandOldMovies]

Great choices, and love your channel! I think John Garfield gives his best performance in Force of Evil, which really dives into the grimy, desperate underworld of small-town players and the big-town crooks who brutally rule over them. While Noir is considered such an essential American genre, have you ever considered looking at French noir? Films like Elevator to the Gallows, Wages of Fear, Diabolique, or Rififi, and the films of Jean-Pierre Melville, such as Le Doulos, Bob Le Flambeur, Le Samourai? It would make an interesting comparison, especially since it was the French who christened American crime films as a particular genre they called noir.

[@HootOwl513]

I love the French-originated term for ''night'' sequences shot during the day, with a blue filter on the camera, and big spotlights to wash out the sun's shadows:

[@CinemaCities1978]

I had in mind a This Gun For Hire/Le Samourai video. I just haven't gotten around to writing it. Although, I think a dedicated French Noir video is a fantastic idea.

[@HootOwl513]

It's a cooler sounding title than: EXTERIOR: DAY FOR NITE

[@frederickcombs8661]

So much to take in here. Thank you..

[@CinemaCities1978]

You're welcome!

[@caseyodell520]

Robert Ryan is absolutely amazing. I love him so much ❤❤❤❤❤❤. Finally, someone else recognizes his true talent 👏

[@jonhinson5701]

Love that night time jazz in the background. Thanks for the recommendations.

[@lindacecile5647]

Missed you. But, always worth waiting for. I just left ve every part of your show, from the depth to the accompanying pics and narration. You're the best in a field of many. As usual, you've given more to watch 😉

[@CinemaCities1978]

thank you!!!! and thank you for being a loyal viewer!

[@stretch9952]

Had not seen Pitfall before. A surprisingly heavy human drama that builds slowly but relentlessly. The subject matter, human weakness and unfaithfullness, constituted serious "adult" drama in 1948. and is played for all it's worth.

[@MothGirl007]

I always quite enjoy seeing Dick Powell playing a totally different character from his dapper cute boy singer roles in all of the Busby Berkeley films of the 30ts. I love all of those movies too, but I love noirs as well. It shows he was quite versatile. It's also fun seeing all of the old L.A. landmarks in Pitfall (especially the May Company department store), since I am a native Angeleno.

[@stretch9952]

@@MothGirl007 Agree with your comments. Though I am a NorCal native, my father did business with the May Company. I recall the Wilshire Blvd. area and found it interesting that the Liz Scott character was supposed to have lived nearly across the street from the May Co.

[@MothGirl007]

@@stretch9952 The May Company building had such a cool Streamline Moderne facade, and I'm so glad that the building has been preserved and now is home to the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum. It would have truly been sacrilege if the building had been torn down, like so many amazing landmarks in L.A.have been.

[@neilbrown9922]

I've seen a number of these movies (not all!) and will have to check out some more. I loved your review, and agree that you can't rank your favorites.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@etherealtb6021]

Finally, some love for Robert Ryan and On Dangerous Ground! I love Born to be Bad! One of those films you think the censors must've slept through - thank goodness! 😁 Have you noticed EVERY cop TV show that's on long enough has a "Laura" episode? Lol.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I love Robert Ryan so much! Seriously, that first 30 mins of On Dangerous Ground where we follow Ryan on the beat and see the seedy side of town is absolutely fantastic on every level. I think every crime tv writer has one Laura type story in them that they have to get out.

[@etherealtb6021]

@@CinemaCities1978 That part of On Dangerous Ground is so dark - I think some of the darkest of all Noirs. I showed it to a friend and they were like, "OMG! They had handheld cameras back then"? 🤣🤣🤣 BTW, I seem to be alone in that I like the "Siberia" 2nd half as well. For me, Ray, Ryan, Lupino and Hermann make it work. Also, it is one of the only Noirs I know of which takes time examining, how can or is it possible for someone to escape the darkness?

[@CinemaCities1978]

I don't dislike that 2nd half, I just don't love it as much as the first half. But, that second half gives us Ida Lupino and Robet Ryan together and they have amazing chemistry. I don't even care that the love story is rushed because I would fall in love with him that fast too.

[@RickTBL]

This was more educational than most. Love all the cross referencing. This will help me find new old films to watch.

[@MoreMovies4u]

Awesome sauce! Loved this one CC! I was hoping to see Out of the Past in there as i watched it for the first time two nights ago. Jane Greer MVP... i love it! Lots more here to add to my ever-expanding list. Have a great week ahead my friend! 🙏❤🎬

[@CinemaCities1978]

Did you love Out of the Past??? I know you did. Honestly, Kathie Moffat is such a cold hearted you-know-what I can't help but love her. She really is my femme fatale MVP. I've got to recommend On Dangerous Ground. I think you will really enjoy that one.

[@MoreMovies4u]

@@CinemaCities1978 yeeeeah, course i did! 😆 Jane Greer, Mitchum, Douglas, so awesome! And what an ending! Ok, will check that one out soon. Thanks CC.

[@travispredix1612]

This channel is wonderful! A film lovers reminder of why this genre is so amazing. I would really like to see a video on James Cagney, if there isn't one already. Keep up the great work!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thank you!!! A Cagney video…that’s a great suggestion!

[@dearbrad1996]

Thanks Sidney, one because I forgot to write them down so I just saved it, and two for your links to these movies which I never heard of before. I trust you implicitly as a good critic is hard to find, thats not on the take PS thanks so much for recommending twin peaks, I'm totally hooked All The Best.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I'm so happy that you are enjoying Twin Peaks!!!!!

[@pheemer]

It seems like you prefer lesser known and underappreciated titles, but The Big Sleep and Maltese Falcon are undeniable! The writing, acting and wonderful casts hold up to multiple viewings.

[@CinemaCities1978]

They just aren't my personal favorites. I totally appreciate their place in film history, but I'm also not a huge Bogart fan besides In a Lonely Place ( I LOVE that movie).

[@pheemer]

@@CinemaCities1978 Movies are like food. Some flavors you like and some you don't. I wouldn't have mentioned those titles unless I genuinely enjoyed them. It's always a great feeling when you see a movie you've always heard about and you think: "Ohh, THAT'S why they always rave about that one!", but oftentimes your reaction is: "Meh!".

[@MothGirl007]

I consider The Maltese Falcon to be the first Noir film that came out of Hollywood, and is pretty much a flawless movie, imho. It truly does stand up to multiple viewings and everyone is perfection in their roles.

[@pheemer]

@@MothGirl007 Thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It clicked all my "movie love" buttons!

[@MothGirl007]

@@pheemer I never tire of it, and Mary Astor is perfection as one of the most memorable and evil women in film.

[@attiladeak8585]

Love this video. I love how fluid you decided to make it. We do need to stop and appreciate Robert Ryan a bit. Great list

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thanks for watching! Robert Ryan deserves a moment in the sun.

[@relicofgold]

Dark Passage. Totally original script, Bogie and Bacall, a performance by Agnes Moorehead that deserved the Oscar. Not only a fav or noir, but one of my fav films of all time.

[@mac2phin]

I hate to gush, but, hey, what the heck? Love your tastes in jazz & film as well as your sterling presentations. Really grand!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thank you so much! I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!

[@planetarysolidarity]

Is it only me, or did mid century movies really have the best titles 🤔

[@MothGirl007]

They had the best everything, imho.

[@HAM-sb2ns]

It seems like every movie now just has one word titles, boring

[@mesolithicman164]

Modern movies have boring one word titles. With Noir you can chop up a bunch of them and come up with new movies. All of which sound plausible and very watchable. In a Lonely City. Force of Fear. Naked Desire Final Kiss Night of Evil. Any of those could be noir movies.

[@planetarysolidarity]

@@mesolithicman164 💯

[@silvernail6]

I enjoy your voice ……take a peek at a personal favorite……. trouble in mind

[@ferociousgumby]

More, please! I'd also LOVE to see more deep dives on an individual actor/actress, as you did with John Garfield. If you do Bogart, I will keel over. Oh, and how about Bogie and Bacall? (Or Nick and Nora, for that matter! Or, in general, chemistry between film couples, or lack of same.)

[@davidhull1481]

Great list, Martha Ivers is one of my favorites. How about The Big Clock? Remade in the 80s, one of Kevin Costner’s early lead roles. Oh yeah, retitled as No Way Out.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Costner has his No Way Out remake but there's also No Way Out with Sidney Poitier, Linda Darnell and Richard Widmark which is a good one

[@davidhull1481]

@@CinemaCities1978 Don’t know it, I’ll keep a watch for it.

[@nedludd7622]

Another good procedural Noir is the 1962 British film "Jigsaw". It takes place in a small town, not NYC.

[@btetschner]

A+ video! Fantastic! Thank you for sharing your favorites!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thanks for watching!

[@babyj7795]

Sweet smell of success is one of my favorites movies❤

[@CinemaCities1978]

I love how NYC looks in that movie.

[@marionmarino1616]

@@babyj7795 Sweet Smell was brutal. Supposed to be based on an actual radio personality.

[@zetectic7968]

I grew up with a black & white TV to watch films on plus a Friday night treat was going to Junior Guild & watching classic silent comedies & Laurel+Hardy. So to me Black & White films are special, no distraction from colour just being sucked in by the plot, the acting and a time when the Femme Fatale was glamorous, dangerous plus not always to be trusted. Quite a few of these never got to be shown on British TV or relegated to very late night, then displaced by newer releases as we only had 3 channels back then. Even now they probably might get shown only on a paid channel like TCM. A lot to catch up upon, so thanks for the recommendations.

[@Noir_or_never31]

I love your channel. Whenever I’m feeling a bit down, it cheers me right up! ❤

[@johnw706]

You mentioned a lot of great films . One that you should check out , if you haven’t already seen it, is Where Danger Lives . It has the great Faith Domergue as a woman that you don’t ever want to cross paths with . Unfortunately , Robert Mitchum and Claude Rains do exactly that . You mentioned a few that I haven’t seen . Thanks for the recommendations!

[@the3rdpillblog934]

Thank you so much! I am addicted to Noir at the moment and need moooooooore. :-)

[@CinemaCities1978]

You and me both!

[@the3rdpillblog934]

@@CinemaCities1978 I made for another channel a top 10 of the Noirs I've seen this year for the first time. I copy and paste it here. I guess most are well known. But I love them all: Gilda 1946 The Window 1949 Night Has a Thousand Eyes 1948 Act of Violence 1949 The Face Behind the Mask 1941 The Seventh Victim 1943 Call Northside 777 1948 The Set-Up 1949 Woman on the Run 1950 Detective Story 1951 Bonus if you don't think The 7th Victim is a Noir: Fourteen Hours 1951 (if you consider this a Noir - if not ...): The Big Heat 1953

[@CinemaCities1978]

I totally think the 7th victim is a noir. I made an entire video about it 😂 I've never seen The Face Behind the Mask. . .

[@the3rdpillblog934]

@@CinemaCities1978 I've seen your video - loved it! - Oh, please watch The Face Behind the Mask. I f you like Peter Lorre. At the beginning he plays his role maybe a little bit too naive; but then the film gets quickly really dark (and emotional). I love that film.

[@windstorm1000]

Wow, fun, breezy, and perceptive film analysis . Such a pleasure to see your choices and why you chose them. Now I want to see them all! Thank you!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cfroberts62]

Great list! Good work as always!!!!

[@CinemaCities1978]

thank you!

[@peterhall5070]

Here's another excellent film noir which, while I have yet to hear you mention it, I'm sure you've probably seen. It's Elia Kazan's "Panic in the Streets" with Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Barbara Bel Geddes and Zero Mostel. It involves two officers who have a limited time to prevent a plague epidemic. It's Jack Palance's first film. VERY exciting. I highly recommend.

[@lbbotpn5429]

An exceedingly awesome list, though I must admit that I've never been able to like Gilda. I keep thinking that I must be missing something, but after watching it four or five times, I can't get past how 70% of the movie is Rita Hayworth and Glen Ford professing their love/hate for one another... Between that and the thin plot, I just stop caring about half way through. Since you mentioned Human Desire, I'd recommend checking out the film it was based on; La Bete Humaine. It's an early example of noir directed by Jean Renoir and starring Jean Gabin and girlfriend of this commenter, Simone Simon. Thanks for another great video!

[@MothGirl007]

Totally with you on Gilda - it's not one of my favorites either, even though it's fun to see Hayworth and Ford together, it's not a movie I care to see again.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I can totally get why some people don't like Gilda. Personally, I've always been drawn to dysfunctional love stories, which is why Gilda ticks a lot of boxes for me. As for the plot outside of the love story, I admit it's quite thin and kind of silly. side note - I absolutely love the comments section of this channel It's a wonderful place where everyone can openly talk about and discuss their likes, dislikes, and loves. Moreover, there are always some great suggestions shared.

[@brigittecastrucci6541]

Excellent picks 👏🏻 a lot of my faves! I would add 2 with Charles Laughton, The Big Clock and the only film he directed, Night of the Hunter. Also the Bogart Bacall pairing of The Big Sleep. The intricate plot and pacing are spot on.

[@MoxieMcMurder]

You've mentioned a few of my favourites but I need to check out Act of Violence and 99 River Street.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Act of Violence is a must watch! I think you'll really like it.

[@MoxieMcMurder]

@@CinemaCities1978 I'll let you know once I've watched it! 😉

[@edramirez1240]

To be honest, Bosley Crowther was one of the most obstinate film critic in history. He would constantly eviscerate all of Joan Crawford’s performances, so it doesn’t surprise me when it comes to Film Noir. If I could add to the list, I would like to include “The Big Clock” with Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan, Rita Johnson, and the incredible Elsa Lanchester (Charles Laughton‘s wife). It another movie that takes place in postnwar Manhattan, and in particular Rockefeller Center.

[@MothGirl007]

Anyone who would eviscerate Joan Crawford could never be a friend of mine.

[@edramirez1240]

@@MothGirl007 He also hated the movie “Bonnie and Clyde”.

[@MothGirl007]

@@edramirez1240 Obviously a man with very bad taste.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

he was the definition of the word "square" If he hated a movie we would immediately go and see it. The critic in the New York Post (I forget his name) was much better.

[@windstorm1000]

Yes the. Big clock

[@diepderstine8910]

Absolutely correct about Kathy Moffat 👑🔥❤️...ALL THE LOVE for Out of the Past...Robert Mitchum excelled at playing doom fated guys just trying to get on with whatever lives they had left❤️

[@MothGirl007]

Kathy Moffat is truly the GOAT.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Absolutely!

[@8176morgan]

"Out of the Past" gets my vote as the best film noir ever, and yes Kathy Moffat is the ultimate vixen. She is a lot more impressive in that film than in the redux pairing of Mitchum and Greer in "The Big Steal" a couple of years later that nonetheless is a great movie in and of itself.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

Greer was so drop-dead gorgeous in that film.

[@4Topwood]

What a fun video of my favorite genre. Thanks a million, Cin Cities. You are one swell dame!

[@CinemaCities1978]

thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@edheliosz]

That was wonderful. Thank you. ❤

[@CinemaCities1978]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MichaelKomlo]

Blabby host my foot. A real passionate film enthusiast. I so appreciate your perspective and commentary on these classic films. Great research and attention to detail! Thank you so much. Keep on telling us about those 8 Million Stories 😎🎥🍿

[@richardwalker9826]

great compilation0f films most of these i never heard of

[@55bigyin]

Really enjoy your channel... and your commentary on the movies ... Love your voice

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thank you so much 😀

[@CinemaCities1978]

I've previously covered movies like Leave Her To Heaven, Sunset Boulevard and Hangover Square among others so check out this playlist for more Film Noir Playlist ➡ kzbin.info/aero/PLn_N29RFy3rrw-oe8vt0xfQMlKz22QA1o If you love the classics, why not subscribe to the free cinema cities newsletter 📰screenspectator.substack.com?sd=pf ✅ Check out the full list of Cinema Cities Books and Movie recommendations www.amazon.com/shop/cinemacities If you're loving these videos consider supporting the channel at: ☕www.buymeacoffee.com/cinemacities

[@edwardalexander9486]

Glad you mentioned Shadow of a Doubt! Apart from Rebecca, my fave Hitchcock b&w film.

[@gandfgandf5826]

This was fun. Thanks. Some I've seen, some I haven't. The only one that I watched recently was 'Gilda'' which was ... not sure what adjective to use. Love ? that mixed up. Yes. I haven't seen 'Laura' for 35 years, but looking forward to rewatching it soon.

[@RobbGF]

The Rita Hayworth & Glenn Ford Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLA9dyopf8noOmDD243AZMUnuWdiQZulO5

[@gandfgandf5826]

@@RobbGF thanks. I didn't know they made so many films together.

[@jeffwhite3679]

Noir is my favorite genre. One of my favorites, The Killing with Sterling Hayden didn't make you list. That's ok there are simply too many to choose from and it's hard to pick favorites. You are so right about the city exteriors showing a world that no longer exists. I often look at these movies for research purposes for my retirement hobby of model railroading. Nothing like the actual exteriors to help me make my (set in 1955) model railroad more realistic.

[@CinemaCities1978]

You're right, there are too many. I tried to limit my Sterling Hayden films to just 1, so I picked Crime Wave. But, I did cover The Killing in my Sterling Hayden video.

[@4Topwood]

Lionel or Revell?

[@jeffwhite3679]

@@4Topwood Revell has been out of the model railroad business for decades. It’s an HO scale layout with equipment from many different manufacturers. It’s a branch of the hobby called prototype modeling where we strive to make our layout as realistic as possible. I’ve used screen shots from many film noir movies for inspiration and to check my work against a real scene. A lot of film noir is set in industrial areas served by railroads.

[@4Topwood]

@@jeffwhite3679 Thanks for the reply. My dad did that with his model railroad layout but not in any "official" way. I remember he installed a small lake with a tiny island in its center, as well as a train station, small town, etc. I think the layout interested him even more than the trains themselves. I knew Revell was out of business but thought their trains might be collectible. As I recall, they were of pretty good quality.

[@DanielOrme]

ROBERT RYAN! I discovered Robert Ryan at the very end of his career, in the 1973 movie adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh," where he played the failed anarchist Larry Slade. It's an unforgettable performance, his last (he died not long after completion). After that I made a point of seeing every one of his films that I could. I've seen all those you named. In big films he generally played heavies, in lower-budget ones he was usually the conflicted hero or anti-hero, often a violent man in a violent world. But even in villain roles he had different shades. As the bad guy in "The Naked Spur" he's smilingly satanic, in "Cross Fire" and "Billy Budd" he's harsh and brutal. In "Caught" he plays a coldly emotionless millionaire (a character supposedly based on Howard Hughes). But he could also be heroic, even believably noble, like the boxer in "The Setup" (one of the all-time boxing movies). But when he could mix it all together he was extraordinary. As you said, as you watch "Act Of Violence" it becomes less and less clear who the real bad guy is. In "Clash By Night" he's nearly Brando-as-Stanley-Kowalski-like in his intensity and the conflicting emotions he inspires. And I adore the opening half of "On Dangerous Ground" too, where his inner violence is as compelling as the outer. (I love the second half of the movie as well, but then Ida Lupino is the actress of this period I'm obsessed with. 😁) The only Ryan performance I'd love to see that I haven't was one he gave for a 1958 television production of "The Great Gatsby." What a Gatsby he must have been!

[@TheloniousCube]

The Naked Spur is such a great film - Jimmy Stewart playing a seriously troubled character and Ryan pushing him over the edge

[@CinemaCities1978]

Ryan as Gatsby is something I'd love to see! I love "Playhouse 90" and the other live drama programs from the 50s. You see the great screen stars in some unexpected roles, like Mary Astor playing Norma Desmond on "Robert Montgomery Presents Sunset Boulevard." But back to Ryan, he's got that combination of brooding, brutal intensity tempered with occasional tenderness and vulnerability that I just love. I read an article that made the claim that had he arrived in Hollywood earlier, he would have had a more diverse career and not have been stuck as a mainstay in crime films. But, honestly, if he'd arrived earlier (1930s), I don't think the studios would've known what to do with him. There's a reason his career flourished post war. I love your observation of his character in "Clash By Night" - that's the combination of intensity, brutishness, and vulnerability I love.

[@DanielOrme]

@@CinemaCities1978 I very much agree with what you say about Ryan if he had shown up in 1930's Hollywood. They would have fixed on one aspect of his performing personality and slotted him into narrow roles. It wasn't until the 40's that American movies admitted the more complicated heroes and anti-heroes Ryan excelled at.

[@BRLaue]

You forget his subtle performance with Tracy in ‘Bad Day at Blackrock.”

[@bradhansen2065]

Wonderful stuff. I agree 100%, whenever I see a KZbin video titled “Top Ten,” Or “Ten Best,” I don’t bother. How can one persons opinion be absolute? One quibble, “The duality of life,” it is really just two half’s of the same coin. You can not have one without the other, nature wouldn’t allow it. But I love your videos and look forward to everyone.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

I knew this was going to be good when you started off with Pitfall. Boss movie.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Pitfall is great. I just love Dick Powell’s air of dissatisfaction

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

@@CinemaCities1978 Me too. I thought the movie had a domestic realism you don't see in too many noirs. I felt in some of his earlier noirs, great as they are, he was almost a parody of noir detectives, but here he felt really real and vulnerable.

[@RC-vv6nr]

Stanwyck's Double Indemnity the greatest . . .

[@CinemaCities1978]

Definitely

[@dcdad556]

One of my faves: Kiss Me, Deadly. Shooting one day on Chicago Hope, I realized we were on location in Hollywood at the Hollywood Health Club where the opening-of-the attache-case scene in Kiss Me... (radioactive light pouring out) was filmed RIGHT THERE.

[@michaelvickery5547]

Thank you! This is wonderful.

[@CinemaCities1978]

Glad you like it!

[@peterhall5070]

(for anyone reading this, there are spoilers below for the movie "PITFALL") HI Ms. Cinema Cities, I watched this video this morning and my mouth was watering to start viewing some of the films you suggested. Being an avid movie buff and film studies person since I was a child, I simply LOVE your videos, your film knowledge and your narration. That said, I wanted to let you know that I just finished watching "PITFALL" per your suggestion. Excellent! Simply excellent. Raymond Burr can really play a good slimy villain. I'm thinking of "REAR WINDOW" as well. One thing that stuck out to me and was rather refreshing is that unlike most other Hollywood films in this era, this director and the writers apparently didn't feel like they had to give the audience a happy ending. It doesn't necessarily have a SAD ending but it leaves one a bit up in the air as to how life will progress for these people. Will MacDonald die, leaving Mona to go to prison for decades? Will Johnny's marriage with Sue hold together with the test of time after his mistake? Can she really get past it? There isn't any kind of final interaction between Mona and Johnny. All of these were great choices in my opinion because that's how life really is. These choices, for me, kept the realism of the rest of the piece intact. SO, thanks for the recommendation. I loved it. I haven't seen many of these film noir selections. The next one I'm going to look for is the one with Mary Astor. The name escapes me at the moment. I'll have to watch your video again. Anyway, that one really intrigues me as well. Thanks again. Love your channel. All the best, Peter.

[@dk60ish]

Just when I think I've finally run out of Noirs to discover, thanks!

[@CinemaCities1978]

You’re welcome. Enjoy!!!😀

[@margin606]

I love your videos unreservedly

[@CinemaCities1978]

thank you so much!

[@Superior_Productions]

I find it very difficult to describe Noir to people who are unfamiliar with it beyond cliche. It's such an elusive, yet vivid mode of storytelling that has an incredible sense of economy without compromising aesthetic and structural style (In fact usually quite the opposite). I find a kinship with the fatally flawed characters even though they wear suits and ties and smoke and I do neither. It has a poetical resonance to the current state of the world that I inherently relate to personally. I love noir...

[@CinemaCities1978]

I love the atmosphere, mood, and complexity of the characters in noir films. But then there's also the actors/actresses; they have distinct a natural faces and style that seem extinct today. There's a hardboiled edge to the era that no matter how hard anyone tries, they just can't replicate today. Also, I'm a sucker for an ambiguous and/or tragic ending, and film noir serves that by the truckload."

[@Superior_Productions]

I think it was also that most of these films came prior to TV, and even with the ones that came throughout the 50s, there was still this sense of mystery that was maintained in regard to the films and the actors in them. That mystery has been obliterated now and as such you have a whole generation of "actors" who believe the hype that's been generated about them because they can engage in and shape the perceptions of themselves firsthand. There's talented actors today to be sure, but I'd be hard pressed to find a contemporary equivalent to Robert Ryan, Dana Andrews, Rita Hayworth, or Joan Fontaine for example.

[@michaelkulman7095]

Film Noir is about a woman with a past and a man with no future...

[@Jh98w]

I wrote about this on my Losers of Film Noir blog. So many people think of noir in a superficial way, when it was so much deeper than people gave it credit for. The dark side of human nature complemented by stunning visuals...

[@michaelvickery5547]

Well said.

[@juliavincent591]

excellent selection! Almost all the noir I love. Thank you!

[@TheloniousCube]

Another stellar entry that's added several new (to me) films to my watch list and a bunch of old favorites and forgotten gems to my re-watch list. I've been watching almost non-stop noir since discovering your channel and I'm loving it! I keep meaning to check out the Naked City TV show - any thoughts on that?

[@CinemaCities1978]

That's one of my favorite classic tv shows. It does a good job of keeping the spirit of NYC that the movie had. It's filmed on location so, like the film, it's a time travel trip to a lost landscape. Plus, be on the lookout for future stars, it's a who's who of up and coming actors.

[@SaraSmit-e8w]

When I started watching Noir Alley regularly, I was struck by how many noirs dealt with the struggles of returning war veterans, from the psychological to the economic.

[@marionmarino1616]

@@SaraSmit-e8w Noir films were made during the war years. Others, like Chinatown, were made long after.

[@Em-os9yj]

Love all your recomendations❤❤❤❤❤

[@CinemaCities1978]

Thanks so much!

[@frankb821]

I can tell by the way you describe these films you are passionate about it and did your research. This is going to be a go-to site for me! Cheers

[@nickbovi]

Just a few thoughts: Good to see Crimson Kimono, get a brief mention, it is terrific. Robert Ryan for me at least is really the ultimate noir actor, Does Bosley Crowther actually like any movie ever? 99 River Street is criminally underrated, so is Nicholas Ray, and last thought Gilda is so hot and to die for.

[@CinemaCities1978]

I should just make a video on Bosley. That could actually be pretty interesting. . .

[@nickbovi]

@@CinemaCities1978 Yes you should, I would be really keen to see that.

[@RobbGF]

The Rita Hayworth & Glenn Ford Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLA9dyopf8noOmDD243AZMUnuWdiQZulO5

[@MothGirl007]

@@RobbGF The fact that they were on again off again lovers in real life just makes the movies they made together more interesting, imho.

[@rustynail766]

I know these wouldn't fit with the New York- L.A. motife however let's consider Orson Welles. The Stranger, Touch Of Evil, The Lady From Shanghai and my favorite The Third Man. I loved this video. You' are terrific!

[@CinemaCities1978]

Hey, the NYC/LA framing was just a way for me to get into my favorites. Everyone's favorites are welcome here too! Rita in "The Lady From Shanghai" chef's kiss. Elsa Bannister is a femme fatale goddess.

[@Noirista]

Great selections!

[@LivingInPuertoVallarta]

Sterling Hayden .. "Boyfriend of the Channel!" .. I Love That