Top 10 BEST Classic Film Noir

Here are my picks for the Top 10 Best Classic Noir Movies!
Podcast on The Maltese Falcon: cobwebs.podbean.com/e/ep-74-s...
Podcast on The Killing: cobwebs.podbean.com/e/ep-77-a...
Podcast on The Big Heat: cobwebs.podbean.com/e/ep-80-g...
Podcast on Sweet Smell of Success: cobwebs.podbean.com/e/ep-131-...
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[@norm2322]

Film noir without Robert Mitchum? Impossible to imagine.

[@cobwebschannel]

For Mitchum noir, I love Out of the Past and His Kind of Woman, just not quite as much as these 10. Thanks for watching!

[@norm2322]

@@cobwebschannel Might slide in "Out of the Past" over "They Live by Night". In the noir world, Mitchum trumps Granger as does the story line, in my opinion. The meet in the classic cafe scene alone is worth the watch.

[@cobwebschannel]

It is a terrific movie! Jane Greer is such a perfect femme fetale, and such a great actress. The noir genre is so deep with gems.

[@norm2322]

@@cobwebschannel I agree - hard, if not impossible, to boil down to ten.

[@Chamsk]

One thing to say « the night of the hunter »

[@johnnyquest3707]

Bogart’s monologue at the end of The Maltese Falcon before he sends Mary Astor up the river was amazing.

[@johnstrawb3521]

Isn't that verbatim (or close to it) from Chandler's novel? Agreed--it's brilliant.

[@johnnyquest3707]

I have no clue, but if so, it must be a great book. It sure showed vulnerability and self doubt in Bogart's usual prior to that tough guy persona.

[@cobwebschannel]

Truly phenomenal.

[@alanbehrens4231]

​@@johnstrawb3521Dashiell Hammett wrote the Maltese Falcon.

[@arctos49]

"You're taking the fall!" said to Mary Astor at the end, before she is taken symbolically down in that small elevator. Huston has always been one of my favorite directors. He and Bogart were drinking buddies.

[@washoe1985]

Sunset Boulevard with William Holden and Gloria Swanson. I love the way it starts with the body in the pool and Holden doing the voice over. It shows the noir side of Hollywood that probably still exists today.

[@bigneiltoo]

Did you know that American Beauty (1999 Best Picture) was largely based on Sunset Boulevard (1950) along with Portrait of Jennie (1948)? So 50 years later roughly.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

When I hear the title "Queen of Noir" I think of Lizabeth Scott - she was in so many good ones. But I just looked up that title and seems it was used for almost every actress who ever appeared in a any noir! Still, I think Lizabeth Scott can't be thought of as 'unsung' she played both femmes fatales and innocents perfectly and always kept us guessing which she truly was until the very end of the movie. A favorite of mine. Like you, I absolutely love They Live by Night. Cathy O'Donnell's subtle transformation - transformed by love - is an astonishing piece of acting. It's interesting to see the remake - Thieves Like Us - and find that its equally good! but what's interesting in watching them back to back is how much story telling had changed in movies in just one generation, how truly excellent both tellings of the same story are, and how completely different they are! My 10 - In no order, except for the first one, I think _Laura_ is the perfect noir Laura They Live by Night Kiss Me Deadly The Big Sleep Key Largo Scarlett Street Too Late for Tears Dead Ringer Notorious The Night of the Hunter

[@cobwebschannel]

Love that list. Thank you for watching, and for the insightful comment!

[@paulgottlieb]

Lizabeth Scott was the perfect femme fatale! She looked so wholesome, until she lets her mask slip. Then you see the pure evil underneath. Chilling

[@jorgevillavicencio427]

@Marcel Audubon Jane Greer was another Queen of noir. And as far as Lizbeth Scott goes... I'm still in love with her, lol. I second your opinion of Cathy O'donnell in They Live by Night. She was a great actress and it's a pity she retired so young. I could be wrong, but I believe Ben-Hur was her last movie. Now that you mentioned watching those 2 back to back. Nightmare Alley is a good example of how storytelling has changed. The remake by Guillermo del Toro is shockingly graphic, to say the least. Both versions carry the plot well, however, the original had to deal with the Hayes code whereas the remake was by all accounts brutally shocking.

[@ackack612]

Gloria Grahame. Thank you.

[@RanBlakePiano]

Where is she innocent ?

[@TheEleatic]

Out of The Past, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Force of Evil, In A Lonely Place, Shadow of A Doubt, Double Indemnity, Gilda, The Killers, Touch of Evil, The Big Sleep &……. The Big Heat

[@Whippets]

Really glad to see The Killing on a Top 10 list. First time I saw this taut thriller I was absolutely mesmerized throughout. No filler or frills, it's a masterpiece. Another great film noir that didn't make the list but also starring Sterling Hayden that should be mentioned, is The Asphalt Jungle. It's easily a Top 10 for me, great cast, great story, and a very emotional ending (this one made me cry). ... and props for listing Gun Crazy, that one really surprised me on first viewing.

[@robertmcdougall3166]

Have to agree any list without Sterling Hayden is pretty meaningless and is the omission of The Third Man.

[@Whippets]

@@robertmcdougall3166 Orson Welles performance, as well as the character of Harry Lime, should go down as one of the best film noire performances/characters ever. I'm stunned that some film noire enthusiasts neglect the film as being truly film noire ... or in the alternative, not one of the Top 10 film noires ever made. Personally, I think it's one of the greatest films ever made, period and regardless of classification.

[@the3rdpillblog934]

A little bit late to the game. Great list. Haven't seen one from your list, will do it soon. The best Noirs I've seen this year for the first time (was hard to choose, there were a lot great ones!): (not really ranked, Gilda was the best, I would say) 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 (the thing that Gloria Grahame happens in this film - happens in a way another lady in 1948's Raw Deal, just not with coffee; it very much surprised me ... Very good film.)

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you for sharing your list!

[@thefilmclassic4210]

Nice to see In A lonely Place on your list. I love this movie and has my favorite Bogart performance!

[@cobwebschannel]

Excellent choice for top Bogart, he’s so complex in that one.

[@FigureOutFilms]

I will say, one of the earliest noirs I ever saw and is still one of my favorites is: Key Largo with Bogart. Also, not me looking at all my unseen Noir on the shelf

[@cobwebschannel]

All the Bogart/Bacall films are terrific!

[@Ilsabb331]

In a Lonely Place and The Sweet Smell of Success - Two of my all time favorite movies. Thanks for the great run down!

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you!

[@arctos49]

"I'd hate to take a bite out of you - you're a cookie full of arsenic." J.J. Hunsaker (Lancaster) to Sidney Falco (Curtis) -- "The Sweet Smell of Success".

[@dustinturnmyre7553]

Excellent list that you've compiled. Well-considered and each would be a great addition to any noir collection. Here are my top ten choices. 10. The Woman in the Window. 9. Gun Crazy. 8. The Window. 7. Stranger On the Third Floor. 6. The Prowler. 5. Kiss Me Deadly. 4. Scarlet Street. 3. Murder, My Sweet. 2. Double Indemnity. 1. Out of the Past.

[@cobwebschannel]

Thanks very much, and great list! I especially love that you included Murder My Sweet, which is awesome. And there’s a few I need to check out for the first time!

[@dustinturnmyre7553]

@@cobwebschannel Stranger On the Third Floor was released in 1940 and the cast included Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook, Jr. Robert Portfirio called it "the first true noir film". Not sure about that but what I am sure of is that the cinematography certainly contains strong Noirish elements and atmospheric scenes that remind me of the 'Expressionist' films of early German cinema (i.e. Caligari, Asphalt, etc.) If you haven't seen this one I can heartily recommend it.

[@cobwebschannel]

That sounds awesome! I want to do a follow up video of my thoughts on the recommendations in this comment section once I watch some. I’m sure that one will be a contender. Thanks!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@dustinturnmyre7553 Stranger on the Third Floor predates The Maltese Falcon by some months---forget exactly how many.

[@VikingPadre]

"The Woman in the Window" is just one of my favorite movies, period, of any genre. There are some on your list I know I've seen but don't remember, like "Scarlet Street". "Stranger on the Third Floor" I don't know, but will look for. Thanks!

[@susanrike7476]

Film noir without John Garfield? Of course, most people are familiar with "The Postman Always Rings Twice" with Lana Turner. It's a must see. Garfield and Turner's chemistry on screen is off the charts (apparently off-screen as well). Then, there's Garfield's noir "Body and Soul," his first film by his production company. It's stellar. Other Garfield noirs include: "Force of Evil," "The Breaking Point," and "He Ran All the Way." I LOVE John Garfield. Sadly, he was blacklisted and died young (39). He's my hero!

[@tomwellman4500]

The Big Heat is one of the grittiest movies I've ever seen. If you have not seen this movie, you just don't know how tough a movie tough guy Glen Ford could be. Gun Crazy is also great. Your whole list is quite good. Some of my other favorite Noir classics (in no special order) include Out of the Past (1947) with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, Quicksand (1950) with Mickey Rooney and Peter Lorre, Brute Force (1947) with Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn and the great Whit Bissell, Detour (1945) with Tom Neal, The Third Man (1949) with Joseph Cotton, Orson Wells and Trevor Howard, Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) with Harry Bellafonte, Robert Ryan and Ed Begley and The Asphalt Jungle (1950) with Sterling Hayden, the woefully underrated Jean Hagen and Sam Jaffee.

[@cobwebschannel]

Awesome movies, there! Thanks for watching!

[@mothman-jz8ug]

The Maltese Falcon featured not only Bogart and Mary Astor, but Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet. The latter two appeared together in a number of films, including another of my favorite Bogart Movie, Casablanca. Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon are two of my favorite movies of any genre.

[@rightlyso8507]

The Dark Corner, This Gun For Hire, Phantom Lady, Deadline At Dawn, The Chase, Black Angel, The Blue Dahlia, Desperate, Killer's Kiss, The Maltese Falcon, Kiss Me Deadly, The Set-Up and Impact.

[@cobwebschannel]

Awesome choices! Several on there I haven’t seen, so this is a great watchlist for me.

[@VikingPadre]

"Phantom Lady" is so cool, and "Impact" is a fave, with Brian Donlevy and Ella Raines. Good list. "Black Angel"? I don't know it, but Dan Duryea and Peter Lorre? I'm in.

[@8176morgan]

Three of those that I saw a while back, "Deadline At Dawn", "The Chase", and "Black Angel" I would put at the bottom of the heap. I thought they were terrible. But to each his own I guess.

[@rightlyso8507]

@@8176morgan It's always awesome to hear others' opinions, specifically now, with my top ten favorite noirs. I'd tried to place my ten films in order of my preference. "Deadline At Dawn" being #4. I thoroughly enjoyed that film ... the entire 'feel' of the movie, actually. I've read and collected old comic books. The plot of "Deadline" does play out as if it was written for a comic book on sale at that time. The ending is well, not only a surprise - but a complete from out-of-left-field ' stretch! It doesn't detract from my overall thoughts on the movie in the least. But, wow - that ending certainly is something else.

[@8176morgan]

@@rightlyso8507 I thank you for your kind response after my criticism of some of your choices. "Phantom Lady", "The Black Angel", and "Deadline At Dawn" are all movies that were based on books written by noir author Cornel Woolrich that I did not care for much. I saw "Deadline at Dawn" many, many, years ago and remember it as being extremely boring, but who knows maybe I'll will view it again sometime and be a little more impressed by it. There are a couple of Cornel Woolrich stories that were converted into movies that I really, really enjoyed watching. The first one is based on his story called "The Boy Who Cried Murder" but was retitled "The Window" for some reason, and the second one is the very famous "Rear Window" which was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I put up my own top ten list yesterday for what its worth, and I hope that you get the opportunity to watch many more film noir movies in the future as there is a lot of really great stuff out there if you are willing to take the time to look for them either in the public library, or on KZbin, both free or to rent at a small cost. Take care now.

[@BLUEsurf63]

My favourite is "He Walked By Night" from 1948 starring Richard Basehart. Fabulous movie if you havent seen it i highly recommend it.

[@annechappee8825]

YES!

[@philipscannell9220]

I don't know the titles of two of my favorites. 1 Stars John Garfield is a Spanish Civil War vet who is in possession of a battle standard that Hitler wants. The other stars Robert Mitchum is an army paymaster who is robbed and he sets out to catch him and William Bendix is the man who goes after Mitchum.

[@believewhat]

just discovered your Amazing channel...I'm SO glad to see a young person with a passion for classic film (I'm well over twice your age) NOW I have to protest.....! Top ten Noirs and not even ONE Robert Mitchum movie?...not even "Out of the past"?

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you! Yeah I love Robert Mitchum, I just love these 10 movies more than his. Out of the Past has a terrific look and cast, but I’m personally not as interested in the story. I also love His Kind of Woman, but it’s not quite Top 10 material for me.

[@Vates104]

I love Film Noir. I have seen so many. Never thought to make a top ten list. To do so, I’d have to revisit them.

[@taker68]

Great list. Some films I'd have up there or close are: Laura, This Gun for Hire, The Asphalt Jungle, Thieve's Highway, Touch of Evil, The Third Man, The Killers and Sunset Blvd.

[@cobwebschannel]

Tons of great movies there! It pained me not to include Asphalt Jungle especially, but I figured I already had a Sterling Hayden heist movie on the list.

[@ianjohnson458]

Just saw Thieves' Highway. Good stuff!

[@ianjohnson458]

Here's a quick Top 5 of must-see noirs: 1. The third man (tie with Rififi) 2. Pick-up On South Street 3. Ace in the hole 4. High sierra 5. Strangers on a Train

[@MiriamVintageClassics]

Always great to find more videos discussing classic film noir! It would be hard to make a top ten but besides some you mentioned, I might also have The Prowler or The Big Heat. Many fantastic choices and I love seeing They Live by Night mentioned as it is a favorite for me as well!

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you for watching! I clicked on your channel and see you discuss a lot of classic films, so I definitely subscribed. Love to see more people on here focusing on old movies! And several people here in the comments have been recommending The Prowler, so I have got to look that up.

[@keithbrown6887]

@@cobwebschannel It's dissappointing. Starting with the prowler never appearing. The ending goes off the rails with forced assumptions, a terrible hide-out, and an obvious non-pregnancy act.

[@williamcochell9889]

If you get a chance from the 1940s, Burt Lancaster, really incredible acting and Edward G Robinson in all my Sons! I don’t know if this one qualifies as a noir but Mildred Pierce Academy award winner from the 40s

[@goodowner5000]

Barbara Stanwyck was a fantastic femme fatale in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" , "Double Indemnity", "The File on Thelma Jordan" & not sure if it's considered film noir, but "Sorry, Wrong Number". Great coverage of a great genre! 👍

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you! And I just saw that Scream Factory is releasing "Sorry Wrong Number" on blu-ray soon, which is really exciting.

[@goodowner5000]

@@cobwebschannel I'm excited to hear that about the Shout Factory release of Sorry, Wrong Number. I have a bare bones, no frills DVD release- hopefully the Blu-Ray will be chock full of extras & special features. 🤞

[@crose7412]

@@cobwebschannel It's brilliant.

[@finslaw]

Stanwyck kind of spearheaded the femme fatale with 1933's Baby Face that may have single handedly created the Hays code due to the shocking content.

[@cfbilly70]

Best: 1. Sunset Boulevard 2. Touch of Evil 3. The Third Man 4. Rebecca 5. Night of the Hunter 6. In a Lonely Place 7. Ace in the Hole 8. Notorious 9. Double Indemnity 10. Sweet Smell of Succes Favourite: 1. Sunset Boulevard 2. Ace in the Hole 3. In a Lonely Place 4. Rebecca 5. Notorious 6. The Killing 7. Double Indemnity 8. Laura 9. The Maltese Falcon 10. Scarlet Street

[@cobwebschannel]

Great lists with a lot of movies I love. I don’t know why I don’t often consider Sunset Boulevard to be noir. Maybe the lack of criminal element? It does fit in most ways, so I think you’re right. It’s an awesome movie. Billy Wilder is one of my all time favorites.

[@cfbilly70]

@@cobwebschannel well, it begins and ends with murder. But, I don't believe a criminal element is a must for a film to be noir. I believe it is more about style. Like, Hollywood's watered down version of German expressionism. I've decided that M is actually the best noir. It is the granddaddy of all the others.

[@BarelySocialExperiment]

10. Maltese falcon 9.mulholland falls 8. The watchmen 7. Fairwell my lovely 6.the big sleep 5. L.a confidential 4. Marlowe 3. Bad lieutenant port orleans 2. Electric mist 1. Sin city/china town top 11 lol

[@reganbrooks8339]

Thank you for making this. You've sold me on a few movies I've only heard of in passing.

[@cobwebschannel]

Awesome! That’s always great to hear!

[@jadasheekstyles2000]

I'm not mad at this list. Very respectful and informative. I'd like to expand it with 1.Kiss me deadly 2.Touch of evil 3.Notorious 4. The third man 5. The Big Sleep

[@cobwebschannel]

Great choices!

[@mshahnazi7636]

Great list, however an honorable mention in any list should be ‘Dead Men don’t wear plaid’😂. Anything with Bogie, Robert Mitchum and Barbara Stanwyc is a must.

[@cobwebschannel]

haha Love that.

[@nevskislake]

Super late to this video, but my top 3 film noir movies are: 1) The Big Sleep 2) Shadow of a Doubt 3) Out of the Past I did watch In a Lonely Place last year, and it was so good. It was one of those free films on Tubi or Amazon Plus, and I watched it because it was a Humphrey Bogart film I had never heard of and because it was free. This movie needs more attention. It was so good. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if he killed that girl and if Laurel was in danger. It was a film with some good tension. It is definitely an underrated gem. Then, shortly after watching In a Lonely Place, I watched a movie that would pair well with In a lonely Place. It is called Another Man's Poison, and it stars Bette Davis as a mystery writer who becomes embroiled with a murder. If you have not watched it, I highly recommend it. It is so good. The movie has those delicious noir elements, and Bette Davis is perfect as not-so-innocent victim.

[@StormyDay]

We absolutely know Bogie didn’t kill the young girl in In A Lonely Place, we watch her walk out his door, perfectly alive, while he’s still in his apartment.

[@jimi99colorado]

I can't quibble with any of your choices, but I have to include The Asphalt Jungle, The Big Sleep, Kiss Me Deadly, Touch of Evil, The Breaking Point, Key Largo, The Lineup, Night of the Hunter, Nightmare Alley, Pickup on South Street, The Set-up, Strangers on a Train...

[@jimi99colorado]

...which makes John Huston the King of Noir (you could even include Sierra Madre)

[@cobwebschannel]

Great movies right there! But I haven’t seen The Breaking Point, so I appreciate that recommendation. Thanks very much for watching.

[@ianjohnson458]

Pickup on South Street is perfection

[@robertjewell9727]

Sorry to get to your vlog so late so this is def out of sync with what is current, but my personal favorites are: 10) Murder, My Sweet 9) Double indemnity 8) The Big Heat 8) Gun Crazy 7) His Kind of Woman 6) Mildred Pierce 5) Kiss Me Deadly 4) The Lady from Shanghai 3) The Big Sleep 2) Out of the Past 1) Touch of Evil 4)

[@yvesturgeon9585]

Scarlet Street..Out of the Past.. Laura...Gun Crazy...The Big Heat...Murder, my Sweet...The Big Heat..The Postman Always Rings Twice...Kiss Me Deadly.. The Big Sleep... so many should have made the list

[@TheTerryGene]

This is a great list but I might have included some entries from smaller studios, such as “He Walked by Night,” “T-Men,” “Raw Deal,” and the film noir set during the French Revolution “The Black Book.” All of them were photographed by the great John Alton.

[@celinhabr1]

Good list and really nice video. I'm with you, i like Glenn Ford a lot.

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you very much!

[@normanmclellan3018]

Where have you been hiding, good stuff, keep it up!

[@cobwebschannel]

haha Much appreciated!

[@jakubfabisiak9810]

My favourites: Maltese Falcon The Big Sleep Tha Naked City Touch of Evil This Gun for Hire

[@cobwebschannel]

Great list!

[@jakubfabisiak9810]

@@cobwebschannel thanks. I've seen The Naked City recently, and I regret waiting this long - it's quite a feast - shot in 1947 almost entirely on location in New York, at a time when movies were made in studios, on movie sets, it really is a milestone in moviemaking.

[@8176morgan]

I can't argue with those choices as they are all really excellent. Classics in the genre.

[@edg4441]

Nice List, but I'd have to substitute "The Sweet Smell of Success", "Gun Crazy", "The Killing" and especially "They Live by Night" with the following Film Noir movies: "The Killers" from 1946 starring Burt Lancaster, "Out of the Past" from 1947 with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" from 1946 with Van Heflin, Barbara Stanwyck, Lisabeth Scott, and the film debut of Kirk Douglas, and one of the most famous Film Noir's "Laura" from 1944 starring Dana Andres. Special mentions are the Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd Film Noir's "This Gun for Hire" from 1942 and "The Blue Dahlia" from 1946. The 1st movie was very successful, so the studio paired them a few more times in subsequent years. In "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers", there's an iconic scene where Barbara Stanwyck walks in on Lisabeth Scott modeling an outfit for Van Heflin and it's a classic love triangle scene for different reasons per each character. Splendidly done.

[@SludgeMcPoople]

Great list! I'm going to add "White Heat" - 1949 - starring James Cagney and Virginia Mayo

[@moegreene2496]

It was nice to hear your take on this and see a list that was a little different than having Out of the Past, The Big Sleep, and Touch of Evil always in the top 3-5 range (as well as Double Indemnity). Some of the more under the radar classics (in my opinion): - 99 River Street - The Window - The Narrow Margin It’s also worth mentioning Night and the City with Richard Widmark, although that one isn’t necessarily underrated…

[@moegreene2496]

Also, do you consider White Heat to be noir or classic gangster?

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you! I’m glad you appreciated that. I think the Noir genre is so packed with amazing movies that it doesn’t make sense to always put the same movies at the top. Those movie you named as the standards are great, but tons of other Noirs are great too. Also, I LOVE Night and City. It’s like the 1950’s version of Uncut Gems.

[@cobwebschannel]

Good question. I consider the gangster movies separate from Noir, so I would not consider White Heat to be a Noir.

[@VonWenk]

1. Kansas City Confidential 2. White Heat 3. The Killers 4. The Maltese Falcon 5. Double Indemnity 6. Odds Against Tomorrow 7. Scarlet Street 8. The Lady from Shanghai 9. The Stranger 10. Out of the Past

[@johnw706]

A good list of films . Here's mine , in order of preference : The Maltese Falcon Out of the Past Murder My Sweet Where Danger Lives Beat the Devil The Glass Key The Big Heat Gilda Phantom Lady The Killers Honourable Mentions : The Lineup Touch of Evil The Big Combo Nightfall Cry Danger Pushover The Asphalt Jungle Cheers !

[@cobwebschannel]

Great list! So many movies I love on there. It pained me not to include Out of the Past, but I just don't love it as much as my 10, and I had to be true to myself. It might be #11, though. Also, love to see you include Asphalt Jungle!

[@johnw706]

@@cobwebschannel Thanks . Yes Out of the Past is a great one . How can you go wrong with Mitchum , Greer , and Douglas ? If you haven't seen Where Danger Lives , check it out . Robert Mitchum and Faith Domergue star , and she is evil personified in this one . Enjoyed your list !

[@Arizona-Sonoran-Desert-Guy]

Great to see you have Cry Danger on your honorable mention list. Dick Powell was a Joe Cool in Noir films with a subtle wisecracking comedic touch, especially in Cry Danger. This movie was also my first time seeing the very sultry, eye-candy, Rhonda Fleming as the femme fatale.

[@johnw706]

@@Arizona-Sonoran-Desert-Guy I agree completely .

[@cobwebschannel]

Thank you John! I haven’t seen Where Danger Lives, I’ll have to look it up.

[@VikingPadre]

YES! "They Live By Night"! Nice surprise to see that on a list. Also "In a Lonely Place", definitely one of my favorite Bogart movies (but tough to pick one or three).

[@cobwebschannel]

Hey, thanks for watching!

[@dbarker7794]

Good list. 👍 The Killing would probably be #1 for me because it perfectly represents that noir theme of things going wrong no matter how well you plan. Would suggest: Out of the Past (starring Mr Noir, Robert Mitchum) Detour The Breaking Point (John Garfield!) Criss Cross Scarlet Street This Gun for Hire They Drive by Night (Ida Lupino!!!)

[@nancyacker5747]

I recommend D O.A. with Edmund Obrien. Non stop action, interesting story. 100% Noir even the background music.

[@epeck1115]

Very fun, solid list, but I'd substitute these 3 near the top: 1) Out of the Past (maybe the greatest film noir); 2) The Third Man (if Out of the Past isn't the greatest, this is); and 3) Kiss Me Deadly (hardboiled to an apocalyptic degree).

[@jeffreybateman7314]

Agree. Out of the Past is number 1. Kiss Me Deadly is definitely top 10 in any list. It's probably the most influential noir for contemporary filmmakers. The Third Man is up there as well, but not everyone labels it strictly as "noir." But, yeah, love those picks.

[@playsaboutmycat]

I’ve always loved Bogart movies and film noir. Dark Passage and In a Lonely Place are two of my favorites in the genre. The book In a Lonely Place is quite remarkable and was fairly groundbreaking at the time. There weren’t a lot of movies about serial k^illers and the term hadn’t even been coined yet. The book is different from the film, because the character Dix Steele is a SK. It makes me wonder what her experience or inspiration was for writing it. Both the book and film are so good. I like the way the film used a sense of mystery and left it up to viewer. I’d have to include Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt in my top ten. Thank you for the recommendations - there are a couple I haven’t heard of before and a few I’d like to rewatch.

[@8176morgan]

Upon request here are my top ten Film Noirs. 1. Out of the Past --------- 1947 2. White Heat ---------------- 1949 3. Key Largo ---------------- 1948 4. The Naked City ------- 1948 5. Double Indemnity ---- 1944 6. Rear Window ----------- 1954 7. Don't Bother To Knock 1952 8. The Maltese Falcon - 1941 9. Niagara --------------------- 1953 10. DOA ------------------------ 1949

[@bobbybecker80]

1) Out of the Past; 2) Kiss Me Deadly; 3) The Asphalt Jungle; 4) The Maltese Falcon ; 5) The Big Sleep

[@storageanddisposal]

In A Lonely Place and Maltese Falcon for sure. I'm glad to see The Killing and The Sweet Smell of Success on here! For me, Elevator to the Gallows, Out of the Past, maybe Ace in the Hole, maybe Kiss Me Deadly, The Set Up is really great. Man, tough list. Asphalt Jungle, Sunset Boulivard, Laura, Touch of Evil has one of the best openings. Too many to list. I haven't seen They Live By Night. Looks like I'll have to soon.

[@moreuselesstakes]

About to dive headfirst into a film noir binge and this was super helpful 👍🏼 I can’t wait for all the betrayal, femme fatales and gunshots in a dark alleyway 😂

[@finslaw]

We have very different tastes, only one of your 10 would make mine: 10) Too Late for Tears - Liz Scott and Dan Dur---yayyyyy!!!! 9) On Dangerous Ground - Oddly structured film with heart. 8) Woman on the Run - No big names, but the plot is such fun. 7) Sunset Boulevard - Well made with an unusual plot. 6) Out of the Past - Well made with a slightly typical plot. 5) The Red House - A personal favorite, you need to see this rural noir. 4) The Strange Love of Martha Ivers - An amazing cast. 3) Double Indemnity - Classic noir, Stanwyck rules. 2) The Night of the Hunter - Is this noir? A great film, scary and then spiritual. 1) Scarlet Street - My #1 film from my #1 noir director Fritz Lang. This one has a despicable femme fatale, an even worse "boyfriend" and a poor old man getting used. A dark ending too. Some also rans: Without Warning, The Prowler, Pitfall, Gun Crazy, Leave Her to Heaven, Possessed, The Unsuspected, Tension, Jeopardy, Hollow Triumph, The Chase, Detour, Pickup on South Street, The Naked Kiss, This Gun for Hire.

[@cobwebschannel]

I consider Night of the Hunter more horror/fantasy, but I wouldn’t argue it being noir, and I absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing your list!

[@RanBlakePiano]

Red house. Fantastic!

[@katherinepereira9088]

My number one is Laura with Gene Tierney.

[@maxwashingtonmusic7000]

I’m gonna rewatch Gilda and Big Heat. I forgot about those. Grumpy Glen lol! And he was great in Superman. Sweet Smell is great! Double Indemnity is amazing. And it takes place in my borough: Queens. I’m also a jazz lover. I’m enjoying your vid! 👍🏻🎥🎥🎥🎥

[@michaelhaslam3496]

I Enjoy your lists. Interesting Choices ! My Faves include "He Walked By Night" & "Raw Deal" by Anthony Mann.. Private Detective - "Murrder, My Sweet", 1942, & "Kiss Me Deadly" '55. "THe Killers" '46, "Out of the Past", Bogart in "High Sierra", "Detour" , '45.

[@kevinkoch6900]

Great Selection. Here's some add on's for fun. The Breaking Point Night of the Hunter Ace in the Hole Detour Notorious The Roaring 20's Nightmare Alley Enjoyed your review.

[@WaverBoy]

Great list - I’ve seen all of those but two, I Walk Alone, which is now on my list, and They Live By Night - I just got that one in today, think I’ll be watching it tonight! My current top ten films noir from the classic period (the first two are tied for #1) followed by some honorable mentions (I’m hoping there’s a couple on my lists you might not have seen 🤓): 1. Double Indemnity (1944) 1. Detour (1945) 3. The Face Behind the Mask (1941) 4. Three Strangers (1946) 5. The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) 6. Murder, My Sweet (1944) 7. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) 8. The Dark Corner (1946) 9. Out of the Past (1947) 10. Kiss Me Deadly (1955) Honorable mentions: D.O.A. (1950) Deadline at Dawn (1946) The Locket (1946) The Maltese Falcon (1941) The Gangster (1947) Fear in the Night (1947) The Chase (1946) Deadline USA (1952) Touch of Evil (1958) The Sin of Nora Moran (1932 - an amazing proto-noir that’s more noirish than many “legit” noirs)

[@cobwebschannel]

Great list! A few I need to see, as well.

[@dr8576]

Kiss Me, Deadly The Third Man Cat People

[@cobwebschannel]

All great choices! Val Lewton movies are really cool for merging Noir with Horror.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Cat People is a GREAT film but not a noir IMO....lots of shadows though

[@cultofj3777]

i have to admit, I mainly know Farley Granger from a very silly episode of Tales from the Darkside, and a handful of 80s horror films and Italian thrillers he did. This guy had a hell of a career! And I've never seen ROPE before, so that and your number one are two films I will have to track down.

[@d.carelli8036]

My top ten? "Strangers on a Train" Hitchcock

[@quadropheniaguy9811]

The third man, build my gallows high and the big sleep are notable by their absence.

[@cobwebschannel]

There are so many great Noirs that many great ones are bound to miss any list. Thanks for watching!

[@derroysan]

Nice list. I was wondering why Casablanca didn't show up and M was not in. But at least you mentioned it. I think, I will check out some of the movies and will make a Film Noir weekend with my son. Thanks

[@cobwebschannel]

Thanks for watching! I personally do not consider Casablanca or M to be noir, but I can understand why others would. It is a “stretchy” genre that can be interpreted many ways.

[@celinhabr1]

Neither Casablanca nor M are Film Noir. Fantastic movies, just not Noir.

[@darrenblizzard3851]

I think you can make the argument that Casablanca is a film noir as it has many of the characteristics that define a film noir. I'm saying this from the perspective that film noir is NOT a genre of film but rather a STYLE of film. You can probably also say the same about M. Though not technically a noir film as it predates the period I would argue it was one of the earliest examples of noir before it was a recognised style and given Fritz Lang was one of the fathers of the genre in terms of his work bringing elements of German expressionism to the screen. I think there is a fair argument that Lang is indeed THE creator/pioneer of what we have come to know now as classic film noir. For me I can easily put both of these films under that category though by doing so it probably somewhat pushes the boundaries of what many today consider the classic film noir period and the elements that make up film noir. That's another reason why it's such a great area of cinema ... It is a style that has some flexibility and can be debated and discussed at length. So I get why some will not classify these as film noir but personally they are definitely part of that stylistic tradition IMHO. Some great choices in this list. I recently watched The Killing and thought it was absolutely fantastic. Kubrick's sister noir Killer's Kiss is also fantastic. I also really rate Detour, the tightly paced 1945 Edgar G Ulmer noir gem. John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle is another one I really enjoyed. Sterling Hayden was a great film noir actor, really enjoyed his performance in this and The Killing. Out of the Past is another great film noir that I have to have in my top 10 and also Carol Reed's The Third Man. Kiss me Deadly and Touch of Evil are also personal favourites. And have to go back to Lang again with his masterpiece The Woman in the Window from 1944. Such a massive list of amazing films that could fit into a top 10 list. There are so many more great works you could easily pop into such a list. For example Anthony Mann's Raw Deal that contains some of Film Noir's most influential cinematography care of the great John Alton. So many amazing, influential and unforgettable masterpieces of cinema fall into the noir category and it's just fantastic so much of it is finding new life on physical media and gaining so much attention so these great and historically significant works can live on for us and future generations to enjoy. Cinema is the closest thing we have to a time machine (at this stage anyway!).

[@cobwebschannel]

Wow Darren, thank you for that comment! We definitely have similar taste, because you named so many movies I love. Detour, Asphalt Jungle, and Out of the Past would easily we in my next 10, and maybe even in this 10 if I re-did the list in a year. haha The genre is so deep with great movies. And you make a good argument about Casablanca. I’ve honestly never thought to consider it a noir, but it’s not easy to argue against. It might be that that movie is such a massive classic it exists in its own category in our minds.

[@darrenblizzard3851]

@@cobwebschannel well Casablanca is definitely special enough to be in its own stratosphere that's for sure. Not too many films that are as beloved as Casablanca is, The Wizard of Oz is probably up there but that is definitely NOT a film noir... Lol.

[@Badastro59]

He's my top ten, let me say old L.A. films are great, but here some obscure film from France, Japan, Britain, I recommend you watch "Across the Bridge", ( Rod Stiger) And "Fires on the plain" ( Japan ) Keep watching ! Wages of fear Ace in the hole Across the Bridge Odds against tomorrow The third Man The big sleep White heat ( " what's holding him up ? " top of the world Ma") D.O.A. Fires on the plain ( twilight zone Japanese style) Breathless (best kiss ever)

[@Nepthy66]

Also High and low, from Japan. Kidnapping and blackmail. I swear it influenced all Quinn Martin detective tv shows.

[@estellacoggins715]

Gotta love Burt Lancaster.❤❤❤

[@mariepeterson3934]

These are my top ten movies that are often classified as noir--great as movies, but not necessary as distinctive as "Out of the Past," "The Big Heat," or "A Touch of Evil." 1. Sunset Boulevard 2. Rebecca 3. Gaslight 4. The Maltese Falcon 5. Notorious 6. Double Indemnity 7. The Third Man 8. M 9. The Night of the Hunter 10. Shadow of a Doubt.

[@cobwebschannel]

Amazing movies!

[@richardclegg5853]

Excellent list, all worthy, I'd have to pick "The Killing" as my #1, that ending, just brutal...

[@cobwebschannel]

Incredible ending

[@christieblackmon8949]

Mildred Pierce is my favorite, and in my top 10 movies of all time. In A Lonely Place and The Blue Gardenia are great too.

[@haydenwalton2766]

all great films, as are the third man the big sleep

[@cobwebschannel]

Absolutely! Great choices.

[@christymarks9586]

Top Noir for me: The Big Sleep, In a Lonely Place, Angel Face, Sorry Wrong Number, The Letter, Sudden Fear, Laura, Gilda, The Maltese Falcon

[@cobwebschannel]

Great choices!

[@Lowtech14]

“You’re dead son. Get yourself buried.” (From your #3). What I like about noir, concise, cutting dialogue. Lots of good stuff on your list for me to check out. Thought Third Man might make it.

[@cobwebschannel]

haha Such an awesome quote.

[@citydweller99]

I liked the following noir movies, Lured starring Lucille Ball, Niagara with Marilyn Monroe, and Sudden Fear with Joan Crawford

[@michaelandrew4488]

Not sure if it fits truly with Film Noir , but you should check out The Fountain Head from 1949.

[@cobwebschannel]

Cool, I’ll put it on the list! Thank you!

[@markwestphal4437]

hmm...interesting choices, but no B/W nighttime, big-city-streets-in-the-rain cred if there's no Robert Freakin' Mitchum. Just one man's opinion. I'm not sure I would personally select a noir than makes me cry, but if one MUST cry: Out Of The Past. Dear sweet poison flower Kathy working evil with Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, ruining everyone's lives, and destroying a hopeful romance. And of course Night Of The Hunter...but then any film where Shirley Winters drowns in it should make one or another Top Ten List. Thanks for putting yourself out there. There are a couple on here I haven't seen yet.

[@williamporter3806]

One of my favorites (even if it does all happen during the day) is Suddenly with Sterling Hayden and Frank Sinatra in his first acting gig.

[@cobwebschannel]

I’ll have to check it out!

[@pulsarstargrave256]

My TOP 10 (Order subject to change based on my mood!) 10. DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK- MARILYN MONROE.(Yup, her) as a psychotic.would be child killer! 09. GUN CRAZY- Lovers raise cash and hell through robbery 08. DARK PASSAGE- Bogie and Bacall try to figure out who killed his wife and framed him! 07. HIGH SIERRA- some call this a "proto Noir" but I don't buy that! Bogie and IDA LUPINO on the lam! 06. THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE- JOHN GARFIELD and LANA TURNER bump off her hubbie for his restaurant 05. SUDDEN FEAR- JOAN CRAWFORD turns the tables on JACK PALANCE 04. TOUCH OF EVIL- ORSON WELLES' Film Noir Masterpiece! 03. DOUBLE INDEMNITY 02. THE KILLING- Heist gone wrong by Stanley Kubrick and Jim Thompson 01. THE KILLERS- 2 assassins bump off Burt Lancaster, why?

[@duncandonuts5268]

are any of these exciting mystery stories? everyone recommended the maltese falcon to me, and i liked it for what it was, but it wasn't what i was looking for or wanted at all.

[@stevemcnary7963]

Out Of The Past is my favorite film noir. Also excellent but not on your list are The Lady From Shanghai, Criss Cross, The Asphalt Jungle, The Big Sleep

[@cobwebschannel]

All great movies! Thanks for watching.

[@MikeHourston]

Dead Reckoning? Bogie/Lizabeth Scott.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Congratulations, not one of your top 10 is on my top 6 all time favorites. I know In a Lonely Place is loved by many, including Eddie Muller of Noir Alley, who says it is his favorite noir but I fail to see what all the fuss is about. It wouldn't even make my top 40. And I love Nicholas Ray's work. For the record my 6 favs (don't like to say "best") are Touch of Evil, Vertigo, Kiss Me Deadly, Out of the Past, White Heat and The Lineup.

[@cobwebschannel]

How interesting, I've never heard anyone call Vertigo a noir before. If I considered it one, it would be high on this list. I adore that movie. But totally respect your opinion to call it one.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@cobwebschannelWhen I was a member of a big noir site there were something like 18 (can't remember the exact number) characteristics that made a film a noir. Vertigo ticked off something like 16 of them.

[@FilmNoir1]

Good list.

[@frankmorlock9134]

I just discovered your channel. I've only seen The Maltese Falcon and The Sweet Smell of Success. I really liked the Sweet Smell of Success. I saw it when it first came out and was tremendously impressed, I was about fifteen years old. But if I may, I'd like to pick your brain or that of any movie buff who might know about this noir film. I don't know the name of the film or the actors who starred in it. I'm not sure if I watched the whole film, or not. If I did I do not recall what happened next. But the opening sequence blew me away. It's set in a night club in post WWII Hong Kong or Singapore. People are having dinner and drinks. The focus is on a man telling his girl friend who is pretty and ladylike that the owner of the night club who is Chinese is threatening him (maybe blackmailing him) and he doesn't know what to do about it. The girl friend who is modestly dressed and not pretty but not stunning, tries to cheer her boyfriend up then excuses herself to the little girl's room. Boyfriend continues eating and drinking. The girlfriend does not go the little girl's room but to the owner's office. She tries to persuade this Chinese dude (who has probably got ties to the underworld) to leave her boyfriend alone. He refuses. Whereupon she pulls a derringer out of her purse and puts a bullet right between his eyes. After she's sure her victim is dead she puts her gun back in her purse and returns to her boyfriend with a smile on her face and says something like, "Don't worry, it's not as serious as you think, you'll be all right." And that's all I remember of the entire film. But I thought to myself--this is my kind of girl ! And for the last 60 plus years I've been trying to remember the name of this film or the actors so I can track it down and watch it. Does it strike a note with you or any noir buffs ?

[@cobwebschannel]

Thanks for watching! That sounds very interesting but I haven’t seen the movie. I’ll keep an eye out.

[@thomaskummer9968]

I can't help to mention you should watch more European movies like ,Riffifi' for example. It's a french heist movie from 1956 and for me it's also a Film noir. I didn't see as much Film noir as you did but for me the best I saw Was Billy Wilders 'double indemnity'. And you should see 'sorry, wrong number' directed by A.Litvak with Stanwyck and Lancaster. So great!!!

[@cobwebschannel]

You’re right, I definitely should.

[@cesarprieto2517]

needs more The Big Heat and The Killing

[@jorgevillavicencio427]

Great content, thank you! I would like to suggest a couple of movies that perhaps you haven't seen yet. Laura Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, are the principals with a great supporting cast. The performances are off the charts. Clifton Webb has probably the best lines ever written, second to snyde theater critic Addison DeWitt's in All About Eve. One killer line from Laura by Waldo Lydecker "I don't think they ever had a patient who fell in love with a Corpse. Laura is a stylish, sophisticated, elegant noir with a wonderful soundtrack. Where The Sidewalk Ends Practically the same cast as Laura with the exception of Clifton Webb. If Laura was the penthouse of class, Where The Sidewalk Ends is the filthy gutter of a rundown city. This is an intense and fast paced crime drama noir full of sordid shady characters with an excellent plot. Dark Passage Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Agnes Morehead. Another classic Bogie and Bacall noir. An prison escapee man is being chased down and finds refuge with a chick art student. He has plastic surgery to alter his appearance and she nurses him during his recovery. He sets on a quest to find out who set him up for murder and... I highly recommend the afore mentioned films. You will enjoy each of them immensely. Cheers!

[@cobwebschannel]

I love Laura and Dark Passage, but I do need to see Where the Sidewalk Ends. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@jorgevillavicencio427]

@@cobwebschannel you're quite welcome! You are in for a thrill with Where the Sidewalk Ends. 😎

[@annechappee8825]

Where the Sidewalk Ends. Tremendous acting.

[@jorgevillavicencio427]

@@annechappee8825 wasn't that top notch? I love any movie of that genre. There are a few neo-noir films that hit the mark. Chinatown for instance. LA Confidential is another. And a little known sequel to Chinatown, The Two Jakes, is phenomenal. I don't understand why, The Two Jakes, had such poor reception. It was written and directed by Nicholson and as intricately assembled as Chinatown.

[@michaelscanlon9747]

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE --- John Garfield and Lana Turner

[@billjaggar6761]

Missed the best ever. Notoriou, a Hitchcock, with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. Keeps you guessing until the last scene.

[@digitalquixote3086]

Two not on your list. One well known, the other not so much. My second favorite Noir behind The Maltese Falcon, a Robert Mitchum movie - Out of the Past. The other stars Rod Steiger and is a really great, underrated Noir - Across the Bridge

[@connielin6869]

Tension 1949 , Pushover 1954 , Conflict 1945 just a few excellent ones you may or may not have missed !! Check them out !!

[@dmpath]

I still need to explore this genre much more, but as of now, The Third Man Night of the Hunter Double Indemnity Sunset Blvd Anything with Kim Novak.

[@fruzsimih7214]

I'd say that Kim Novak came after the classic film noir period ended. It's debatable if Night of the Hunter is a film noir, especially with the large role of the children, which is unusual for noirs.

[@8176morgan]

"Pushover" which stars Kim Novak and Fred McMurray is a very good movie. Came out in 1954. I hope you see it if you haven't already.

[@8176morgan]

@@fruzsimih7214 Its generally considered as a bona fide noir movie. I saw it once long ago and didn't care for it much but I know that a lot of people have spoken positively about it.

[@dmmchugh3714]

"Double Indemnity " was Stanwyck's only movie as a blonde !

[@MC-iw6nv]

Of human Bondage< Kim Novak version. Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, The Great Lie, Dead Ringer Bette Davis version, Gaslight, The picture of Dorian Grey. A Streetcar Named Desire.

[@melanie62954]

Gilda is a strange one. I believe if it didn't have that copout ending, it would be one of the highest rated noirs. My favorites are 1) The Third Man, 2) M (I know it's proto-noir, but I can't leave it out), 3) The Night of the Hunter, 4) Laura, 5) In a Lonely Place. I also really like The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, Key Largo, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Ace in the Hole, The Sweet Smell of Success, Out of the Past, and Sunset Boulevard.

[@nstix2009xitsn]

Great List. They're all masterpieces. I rate The Third Man as the tenth greatest picture ever made. It deals with, among other issues, the conflict between sophisticated evil vs. simple decency. It's the anti-Nietzsche. nicholasstixuncensored.blogspot.com/2021/03/tcms-film-noir-of-week-saturday-night_20.html

[@lonewolf604]

Can you do a list of top movies featuring the "Dead End" kids?

[@cobwebschannel]

Unfortunately I’m not familiar enough with them. Thanks for watching!

[@buccy55]

You should have Mildred Pierce from 1945 starring Joan Crawford and Ann Blythe on your list somewhere.

[@heyheyhey121121]

interestingly, I think very few people can appreciate the Maltese Falcon on first viewing. Certainly, I did not. I recommend reading the short Flitcraft Parable from the novel which is a brilliant exposition of the noir philosophy of the intertwining of fate with self which would be used for practically every brilliant noir since including my personal favorite Out of the Past and neo-noir like Chinatown.

[@cobwebschannel]

That’s a great recommendation, thank you!

[@136Fox]

Os meus favoritos ,não necessariamente nessa ordem : O beijo da morte, Pacto de sangue,Fuga do passado,A chave de vidro,O Falcão maltês,O grande golpe, O segredo das jóias, Meu ofício é matar, A morte num beijo,A Dalia azul.

[@birdsdaword]

This Gun For Hire and Nightmare Alley.

[@josephhancook8287]

Wanna check out some killer underground noir...Watch anything with Hugh Beaumont in it during the 40's where he plays a private Dick in his floating house at an SF Marina. Ward Cleaver , he is not.

[@mangoman1616]

I think this list definitely needs The Third Man and Panic in the Streets. But other than that, good list!

[@cobwebschannel]

The Third Man is great. I thought Panic in the Streets was pretty good, but I do love Richard Widmark in it. Thanks for watching!

[@marcbahn5487]

Kiss of Death 1947. You'll thank me.

[@cobwebschannel]

Added to the list, thanks!

[@crose7412]

@Marc Bahn And 'Born to Kill'.