Top 10 Film Noirs You've NEVER Seen!

[@azohundred1353]

I'm a film noir fanatic, and I'm so glad you highlighted these masterpieces. Out of these 10, it's hard for me to choose a favorite, all I can say is I also definitely recommend them all. I will say that Ace In The Hole and Sweet Smell Of Success make a perfect double feature. Film Noir and Classic Westerns are what got me so invested in Classic Cinema and your two recommendation videos really brought some much deserved attention to some underrated gems!

[@madnickmedia]

I got to see a double bill of Ace and Sweet Smell on 35mm in LA and it was mesmerizing!

[@azohundred1353]

@madnickmedia Wow! Both of those on the big screen sounds fantastic!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@madnickmedia I saw SSOS here in NYC at MOMA with Tony Curtis in the audience. He got a thunderous standing ovation before and after the film.

[@RobDTom]

SSOS is superb

[@Andy_Hinners]

These are all great picks. 4 I've not yet seen are now on my list of must watch. One film I would have liked to see included in this (or any) list of great film noir is the 1952 classic "The Thief" starring Ray Milland. There is no dialogue in this film and the music by Herschel Gilbert is fantastic. The closing scene clues you in to why there was no dialogue and why the music was so edgy.

[@davidcunningham2074]

detour is an entertaining with a really clever twist.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

The Twist Is a detour! 😄

[@lawrencelewis2592]

that movie was so cheaply made. Cars were driving from East To West so they had to got from left to right. Notice how all the cars in that sequence had the steering wheels on the right so the film was flipped to show that. Still, what a great shitty movie. "Did someone kiss you with a wrench!"

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@lawrencelewis2592 no.

[@andrewfrankovic6821]

Ann S, meanest woman EVER.

[@lindanorris2455]

I have the dvd, it's a great, great movie!

[@FilmBuff54]

“Sudden Fear” is my favorite Joan Crawford movie. Her performance during the climax is riveting, as she draws on her past experience as a silent film star, as there is virtually no dialogue.

[@erictuchman3425]

This is excellent. Inspires me to check out the ones I haven't seen, especially Sudden Fear.

[@tommoncrieff1154]

Sudden Fear is fantastic.

[@dbarker7794]

Might be Joan Crawford at her best. Great film.

[@Cbcw76]

I have been and never will be a Joan Crawford fan, but SUDDEN FEAR - once I decided to see it - gave me a positive impression of her, and quite a few of her other films. She never 'won me over' (like Bette Davis never did) but I stopped avoiding their films.

[@nelespina8431]

Excellent list, I've watched 9 of the 10 recommendations and are great (Only missing Murder by Contract). I would suggest an another 10 great Noirs for those interested: Nightmare Alley (1947), Pitfall (1948), Too Late for Tears (1949), The Set-Up (1949), In a Lonely Place (1950), Angel Face (1952), Rififi (1955), The Night of The Hunter (1955), The Big Combo (1955) and Blast of Silence (1961).

[@vlfriscia]

Pitfall and Too Late for Tears are elevated by the presence of the delicious Lizabeth Scott, one of the greats. Desert Fury isn’t really a noir - and it’s in color - but Lizabeth’s and Mary Astor’s fashions by Edith Head are the stars of the show. Any of them could be worn today, especially Lizabeth’s slinky white sequined floor-length evening dress. Marilyn Monroe had nothing on her. To die for.

[@proto-geek248]

screenshot 👍

[@steveneardley7541]

I like your taste! I'm a big fan of Too Late for Tears, Nightmare Alley (my favorite), and Angel Face. I have seen the Big Combo. I haven't seen the others, but have written them down. To this list I'd add Kiss Me Deadly and Dark Passage. I don't consider Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon noirs. They are too centered in Hollywood glamor. Of course, they're still great.

[@steveneardley7541]

@@vlfriscia Lizbeth Scott was one of the only people who could have played the lead in Too Late for Tears, and been believable. She looks like a dangerously unprincipled woman. I don't think Mary Astor was all that great as the femme fatale in The Maltese Falcon. She just wasn't believably bad. Among modern actresses Juliette Lewis is the best at playing "dangerously unhinged." A modern "noir" I like is Freeway with Reese Witherspoon. It was written as a sort of over the top exploitation movie, but delivers as a noir. And the acting is damn good.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

Excellent choices! Seen most of them.

[@Filmgazer1]

What a terrific list! The person who posted this certainly knows his films Noir and loves them like many of us do. I've seen seven of the 10 titles listed and will seek out the other three. Thanks so much for posting this!

[@madnickmedia]

Much appreciated, thanks for watching!

[@nevermeltingicecream]

I watched the Night and the City this spring and felt like I'd never smile again for a couple of days. A powerful but very dark movie

[@radulfrbrunn4438]

My favourite line from Sweet Smell: "The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river!". Brilliant

[@awaben]

0.36 - Murder By Contract 1.43 - Sudden Fear 2.35 - Detour 3.20 - Gun Crazy 4.01 - The Stranger 5.28 - Night And The City 6.03 - The Breaking Point 7.24 - Ace In The Hole 8.22 - The Naked City 9.05 - Sweet Smell Of Success

[@GregoryArkadin-j5v]

Thank you.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

I’m not sure Ace in the Hole is a true noir.

[@RealBigBadJohn]

Thank you! Someone had to get it done! 👍

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@ericsonhazeltine5064 Kinda not, but the plot is pure noir.

[@a.m.pietroschek1972]

KZbin should either be made obligated to pay people like you, or force streamers to include a proper synopsis or table of contents. Kudos!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

As a noir lover I must say I've seen all 10. That aside, your list is solid. For the record my 8 favorite noirs are in no order Vertigo. Out of the Past, Touch of Evil. Kiss Me Deadly, The Lineup, White Heat, Shoot the Piano Player and The Night of the Hunter (if it is a noir) My review of Detour from a few years ago. SPOILER ALERT!!. "Saw DETOUR on Noir Alley last night. If you usually root for the underdog as I do, it's easy to like the director Edgar Ulmer. Like Joseph Lewis, he frequently had to work with small budgets and that brought out the best in his creativity. Detour is a testament to this--how a director can make gold out of rocks. Just about the most bleak, claustrophobic, downbeat, nightmarish, fatalistic noir ever made. And in the midst of all this is one of the most riveting female performances in American cinema of the 40's. Watch her hidden soft side in a scene at the apartment. Ann Savage's tour de force performance should have at least been nominated for an Academy award. But fat chance of the Academy even giving a thought to a movie such as this. The abrupt, downbeat, complaining ending is perfectly fitting for this low budget masterpiece . Here are three different views 1. " Using unknown actors and filming with no more than three minimal sets, a sole exterior (a used-car lot) to represent Los Angeles, a few stock shots and some shaky back-projection, Ulmer conjures up a black, paranoid vision, totally untainted by glamour, of shabby characters trapped in a spiral of irrational guilt." .2. " Detour remains a masterpiece of its kind. There have been hundreds of better movies, but none with the feel for doom portrayed by Ulmer." 3. From Roger Ebert. "Do these limitations and stylistic transgressions hurt the film? No. They are the film. “Detour” is an example of material finding the appropriate form. Two bottom-feeders from the swamps of pulp swim through the murk of low-budget noir and are caught gasping in Ulmer's net. They deserve one another. At the end, Al is still complaining: “Fate, for some mysterious force, can put the finger on you or me, for no good reason at all" I found these facts about the film interesting.----In 1972, Ulmer said in an interview that the film was shot in six days. However, in a 2004 documentary, Ulmer's daughter Arianne presented a shooting script title page which noted, "June 14, 1945-June 29. Camera days 14." Moreover, Ann Savage was contracted to Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) for the production of Detour for three six-day weeks, and she later said the film was shot in four six-day weeks, with an additional four days of location work in the desert at Lancaster, California. While popular belief long held that Detour was shot for about $20,000 Noah Isenberg, in conducting research for his book on the film, discovered that the production's final cost was closer to $100,000. As detailed in Savage Detours: The Life and Work of Ann Savage, great care was taken during the post production of Detour. The final picture was tightly cut down from a much longer-shooting script, which had been shot with more extended dialogue sequences than appear in the released print. The soundtrack is also fully realized, with ambient backgrounds, motivated sound effects, and a carefully scored original musical soundtrack by Leo Erdody, who had previously worked with Ulmer on Strange Illusion (1945). Erdody took extra pains to underscore Vera's introduction with a sympathetic theme, giving the character a light musical shading in contrast to her razor-sharp dialogue and its ferocious delivery by Ann Savage. With reshoots out of the question for such a low-budget movie, director Ulmer put storytelling above continuity. For example, he flipped the negative for some of the hitchhiking scenes. This showed the westbound New York City to Los Angeles travel of the character with a right-to-left flow across the screen, though it also made cars seem to be driving on the "wrong" side of the road, with the hitchhiker getting into the car on the driver's side. The car owned by the character Charlie Haskell and later driven by Al Roberts is itself an integral part of the film's plot and is certainly the most memorable prop item in the production. The automobile is a customized 1941 Lincoln Continental V-12 convertible, a base model of a "Cabriolet" but one that features bolted-on rear wheel-well covers and some exterior components added later from Lincoln's limited 1942 version of the same model Reportedly, the production budget for Detour was so tight that director Ulmer decided to use this car, his "personal car", for the cross-country crime drama. Detour was generally well received on its initial release, with positive reviews in the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety in other major newspapers and trade publications. Contemporary screenings of Detour were also not confined to grindhouse theaters; they were presented at top "movie houses". For example, in downtown Los Angeles in May 1946, it played at the 2,200-seat Orpheum in combination with a live stage show featuring the hit Slim Gaillard Trio and the Buddy Rich Orchestra. Business was reported to be excellent despite a transit strike. The film was released to television in the early 1950s, and it was broadcast in syndicated TV markets until the advent of mass cable systems. TV reviewers casually recommended it in the 1960s and 1970s as a worthwhile "B" movie. Then, by the 1980s, critics began citing Detour increasingly as a prime example of film noir, and revival houses, universities and film festivals began presenting the crime drama in tributes to Edgar G. Ulmer and his work. The director died in 1972, unfortunately before the full revival of Detour and the critical re-evaluation of his career occurred. Tom Neal died the same year as Ulmer, but Ann Savage lived long enough to experience the newfound acclaim. From 1985 until just two years before her death in 2008, she made a series of live appearances at public screenings of the film. Your thoughts? I'm sure many here have opinions of this movie"

[@JohnOBurke]

& Breathless.

[@gordonely3591]

Thanks for wearing out your keyboard , I enjoyed reading so many fascinating details ✨️🇺🇲💚

[@lawrencelewis2592]

A well done review- I saw Detour in a theatre about 10 years ago, a great shitty movie. Like Ebert said, it shouldn't be too hard to escape a woman who drinks a bottle of liquor every day, but Al didn't want to escape did he?

[@waynej2608]

"That's the stuff"! 👍

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@lawrencelewis2592 if I remember correctly, she would go to the cops and tell them he did it. So she really had him under her control.

[@cleanairninja9256]

I have these 10 movies in my collection and they are all great! Of the ten, I'd say that Gun Crazy is my favorite. A Colt is My Passport is my favorite Japanese noir. Good reviews!

[@charlesmartel9010]

The Sweet Smell of Success is not just an overlooked noir, it's one of the greatest movies ever. Fascinating, engrossing plot, with top performances by Tony Curtis (maybe career best) and Burt Lancaster. An absolute must see.

[@madnickmedia]

Couldn't agree more, it's easily become one of my all-time favorites. Thanks for watching!

[@ArvidRanta]

Integrity: "a pocket full of firecrackers, looking for a match" This film is Shakespeare.

[@MsJackrussell2]

Agree. A must watch film. In addition to the leads, there is also a standout performance from Barbara Nichols.

[@marcsmirnoff936]

Totally agree.

[@johnjdevlin2610]

Great list of films noirs. Great narration by a human. Very informative and very entertaining as well. The selection of clips was perfect. Thanks!

[@iakona23]

I gotta say that your list was really superb. Not a dud in the collection. The only one that I feel like you really had to include that you did not is The Asphalt Jungle. Such an amazing film.

[@marthagrinnan6155]

Absolutely, agree. Asphalt Jungle is a great movie. MM, played her character very well. She also looked terrific back then before Hollywood ruined her. Maybe Asphalt Jungle is on a different list. Nightmare Alley, with Tyrone Power,is a masterpiece. However, It is very disturbing. It left such an impression on me, that I will never watch it a second time.

[@iakona23]

@ yes Marilyn Monroe was perfect portraying the “niece” (mistress) of the shady married lawyer. Really perfect. She was also good in another early career movie called “Clash by Night” with Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan.

[@madnickmedia]

John Huston is one of my favorite directors, I agree it's an excellent noir. When I saw his version of "Moby Dick" it blew me away!

[@mikls6830]

The Asphalt Jungle is a true masterpiece. I like very much Sterling Hayden ( great in The Killing 1956 too). Each characters are perfect in that movie. In my top 10 of film noir.

[@iakona23]

@ I agree with you 100%. The Italian neorealism style of Rossellini and De Sica was the inspiration for the style that John Huston used for this film.

[@brianlawton8172]

Proud to say I've seen and or own all of these great noirs. Nice presentation you really do a great retrospect.

[@georgestreng]

That was an excellent list and very well presented giving enough information without showing or telling too much.

[@connorthompson4833]

My favorite underrated noir is Experiment in Terror (1962). 10/10. Highly recommend. Gun Crazy is also really high on my list.

[@lilOspiCB]

Experiment in Terror is great. I love the slow opening scene - driving at night in the open convertible just gives me goosebumps. The Henry Mancini theme is perfect. …I just now watched the opening again on KZbin and for the first time noticed the name on the sign as she turns off into the residential neighborhood. 🌄

[@relicofgold]

This is one of the best truly noir lists. I always add DARK PASSAGE because I feel it has a completely original script, has Bogie and Bacall, and Agnes Moorehead's performance was snubbed by the Oscars, even though it is one of the best ever. Not to be missed.

[@microbe_rz37-rn1dk]

David Goodis is great. If you read his stories they're like watching a film noir.

[@sensitivedogs]

DARK PASSAGE is a Masterpiece!!

[@waynej2608]

I agree. I would've replaced Ace in the Hole with Dark Passage. I really don't consider it 'noir'. It's merits as a film, notwithstanding. Superb list, overall.

[@dongrainer6405]

Only two I have seen are "The Stranger" and "The Naked City." "The Breaking Ppoint" has been shown locally, but have had the chance to see it yet. Of the others I have only seen brief parfts of the Vince Edwards one. Some of my favorites include "Laura" and "Shadow of A Doubt.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

the Naked City was great and so was the TV show of that name. Both were based on the book of that title by Arthur Feilig also known as WeeGee. Candid photos of the underside of New York life back then.

[@gtm604]

Great list and video. I haven't seen murder by contract, sudden fear and the breaking point. Will have to check them out.

[@BluesImprov]

Also a MUST is "Out of the Past' with Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer. . .Mitchum is at his "noir" best and Jane Greer's performance is often considered the very first "femme fatale". It also was only the second film of some guy named Kirk Douglas. Great movie directed by Jacques Tourneur.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

not overlooked.

[@theseeingeye454]

" She came out of the sun....."

[@richardking3206]

I’m surprised how many top ten lists miss Out of the Past. It’s possibly my fave noir film, because Mitchum bleeds noir.

[@johnb4905]

But this is a list of supposedly OVERLOOKED film noirs. Any self respecting film noir fan has seen all the ones with Bogart and Mitchum which is why none on the list have them.

[@pangorban1]

This is a list about film noir that are less seen or have been overlooked. 'Out of the Past' is widely recognised as one of the best and has been shown countless times over the decades on TV and in art house cinema. It's definitely not overlooked.

[@rustynail766]

Terrific selections. All are top notch films. Very well done!!!

[@mrb0775]

Film fans who've never seen it, should be both fascinated & floored by Ace In The Hole! It was made by director Billy Wilder, better known for such fine movies as Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, The Apartment, Lost Weekend, and Stalag 17. But in the midst of an impressive run of such hits, Ace In The Hole was Mr Wilder's only financial flop, because it was simply too strong & cynical about human nature (or I'd say realistic) for the relatively innocent movie audiences of 1951 to swallow. And without giving anything away, the event that's at the center of the movie's story having the effect on crowds of people that it has, isn't an effect that's exaggerated, since the real life incident that the film was based on, also drew big crowds of people. And since the late Kirk Douglas, along with Al Pacino, is one of my 2 favorite actors, and I agreed with the late Roger Ebert, as he wrote back in about 2002, that there was nothing dated about the strong performance by Mr Douglas in Ace In The Hole, that film is one that I was so glad to get on Blu-ray in its Criterion collection edition! One last thing, the hard edged character played so strongly by Jan Sterling, in the film, speaks one of the greatest lines in movie history (IMO) as she gives a terse explanation for why she never goes to church. Her reason has nothing to do with her having a lack of faith or belief, or even her having any feelings of guilt. But once a film fan hears that brief explanation, he or she, won't ever forget it, and that line also reminds a viewer about how excellent that the screenplay of Ace In The Hole really is! As anyone who happens to run into my rambling here will instantly realize, I'm a huge fan of Ace In The Hole, so I'd sure like to offer my MOST sincere thanks to MadNick for remembering to include this powerful film noir on this Top 10 list!!!

[@rufust.firefly4890]

Also known as THE BIG CARNIVAL. Sterling and I have the same birthday, See Sterling in The Incident.

[@johnb4905]

What’s frightening is how foretelling the story is today.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

The thing is, why it was unpopular was because it made peope uncomfortable. Much like Scorsese's film, The King of Comedy.

[@johnglenn30csardas]

Good piece. I especially appreciate the high quality of the video in the clips from the films. The back and white looks really accurate, like the films. Well done.

[@111oooo]

Not here but Double Indemnity, one of the best movies ever IMO

[@toomuchstuff4828]

The Noir of Noirs.

[@wetdoginadesert7561]

Great list, thanks. I like Noir when the stars are not the 'loser type'. The stars in most of these recommendations seem to be a little down on their luck, but capable or just trying a little too hard. Your description of the film and cinematography as well, really heightens my anticipation for watching these flicks.

[@joeharoutunian1805]

Your list is excellent. I have seen them but it is good to be reminded. I would rate to have and have not higher than the breaking point but then it is one of my favorite movies. It is so good I was able to introduce b&w movies to my daughter. A real achievement! I will admit that the Garfield version has more of a noir quality. And of course Patricia Neal is amazing in this movie. Thanks for this excellent review that helps keep this genre ever vital.

[@madnickmedia]

And thank you for watching!

[@lawrencelewis2592]

See The Gun Runners with Audie Murphy, also based on Hemingway's book. I've always thougt that Garfield was more believable than Bogie as a Hemingway character. Having said that, To Have and Have not is one of the best movies ever made. Lauren Bacall! Yow!

[@jeromepudwill]

Murder, My Sweet, The Narrow Margin, Night And The City, The Third Man, The Set-Up, Brighton Rock (Original), Touch Of Evil, Detour, Rififi, Cape Fear (Original), Phantom Lady, Woman On The Run, Pitfall, Ace In The Hole, Champion, Lady From Shanghai, The Honeymoon Killers, Man Bites Dog

[@proto-geek248]

screenshot 👍

[@JohnOBurke]

Man Bites Dog tops 'em all. One of the funniest movies ever, provided you like your humor noir.

[@johnb4905]

Cape Fear is the rare case where the remake is better than the original.

[@TheSpiralnotebook]

Brighton Rock.

[@jeromepudwill]

@@TheSpiralnotebook Thanks! Right you are!

[@bisedwards6985]

Great selections - will re-see two given your excellent summary of these gems. Orson Welles was a genius. Patrica Neal is also brilliant in non-noir HUD.

[@nolotrippen2970]

I've been blessed to have seen most of these (and now I want to watch them again). How about a list of films that, while in color, hit the nourish vibe perfectly?

[@mrb0775]

2 terrific color films which hit the noir vibe perfectly, IMO, are 1981's Body Heat and 1993's The Last Seduction!

[@theseeingeye454]

​@@mrb0775 Chinatown King of all neo noirs

[@ammaleslie509]

No love for LA Confidential?

[@theseeingeye454]

And may I add ( as no one else has ) " The Two Jakes " a fitting follow up to 'China Town " although not the same caliber still satisfying with lots of the original cast and same screen writer... Robert Towne " The thing about the Past is... There's plenty more where that came from."

[@freesoul3371]

I attended UCSB in the 80’s. I had one film studies class as an elective called Thriller. We watched, studied and analysed Film Noir. Fun going to class watching movies like Touch of Evil, Kiss Me Deadly, The Maltese Falcon, Dark Passage, The Big Sleep, film noir classics.

[@petertrezise4545]

Sweet Smell of Success is a fantastic movie and the soundtrack is one of the best.

[@bobbyfischer7500]

great video thanks !

[@brandonio_granger]

Great list,I've seen them all. 👌

[@treyroy163]

Great video! Haven’t seen anyone mention The Big Heat yet.. one of my favorites!

[@MajorWolfgangHochstetter]

I've seen a few of these, and will put them all in my Prime Video cue if they're available. I would love to see what you have in the Japanese and French Noir. I love most foreign films.

[@TheVid54]

Nice list. Fine video. Overlooked? Hardly.

[@ardeladimwit]

thank-you for a nice list of interesting classic noir films.

[@rosemaryfranzese317]

I haven’t been fortunate enough to see most of these films but the few l have seen definitely deserve to be on this list.

[@michaelcanty4940]

Perhaps you could list "Top Ten Noir films featuring Lisbeth Scott". Too Late for Tears, Dead Reckoning and The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.

[@donmoore7785]

I have seen all of these, except for Murder by Contract. Great list, and I am going to go check that one out as well as possibly re-watch some of the others. Nice job.

[@Geoduck.]

Thank you for the great list! Excited to view these over the holidays. Subscribed! I've "only" seen Breaking Point. What a great film.

[@mikethebeginner]

I've only seen four of them. Thanks for the other recommendations. Sometimes nothing satisfies like a good noir. ("Asphalt Jungle" with Marilyn Monroe is my favorite.)

[@CelticWarrior76]

Great List! Thanks for posting!

[@bruniau]

I have not seen half of these, where can i get a hold of these movies?

[@deanrao4805]

"Detour" was my introduction to noir, and continues to define the genre, for me.

[@silvernail6]

Yep

[@alansmithee70]

Looking forward to seeing the ones I never seen or heard of. Good job.

[@immaterialimmaterial5195]

Good selection. Impossible to just choose ten when we are so spoilt for choice!

[@saundrasaumay9767]

Thanks. I watched Murder by Contract & it was solid. Great recommendation! Looking forward to seeing more.

[@MarkLAsche]

Absolutely sizzling list. Your commentary is likewise great. I wonder -- was noir really the main item on the menu for many years?

[@philipfritz-f8x]

A lot of people mistakenly think Sweet Smell of Success is a Billy Wilder film. It looks smells and tastes like one but it (as you pointed) out a Alexander Mickidric film. Also had no idea Jack Palance was ever nominated!

[@Daisnap]

What fun to see a Very well made video by such a passionate, intelligent person! It took a lot of work to write / perform your concise, entertaining, informative narration and to compile those fantastic clips. Thank you! I learned a lot. Hope you won’t mind a slight correction - The director’s name is Wilder, not Wildler. I also love Cry of the City and Born to Kill.

[@rowdyways4228]

Any Lawrence Tierney, sends chills down your spine. Fantastic actor, even better to look at. Sterling Hayden really played both good and bad and made you believe it same with Ruth Roman. Ida Lupino, great! Robert Mitchum always the best.

[@tomh6183]

You sure got that right.

[@RobertBrown-ff5nm]

Well done video, informative for me. I haven't seen any of these. Ill have to check them out. Thanks. Dont let the jackals grind you down. Ive omitted my apostrophes just to rankle them.

[@jeremydow1432]

WELL DONE : do the capitals & full-stops next : that'll really get me going .( u missed one )

[@michaelsalisbury1477]

What about the Postman only rings twice?

[@MrRondonmon]

It was not "UNDERRATED or UNKOWN" which was his point, 10 film noirs you have [most likely] NEVER SEEN. Everyone has seen that movie (in general).

[@donmoore7785]

@@MrRondonmon Some people obviously don't understand the purpose of this video.

[@lloydbraun6026]

Who hasn’t seen Sweet Smell of Success if you are a fan of Noir. If you’ve never seen the movie Diner, check it out. There is a subplot where a character goes around quoting Sweet Smell of Success. The character has memorized the whole dialogue

[@susanb2015]

I'll have to see Diner again. Do you want some Chinese gum?

[@Argonaut121]

Murder by Contract is the only one I haven't seen at least once. But good list.

[@richmotroni]

I have lucky to see 8 out of 10 of these great films. I bet if they made Sweet Smell of Success today the Hudsucker character would most likely be a social media influencer.

[@TheAyeAye1]

Thanks for the list. I've seen all but three, but I surely need to see those movies.

[@gljm]

Two great Noir films with Edward G. Robinson to check out are "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" 1948, based on a story by Cornell Woolrich, and "Nightmare" from 1956 based again on a story by Woolrich and also stars Kevin McCarthy.

[@shastadimension8169]

I think this was a very good video on this topic. No AI voice and good descriptions with the HUMAN INTEREST COMPONENT no longer understood by younger generations and certainly NOT the abhorrent movies they make. I seen most but not all. TY!

[@bernhardschaefer5740]

What about “Night of the Hunter”?

[@marionmarino1616]

Is it noir or is it terror??

[@OldSchoolFilm1930]

Even if I did had seen all the mentioned movies, for the sole reason of supporting these old, beautiful and which is often overlooked, made under the Hayes code restrictions, films, deserves a like! Salute. "Gun Crazy" might as well be considered the blueprint to "Natural Born Killers". I would like to suggest the British "Brighton Rock" (1948). The new adaptation does not come close to the older film. PS: For those who love the genre here's some reading suggestion: "Film Noir" by editors Paul Duncan and Jurgen Müller.

[@proto-geek248]

Thanks. I took a screenshot of all the titles, except Naked City which wasn't provided, but I took note 📝

[@marksloan7438]

I'd include Cape Fear in this list.

[@matthiasr2033]

Thank you for this great list. I've seen 9 out of 10, only Sudden Fear is missing (but it's on KZbin, so I'll watch it soon). But Naked City isn't a noir for me, more of a documentary crime film. It's a fantastic film, but it lacks some typical noir elements like the special characterisation of the hero. It's great that you mention Murder by contact, which is rarely mentioned in this context and is probably the least-known film on your list.

[@unclealand]

Seems a lot of people are under the mistaken impression that any movie from the 40s and 50s is film noir if it's in black and white and there are shadows.

[@eduardodiaz2649]

Excellent list. Have watched all a number of times.

[@northernbohemianrealist]

We used to have "Sunday Night Noir" broadcast here in Madison, Wisconsin. Ended before the pandemic, and I miss it desperately. Desperately. Appropriate.

[@MegaAtomium]

These are great. My personal favorite is Murder My Sweet!

[@LooseNewf]

Good list - another good one is The Harder they Fall with Bogie - boxing movie.

[@laurenceschwartz8606]

"Odd Man Out" Probably the last film noir before neo-Noir came along about 30 years later.

[@FilmBuff54]

This is an excellent list - I particularly like “Gun Crazy,” “Night and the City,” and “Sudden Fear.” “Detour” is an amazing low budget movie, with an unreliable narrator, that feels like it was cut short before it got to the actual plot.

[@MisterSplendy]

I know hyperbole is kinda standard operating procedure in KZbin titles, but "never seen" for these well-known flicks is bit much.

[@careyatchison1348]

Great list! I would add 'Death of a Cyclist' from 1955, written & directed by J.A. Bardem (uncle of the famous actor). It is beautifully acted & shot, a tense drama with a noire sensibility.

[@donnarichardson7214]

Does Niagara qualify as a film noir? I know it's hard to see anything in the film but Marilyn Monroe, but it's quite a slam at the happily-ever-after post-WWII marriage myth.

[@dougk7075]

Cool list. I will check out the three that are new to me. Thanks

[@motorlibro]

Nice to see 'Ace in the hole' getting mentioned 👍

[@lawrencelewis2592]

I've seen every one of these and all are fantastic! The Breaking Point is one of the very few films made from Hemingway's novels that he actually liked. Regarding Night and the City, I was in London about ten years ago and my friends asked me what I wanted to see. They were suprised when I said, the Hammersmith bridge.

[@cjmesq]

Kubrick’s “The Killing” is my favorite film noir.

[@lamarravery4094]

Is that the horse racing bank heist film starring Sterling Hayden? That was a good one.

[@cjmesq]

@ it is. Definitely worth seeing again.

[@robertpearson8798]

Yes, and I’m amazed and disappointed that it didn’t even make the list.

[@microbe_rz37-rn1dk]

There are some excellent scenes in it, but It kind of drags in places. Understandably, it was an early picture in his career.

[@dbarker7794]

I've seen all of these and can say it's a great set of 10.films.

[@MikeFurl]

Seen all 10. Good reviews. Thanks.

[@TheWaynos73]

Split Second is an absolute cracking Atomic Age film noir directed by Dick Powell. Nice little hoods and hostages situation with the backdrop of a nuclear test site and a ticking bomb timeline.

[@63MGB1]

Super list! Seen them all and they are great choices.

[@neildickson5394]

List is Platinum! I however would reverse the number as I truly hate "Sweet Smell of Success". "Murder by Contract" is a real overlooked film. Vince Edwards is perfect in this role, and at one point he wears a Doctor's smock predicting his TV future. The LA scenery is a real co-star. "Sudden Fear" is another overlooked classic, plus Joan Crawford drives two Packard's. "Detour" is a classic of classics. "Gun Crazy" is a very different film, unusual. John Dall, a gay man always played straight except in Hitchcock's "Rope". "Breaking Point" has a heart wrenching end scene with a little black boy.

[@martinoamello3017]

Good old Vince reformed himself from psychopathic killer to the beloved doctor for millions of hypochondriac women.. 😂

[@lindawilson4625]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT list! I think you can see all of these on KZbin. Thanks for posting. I'm not sure I saw The Breaking Point, so I'll be watching that tonight :-)

[@robwarren4425]

Very good list. Just add on “Out of the Past” and it would be great.

[@johnb4905]

It’s not a top ten list but a top ten overlooked list. Out of the Past is not overlooked.

[@robwarren4425]

Gotcha

[@mackjay1777]

These are all very good recommendations, though I don't think DETOUR is overlooked.

[@petergraham8681]

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS is a key 50s film & others not listed here but deserving of attention are KISS OF DEATH, FORCE OF EVIL & OUT OF THE PAST. All these are great noirs as are many of the others listed here. How about IN A LONELY PLACE, one of Bogart‘s greatest characterizations on the level of his Fred C. Dobbs.

[@williamrowlands1789]

Double Indemnity has always been my favorite film noir. Have it both on DVD and recorded on my DVR. Turner classic movies show film noir movies on Saturday evenings so usually catch them then. Would you consider movies like The Postman Always Rings Twice (James Garfield and Lana Turner) and Cape Fear (the original early 60's version with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum) as film noir also.? They made remakes of both films in the 1990's but they didn't quite match up to the original versions as far as style and cinematic atmosphere goes. Remakes never do.

[@DRF-rg5qy]

I don't see anyone mention "Mulholland Drive" yet, one of my favorite films of all time. Elements of film noir, with the additional spice of David Lynch craziness, and the brilliance of Naomi Watts' performance.

[@yuckyool]

This is a great list. Have seen the last 6, and I agree re. conclusion of "The Breaking Point". Need to see 2~3 of the first 4 . . . now.

[@garypesci746]

Seen all of these. The Movies Channel shows film noir movies every Thursday & Sunday.

[@65tosspowertrapl36]

All are great films 👍 thanks for the video.

[@lynntownsend4457]

Joan was robbed for another Oscar for Sudden Feàr

[@rustynail766]

Definitely robbed!

[@alanosterman7130]

Great list. I've seen them all. Any one with Lawrence Tierney is over the top for me, especially "Born To Kill", really off the wall. Charles McGraw is a close second. Wish they made a movie together. Great noirs should always have a scene where you drop your jaw. Like "Kiss of Death"...the staircase scene. "The Dark Corner"... Bendix and that window scene. "Scarlett Street" and the ice pick. "The Lineup"... Eli and that wheel chair scene. Etc., etc..

[@elmagodelmaryahoo]

*_Aaaaaah....._* "Ace In The Hole" = Definitely *A+* ..... TOO!!!👌

[@MrUndersolo]

Look up one on Criterion called 'Blast of Silence'. Not a bad 1950s indie work.

[@Jasper7182009]

Thank you for mentioning the movie the stranger. It’s in my top five favorites of movies in general. And I am with you, that dinner scene is absolutely wonderful. I wish it were longer. The Stranger is fantastic - Edward G Robinson is our conscious and our defender. And Loretta Young does have her moments. And when necessary, she does come through. And I agree that this is very good acting by Orson Welles.

[@phylliselizahb1041]

Plays regularly on Twitch channel "PD Cinema"

[@thadtuiol1717]

I'm not sure Jack Palance could ever be described as "charming", but yeah, good film