Film Noir: A Critical Analysis Of The Genre

Introduction

Film noir was an incredibly popular genre of film primarily in the United States that was heavily influenced by French and German film, as the term is French for ‘black film.’ These films typically are centered on crime and violence with the leading actor being a man who is surrounded by crime and tries to maneuver around it and a new sort of character in film, the femme fatale. The concept of a femme fatale was introduced by film noirs and is the lead female character who is very seductive and mysterious, but her actions typically lead to the downfall of the male lead in the film.

Classic Noir

This genre has become so memorable in film history due to great films such as Double Indemnity (1944), Out of the Past (1947), and Detour (1945), which all feature archetypal noir character types, narrative techniques, and themes of film noir. The characters of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity and Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) from Out of the Past are some of the most well-known femme fatales due to the three-dimensional nature of their characters and their incredible performances.

The film’s narrative and themes very much express the structure of the classic and legendary noir films as they all share the same elements of crime, mystery, and double-crossing. Their recognition is deserved, and they will continue to be watched, appreciated, and studied due to their perfect depiction of film noir. All three of these films depict the essential roles of the criminal man and femme fatale masterfully. These characters are what define film noir, so it’s incredibly important for these main roles to be well-written and played by talented actors.

Flawed Individuals

The character of Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) in Double Indemnity is the perfect noir male lead. This is because he’s presented as an extremely charismatic and amicable man who on the inside is truly manipulative. He’s also a morally flawed individual. Neff is complimented well by the seductive and dangerous Phyllis Dietrichson. She plans to murder her husband to collect his sizable life insurance payout.

They are both equally criminal and morally flawed, as they have an affair together and plot the death and collection of the insurance payment together. The manipulative natures of these two characters are what made the film so memorable and perfected the genre of film noir, setting a standard for film noir characters.

The character dynamics in Out of the Past are similar in a sense as the male lead, Jeff Markham (Robert Mitchum), gets sucked back into criminal activity by a mysterious, yet dangerous woman, Kathie Moffat. She seduces him and he falls in love, which ultimately leads to his downfall at the end when they are driving away, and she shoots him dead in the car. Kathie ends up getting shot by the police as a result, as this is the typical ending for these noir characters, death or arrest.

Detour

On the other hand, the film Detour has a somewhat different type of character dynamic in that the male lead, Al Roberts (Tom Neal), isn’t your typical charming and self-confident man. Rather, he’s more the opposite in that he is disillusioned. There are numerous scenes throughout the film that depict him doubting himself or being negative about the situation. He states:

“That’s life. Whichever way you turn, fate sticks out a foot to trip you”

To the audience, it doesn’t seem like Roberts is a criminal in nature or that he intends to commit crimes. He merely wants to visit his girlfriend in Los Angeles. Roberts gets himself into an unfortunate situation when the stranger he was hitchhiking with suddenly dies and hits his head on a rock when Roberts opens the car door. While likely the victim of heart failure, due to his proneness to anxiety, Roberts panics and flees the scene which leads to a string of crimes it doesn’t seem he plans on committing.

His anxiety starts to corrupt him further when he picks up a woman, Vera (Ann Savage), who wants to blackmail him with the death of his driver, Haskell. Roberts later ends up killing Vera inadvertently, by strangling her with a telephone cord through the door. None of his actions appear to be planned out or calculated, so it’s hard to say if the character of Al Roberts was a true archetypal, film noir leading man.

Narrative Technique

Vera, on the other hand, is a character that is more akin to the femme fatale role. This is because she lures Roberts in and proceeds to ruin his life by threatening him with blackmail. Inevitably, this leads to her death, which weighs on Roberts’s consciousness and prevents him from living life as a typical, free man.

Narrative techniques are quintessential to the structure of a film. In film noir specifically, they can make or break the movie. These films use a myriad of narrative techniques to advance the plots of the respective films. In Double Indemnity, the plots are progressed through the use of various flashbacks, lighting, and dialogue.

The flashbacks create suspense, giving pieces of information to the audience. The lighting and shadows respectively are essential in noir films, as the intense darkness and contrast are signature in this genre. They represent danger and mystery, which represents the premise of the film and the nature of its characters. The dialogue in this film is very notable, with many of the memorable quotes being from interactions between Phyllis and Walter:

“How fast was I going, officer? I’d say about ninety. Suppose you get down off your motorcycle and give me a ticket. Suppose I let you off with a warning this time. Suppose it doesn’t take. Suppose I have to whack you over the knuckles. Suppose I bust out crying and put my head on your shoulder. Suppose you try putting it on my husband’s shoulder. That tears it!”

The chemistry between the two made for a very memorable film, with a very cohesive and well-written story. Out of the Past also utilizes these mediums, especially the nonlinear structure to immerse the audience in the distorted lives of criminals and shady people. The lighting plays a big role in the film as well, creating sharp contrasts of light and shadow, symbolizing good and evil.

Flaws and Femme Fatales

Detour uses the same features as well. However, Ulmer makes a point to include symbolism in the film, such as the long, deserted road Roberts is driving on and the loneliness and darkness it represents. Detour is also a very low-budget production, being produced by a “Poverty Row” production company, Producers Releasing Corporation. The quality of the camera and the techniques used are low. Thus, the low-budget style adds to the rawness of the film. The crudeness of the production represents Roberts, as he feels very desperate and distorted.

Overall, the films share similar narrative techniques. This contributes to the quality of the film and cements them as exceptional film noirs. Aside from the character types and narrative techniques, these films excelled in capturing the themes of film noir. All of them had the same themes of moral flaws, femme fatales, and fatalism. The three male leads all had moral flaws in their way. For example, Walter Neff becomes embroiled in a conspiracy to kill Phyllis Dietrichson’s husband and collect his insurance money.

The femme fatales of these films were all very iconic. Yet, similar in the sense of what their goals were. They intended to manipulate and cause the downfall of the leading man. Whether that be via death or prison. Lastly, the themes of fatalism that are found in all three films complete the films. The characters, usually the leading males, typically feel trapped and desperate. Thus, turning to violence and crime as a means to heal their despair. These themes are what comprise the structure of the classic film noir. They are also what make the films so enjoyable and compelling.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, and Detour, are quintessential film noirs that perfectly represent the genre. All three of these films feature necessary elements of film noir such as archetypal characters, narrative techniques, and themes of film noir. Characters such as Walter Neff and Kathie Moffat are incredibly memorable and beloved. Their fantastic performances and the film’s usage of lighting, dialogue, and flashbacks make the film legendary. Furthermore, film noir is one of the most famous and greatest genres of film and these films aided in the genre’s status as classic.

If You Enjoyed This Article We Recommend:

The Rise and Fall of the Brown Derby (Click Here)

Hollywood History – The Marion Davies Beach House (Click Here)

Bob Hope and The Cleveland Indians – A Love Story (Click Here)

If You Don’t Want To Miss Any Of Our Content In The Future Like Us On Facebook and Follow Us On Twitter and Instagram