What Does “Film Noir” Really Mean?
In 1964, when Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart was asked what his threshold test was for determining whether a piece of sexual media was more art or pornography, his answer was simple: “I know it when I see it”. And in recent years, the same thing can be said about noir. Film noir as a genre has always been evolving and shifting; so much so that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to assign an exact definition to it. And yet, whenever you watch a movie from this genre, there’s never any doubt that it belongs. The original definition of “film noir” was used by critics to describe the wave of American crime mysteries made in the 40s and 50s (think the classics, like Double Indemnity, Touch of Evil, or The Third Man). They all had similar styles, plots, and themes, such as shadowy cinematography, murder mysteries, and cynical protagonists attempting to solve the case. But is a film’s cinematography enough to assign it to a hyper-specific genre? And is a film considered “noir” just because the protagonist is attempting to solve a murder? And what about modern films that are obviously inspired by the classic noir movies of the 50’s, but are executed in vastly different ways? At the end of the day, film noir is more of a feeling than anything else. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t absolutely necessary staples to the genre that make it what it is. In this article, I’m going to attempt to answer questions like these, provide a solid checklist of the elements that truly matter when defining a film as “noir”, and analyze how the genre has shifted throughout different periods in Hollywood’s history.
The Classic Definition
To begin, I figured we’d start with the most classic definition of film noir (the one critics originally intended the term to be used for). Like I mentioned before, this term was created to describe a pattern of similar crime films during the American post-war era of Hollywood, championed by filmmakers such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang, and Billy Wilder. The post-war aspect is especially important as these movies were defined by their cynical themes and pessimistic undertones that represented the mood of the country after the Great Depression and WWII. Additionally, these films were also grouped together under the new “noir” genre due to their remarkably similar cinematography, narrative style, and character archetypes. I’ve narrowed down a checklist of everything a film from this period requires to be considered a noir. But remember, it’s not any single one of these elements that makes these movies a part of the noir movement, but rather the combination of most or all of them.
A Mysterious Crime
One of the most important elements of a noir film is some form of mystery, usually a murder, that prompts the protagonist to uncover clues in order to solve it. Maybe the mystery seems straightforward, but isn’t. Maybe it appears to be solved, but there’s more to the story. Whatever it may be, it has to be a carrot-on-a-stick for the protagonist to chase in order to drive the plot. This is the backbone of the genre, and is one of the only aspects that has remained a primary staple as the genre has evolved throughout the last 80 years.
A Pessimistic, Antihero Protagonist
Many of these films focused on a cynical protagonist who is reluctantly thrown into the middle of the mystery and must navigate some form of seedy subculture to solve it. Usually a male detective/private investigator of some sort, these characters were often seen as unlikely heroes bravely searching for “hope” in the world as they attempted to solve the case.
A Femme Fatale
While the noir genre didn’t necessarily invent the femme fatale, it certainly popularized it. Characterized by their self-interested motivations, femme fatales often relied on deception and seduction to lure the protagonist further into the mystery and plot.
High-Contrast, Black-and-White Cinematography
Since most films during this period were still filmed in black-and-white, noir cinematographers utilized the medium to emphasize the dark tone and themes of the plot. Often through the use of chiascuro lighting, these movies became known for their use of deep shadows and high contrast to evoke senses of mystery, terror, and angst within the viewer.
(Optional) Flashbacks, Melodramatic Narration, and Cigarettes
Okay, yes, this last one is silly, but bear with me. While none of these things are absolutely necessary when attempting to define a movie from this time period as “noir”, they have undeniably become staples of the genre. And, as you’ll see in Section 3: Modern Renditions, referencing these staples from the classic period actually becomes important when defining modern films as noir. So, because of that, I’m including them here too.
The Beginning of Neo-Noir
Just as the classic noir era reflected society after the Great Depression and World War II, noir in the '60s and '70s reflected society during Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement. However, rather than present these themes through small, personal crime stories, many neo-noir films were more on the nose, focusing instead on systemic corruption, vast conspiracies, and manipulation of the public by the powerful elite. Additionally, with the advancements of color in film, many noir films of the 70s abandoned the ultra-dark, high-contrast visual style and began to utilize more vibrant, brighter tones, showing the audience that sometimes, the worst crimes happen in broad daylight. Below, I’ve compiled a list of all the elements that remained crucial to the genre (with explanations of how they’ve changed to reflect the times), as well as some new additions that were unique to the neo-noir era.
A Much More Vast Mysterious Crime
One thing that remains a central element to noir films during this new era is a mystery of some sort, still usually being a murder or a missing person. However, in neo-noir, the initial crime is usually just a small part of a much greater conspiracy involving either the government, the ultra-wealthy, or even famous celebrities. These films often start off the same way as classic noir films, but quickly expand into something beyond the protagonist’s comprehension as they investigate whatever’s going on. The 60s and 70s were a period filled with wars, corruption, political assassinations, and celebrity scandals, so the noir genre pivoted to reflect these gritty aspects of society.
A Regular, Flawed Protagonist
The protagonists of the neo-noir era were still usually detectives or private investigators, but rather than being “heroic” or “brave”, they were usually morally ambiguous “average joes” thrown into a mystery much greater than themselves; just regular guys with relatable vices who have to rise to the occasion to figure out what the hell is going on.
A Sympathetic Femme Fatale
Perhaps the one element of the classic noir genre that made its way to neo-noir with little change, these characters still acted as the deceptive, romantic leads that are somehow tied up in whatever mystery the protagonist is attempting to solve. One thing that did change in the neo-noir era, however, is that the femme fatale’s involvement in the conflict was usually more sympathetic than manipulative. Most likely a result of the feminist movement of the 60s and 70s, the femme fatale was now a more deep and dynamic character who, like the male protagonist, was brought into the seedy underworld against their will.
Vivid, Colorful Cinematography
The popularization of color in film allowed for the neo-noir genre to utilize the entire color spectrum in order to evoke feelings of loss and alienation in urban environments, rather than relying on stark contrasts and shadows like the classic noir era. Additionally, many of these films emphasize the concept of “urban decay” and the corruption that goes on behind the scenes of major cities. Because of this, you’ll find that many neo-noir films take place in popular, sunny American hubs (the most popular being Los Angeles).
Modern Renditions (Neo-Neo Noir)
From about 1990 on, the noir genre became the Wild West, with all sorts of different, unique renditions being made left and right. Rather than there being a clear societal influence on the genre that uniformly affected the entire industry, it seemed that every filmmaker was just trying to come up with their own creative way to subvert it. Because of this, the elements that defined a noir film during the modern era became harder to narrow down. For example, unlike previous eras of noir, the modern era has no real distinct visual style. The films are either attempting to recreate the style of previous eras (L.A. Confidential) or they’re attempting to inject a noir narrative into a completely unique setting (The Big Lebowski, Brick, Hoodwinked, etc). Because the range of modern noir films has spread so far and wide, the elements that make them noir have been boiled down to their most basic roots. Here is what you need in order to consider a film “noir” in the modern age.
Any Mystery at All
While you still need a mystery in order for a film to be considered noir, it no longer has to be confined to a missing person or a murder, as long as it prompts the protagonist into a deeper investigation. However, the catch is that whatever this mystery is, it has to be treated, in context, with the same stakes as a murder or missing person, therefore allowing the audience to understand that the film is attempting to be a noir.
An Unexpected Protagonist
With private investigators becoming something of the past, many modern noir films have opted for their protagonists to simply be someone who takes on a P.I. equivalent role in uncovering the mystery. Brick’s protagonist was an average high schooler, Under the Silver Lake’s protagonist was just some unemployed guy with too much time on his hands, and The Big Lebowski’s protagonist was a burnout bowler who wanted a new rug. While this isn’t to say that P.I.s and detectives are completely absent from modern noir films (any noir that takes place before 1980 will almost certainly have them in there), the most important thing is that the protagonist is unexpected. They no longer have to be brave, heroic, morally ambitious, or any of the other traits that defined the noir protagonists of the past. They just have to be someone who wasn’t expecting to investigate a mystery of great magnitude, and then they do.
References the Noir Staples of the Past
The last thing that a modern noir film needs to fit the bill is that it must be, in some way, inspired by and reference the noirs of the past. I understand that this is a pretty open-ended box to check, but that’s the point. Unfortunately, noirs have reached a point where they are no longer advancing the genre in any singular direction. The entire genre has now become “let’s try a new take on an old thing”. And hey, that’s perfectly fine. There are a million new mysteries to write, and a million different ways to present them. That’s what makes this genre so fun. Still, though, this means that in order for a modern film to be defined as a noir, it has to clearly reference or take inspiration from the films that paved the way. This can be through incorporating noir or neo-noir lighting, having some rendition of the femme fatale, playing with the stereotypical staples of the genre, or including really anything else that I mentioned in the previous sections. All that matters is that the audience is able to recognize the references being made by the filmmaker and think, “Oh, this is supposed to be a noir film”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what constitutes “film noir” was decided a long time ago, and all takes on the genre after that have been reimaginings centered on its original core principles. They were founded in the 40s and 50s, shifted to reflect the new culture in the 60s and 70s, and since then, anything was on the table (as long as they respected what came first).