Film noir is a classic genre in Hollywood. French for “black film” or “dark film,” this genre focuses on crime dramas with dark endings and cynical attitudes. They usually follow a private investigator into a mysterious case, where an irresistible femme fatale (fatal woman) tries luring them into bed, and then to an early grave. The dark, shadowy worlds of these stories are inhabited by fear, deception, and betrayal; you walk down the wrong alley in a noir film, and there’s a good chance you’ll get stabbed. Noir dominated Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s.
Some of the greatest films ever made are classified as noir. And unbeknownst to most people, many of those movies were adapted from novels. Here are ten noir films whose shadowy, deceptive worlds were based on books, ranked by order of release.
10
‘High Sierra’ (1941)
Based on ‘High Sierra’ by William R. Burnett
- Release Date
-
January 25, 1941
- Runtime
-
100 minutes
Director Raoul Walsh is legendary in Hollywood. Of the 150 movies he directed, High Sierra just might be his best. This film gave Humphrey Bogart, arguably the most famous actor to ever grace the silver screen, the breakthrough he so desperately needed. It turned Bogart into a star, cementing his place as a leading man in Hollywood. And also as a leading man in the film noir genre, as this list will go on to prove.
High Sierra tells the story of gangster Roy “Mad Dog” Earle (Bogart), who gets involved in a jewel robbery after being released from prison. The film is based on the novel of the same name by William R. Burnett, who worked with screenwriter John Huston in adapting his book for the big screen.
Related
10 Film Noir Remakes That Did Justice to the Original
Most film noirs are too good to be remade. Interestingly, some filmmakers still took the risk, and the results were mostly satisfactory.
9
‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941)
Based on ‘The Maltese Falon’ by Dashiell Hammett
- Release Date
-
October 18, 1941
- Runtime
-
100 Minutes
- Cast
-
Humphrey Bogart
, Mary Astor
, Gladys George
, Peter Lorre
, Barton MacLane
, Lee Patrick
The Maltese Falcon is arguably the most iconic noir film ever made. Set in San Francisco, it follows Humphrey Bogart’s famous private detective, Sam Spade, as he takes on a case hunting for a priceless statuette. The Maltese Falcon is the directorial debut of John Huston, who would go on to become one of the most legendary directors in cinema. His film greatly impacted the film noir genre, with Bogart’s character becoming the genre’s archetypal hero.
The Maltese Falcon is based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and is actually a remake. The novel’s first on-screen adaptation came in 1931. But despite solid reviews, the original is overshadowed by Huston and Bogart’s more iconic improvement just ten years later.
8
‘Double Indemnity’ (1944)
Based on ‘Double Indemnity’ by James M. Cain
Double Indemnity
- Runtime
-
107 Minutes
- Release Date
-
July 3, 1944
Double Indemnity is quintessential film noir. Here, an insurance salesman plots with a married woman to murder her husband in order to claim a sizable life insurance payment.
Double Indemnity is based on author James M. Cain’s eight-part serial in Liberty magazine, which was published as a novel in 1943. It features an all-star cast of classic Hollywood names, including Fred MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, and Barbara Stanwyck as one of the most sinister femme fatales on screen. Directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, Double Indemnity had a huge impact on film noir and is regarded as one of the greatest, most suspenseful movies of the genre.
7
‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’ (1946)
Based on ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’ by James M. Cain
The Postman Always Rings Twice
- Release Date
-
May 2, 1946
- Runtime
-
113 minutes
- Cast
-
John Garfield
, Lana Turner
, Cecil Kellaway
, Hume Cronyn
, Leon Ames
, Alan Reed
, Audrey Totter
, Jeff York
, Philip Ahlm
, John Alban
, Don Anderson
, Morris Ankrum
, King Baggot
, Betty Blythe
, Paul Bradley
, Wally Cassell
, Jack Chefe
, Dick Crockett
, Oliver Cross
, James Darrell
, Tom Dillon
, Edward Earle
, Jim Farley
, Byron Foulger
, Joel Friedkin
You can tell just from this movie’s title, The Postman Always Rings Twice, that it falls in the film noir genre. Its story captures the affair between a married woman and a drifter, whose whirlwind romance culminates in a plot to murder her husband. A classic femme fatale move, its character played by the iconic Lana Turner.
The Postman Always Rings Twice is based on the eponymous 1934 novel by James M. Cain. This is actually the third film adaptation of Cain’s novel, though it’s the first to be made in English and the first to use the book’s original title.
6
‘The Big Sleep’ (1946)
Based on ‘The Big Sleep’ by Raymond Chandler
- Runtime
-
114 Minutes
- Release Date
-
August 31, 1946
The Big Sleep is another iconic film on Humphrey Bogart’s resume, and for multiple reasons. It follows one of cinema’s most famous private detectives, Philip Marlowe, as he investigates the blackmail of a wealthy family’s daughter. The Big Sleep was directed by legendary filmmaker, Howard Hawks. It was adapted from the 1939 bestselling novel of the same name by Raymond Chandler.
Perhaps most notably, it stars the iconic Lauren Bacall as Marlow’s femme fatale. Bogart and Bacall engaged in a highly publicized affair, and despite their 25-year age gap, the two fell head over heels. You can see it in the film; their chemistry is magnetic. After The Big Sleep wrapped up, Bogart divorced his third wife. He and Bacall married soon after — and this time, the relationship lasted until the end of Bogart’s life.
5
‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950)
Based on ‘The Loved One’ by Evelyn Waugh
Sunset Boulevard
- Release Date
-
August 10, 1950
- Runtime
-
110 Minutes
- Cast
-
William Holden
, Gloria Swanson
, Erich von Stroheim
, Nancy Olson
, Fred Clark
, Lloyd Gough
, Jack Webb
, Franklyn Farnum
Sunset Boulevard is loosely adapted from Evelyn Waugh’s 1948 novel The Loved One, a story about a failed screenwriter who lives with a silent film star. The film’s director, Billy Wilder, was a big fan of the book. He tried adapting it directly but had trouble obtaining the rights. So Wilder did the next best thing: he co-wrote a script loosely based on Waugh’s novel.
Set on the famous Hollywood street of the same name, Sunset Boulevard captures the relationship between a struggling screenwriter and fading silent film star, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Norma is determined to make a triumphant return to the big screen, even as madness envelops her, making her lose touch with reality. Since its release, Sunset Boulevard has been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made. It also ends with one of the most famous, and chilling, lines in movie history: “Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”
4
‘Strangers on a Train’ (1951)
Based on ‘Strangers on a Train’ by Patricia Highsmith
Strangers on a Train is one of the best films by legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, despite its initial mixed reviews. As its title suggests, two strangers meet on a train and discuss the idea of committing murders for each other, entangling them in a web of crime and lies.
Strangers on a Train is classic Hitchcock. It oozes with suspense, mystery, and psychological thrills. It’s based on the eponymous 1950 novel by Patricia Highsmith, the same author behind The Talented Mr. Ripley. A remake of this classic film is reportedly in the works by acclaimed director, David Fincher.
3
‘The Big Heat’ (1953)
Based on ‘The Big Heat’ by William P. McGivern
The Big Heat
- Release Date
-
October 14, 1953
- Runtime
-
89 Minutes
- Cast
-
Glenn Ford
, Gloria Grahame
, Lee Marvin
, Jeanette Nolan
, Alexander Scourby
Fritz Lang is a legendary filmmaker and a pioneer of the film noir genre, and one of his greatest contributions to the genre is his 1953 film, The Big Heat. It centers on a tough cop who tries taking down a criminal organization after the alleged suicide of his fellow officer.
The Big Heat is based on author William P. McGivern’s serial in The Saturday Evening Post, which was published as a novel in 1953. The film’s screenplay was written by Sydney Boehm, who worked as a crime reporter before transitioning to Hollywood. Between Lang and Boehm, it’s no wonder that The Big Heat is regarded as one of the great noir films ever made.
2
‘Touch of Evil’ (1958)
Based on ‘Badge of Evil’ by Whit Masterson
Touch of Evil
- Runtime
-
111 Minutes
- Release Date
-
April 23, 1958
Touch of Evil’s iconic and explosive opening kicks off with one long take, followed by a car bomb that murders two people. This event sparks an investigation led by a Mexican drug enforcement agent, who grapples with both a crime family and a corrupt local detective at the US-Mexican border. Touch of Evil was directed by the legendary Orson Welles, who stars alongside Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh. Its screenplay was loosely based on Whit Masterson’s 1956 novel Badge of Evil.
Although it was critically panned upon its release, Touch of Evil has garnered positive reviews in retrospect. It’s now regarded as one of Welles’s best films and one of the last, and also one of the best, films of the classic noir period.
Related
Why Younger Audiences Should Care About (and Watch) Old Movies
Many younger movie lovers are always looking for the newest thing, so here’s why you should watch older movies.
1
‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997)
Based on ‘L.A. Confidential’ by James Ellroy
- Runtime
-
138 Minutes
- Release Date
-
September 19, 1997
The film noir genre fizzled out after the 1950s. Its decline paved the way for neo-noir, a genre that uses film noir themes in contemporary settings, with updated styles and visual elements. 1997’s L.A. Confidential, however, brought film noir back to its classic roots with its 1950s feel and setting and its archetypal characters. It follows three very different LAPD officers, who investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.
L.A. Confidential is based on James Ellroy’s 1990 novel of the same name, the third book in his L.A. Quartet series. The film features an A-list cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, Russell Crowe, and Guy Pearce. Crowe and Pearce were actually unknown actors at the time. L.A. Confidential helped establish them as leading men, particularly Crowe.
Source link
Add Comment