Film Noir

Film Noir is the French term for “black film”. It was a film genre that emerged after the World War II or during the Great Depression, so its period was in the early 1940s to the late 1950s. As the name itself implies, these kinds of films showed primarily how the war affected the film industry. The color black represents sadness, death, and crime, which were all manifested in the said genre.

German Expressionism, a movement in Germany in 1910s to 1920s, was an obvious root of Film Noir. Patent contrasts between black and white lighting, focus on crime, and a criminal protagonist were some of its characteristics. It also depended heavily on the mise-en-scène.

“Shapes are distorted and exaggerated unrealistically for expressive purposes. Actors often wear heavy makeup and move in jerky or slow, sinuous patterns. Most important, all of the elements of the mise-en-scene interact graphically to create an overall composition. Characters do not simply exist within a setting but rather form visual elements that merge with the setting.” (Bordwell & Thompson, n.d., p. 448)

Since Film Noir used less light or dark lighting similar to German Expressionism, the movement, therefore, was really one of the roots of the genre. Shadows created by the lighting, on the other hand, were also seen and evident in Film Noir. This kind of lighting cost the studios less money, causing them to produce more films in this genre.

The setting of the genre was often done in cities. This was to emphasize the danger that the city offers, which complemented the whole film. Moreover, the city was seen as a place of corruption, murder, and suspicion.

Actress Theda Bara, a femme fatale

in the film A Fool There Was

There was also a lead female character called femme fatale in this film genre. This character had a mysterious past and a dangerous aura to the male protagonist. She was often sexy and ideal that made her dominant over the male character and ended up making the male character carry out crimes with her.

Film Noir, which was inspired by German Expressionism, lasted for several years only. However, the concluding film industry still adopted the styles of the movement and the genre.

References: Wikipedia, Jamal Ashley Abbas, Film Art by David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson