A Brief Summary of Noir

Film noir is a unique style of film that emphasizes the darker side of society and humanity. Recognized by film critics and directors as a classic depiction of crime and sexuality, film noir has made a lasting impression on cinema due to its distinctive cinematic qualities and exemplification of immorality. When noir emerged in the early 1940s, it was not without difficulty, because sex and violence were heavily censored and regarded as inappropriate for the screen. A production code that determined what was acceptable for audiences was in place to censor films of material not in alignment with moral, traditional family values, making it an arduous task for directors to navigate around. Directors, however, constantly struggled to free their voice and creativity from the restraints of overbearing censorship. “The peculiarity of censorship, and one of its most noticeable characteristics – in the absence of which we would never be able to grasp its existence – is that things are always managing to get past it” (Naremore, James 96). Many years passed before any graphic material was introduced to theaters, but during World War I and II, the look of film changed from the standard glossy, refined appearance to a rough, harsh appearance. The blackness of the world began to seep into the movies, and for a period of years filmmakers were granted more freedom. The wars and change of direction in cinema prepared the way for the noir era. The introduction of film noir came with much debate. It made people question what they should and should not see, and softened the moral standards of film. However, even though the content of noir films were graphically shocking, it enabled directors to create far more accurate presentations of evil and innocence.