Film noir is a genre of dark detective films made primarily during the 1940s and 1950s. The genre is known for using low-budget filmmaking tricks to create striking visual effects, particularly with regard to lighting. Notable examples of film noir include The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Sweet Smell of Success, and Touch of Evil.

Protagonists in films noir are often normal people (classically, but not necessarily, a Private Detective) who get involved in crime, and the motivations are no longer just social or circumstantial but psychological and personal.