Who doesn't love a good mystery? Following World War II in the 1940s, an onslaught of crime movies came out of Hollywood as moody stories were on the minds of filmmakers and audiences, popularizing the noir genre. Often in black-and-white, or at least with an intense atmospheric tone, noirs tend to feature a cynical, frustrated hero, a femme fatale or a woman with a questionable past, and an intricate narrative, that amounts to a twist ending. These murder mystery movies also ask big questions—and modern noirs, including some of the all-time best thrillers, have continued to play with all of these elements.
As the clues indicate, Hollywood and moviegoers can't get enough of noirs, so we've rounded up 32 of the very best in cinema history. From true must-see classics to memorable '90s hits to more recent detective movies, these are the best noir movies.
