The 10 Best Classic Noir Crime Movies, Ranked (2024)

Starting in the 1940s, the classic film noir genre reached a significant peak with movie goers and was one of the most popular among American audiences. Like many of its contemporaries, classic film noir eventually started to blend with other genres, like thrillers and dramas, but when mentioned today, most people automatically think of criminal noir films such as This Gun for Hire, Double Indemnity, and The Killing.

Classic crime film noir typically rings true to the traditional definition of the genre, conveying cynical and menacing characters who have pessimistic and jaded views of society and are caught in the middle of either solving or committing unspeakable crimes. While there are dozens of noteworthy classics, there are a select few that reign supreme. These are the best noir crime films of the classic age; they will be ranked based on their overall quality, how well they blended their distinct genres, and how big of an impact they made in cinema as a whole.

10 'On Dangerous Ground' (1951)

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Robert Ryan stars in On Dangerous Ground as cynical detective Jim Wilson, who has become increasingly violent towards suspects. When there's a murder in the countryside, Wilson's captain assigns him to the case with the hope that a change of scenery will do the detective some good. Once Wilson arrives, his investigation soon leads him to meet the prime suspect's sister, Mary Malden (Ida Lupino), and as he begins to spend more time with her, his case becomes complicated by his feelings towards her and his responsibility to uphold the law.

On Dangerous Ground is a solid criminal noir film based on the 1945 novel Mad With Much Heart by Gerald Butler and also stars Ward Bond, Ed Begley, and Cleo Moore. Initially, the film received poor reviews and was noted as having a shallow plot, but in recent years, On Dangerous Ground has been commended for Ryan's fierce and edgy performance as well as Lupino's, which is highly underrated and full of gentle emotion that ultimately humanizes the tough-guy role. Even though the film focuses on Wilson's transformation from a violent cop to a rational lawman, On Dangerous Ground still follows a superb murder mystery and is carried by an overall excellent cast of stars.

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9 'Criss Cross' (1949)

Directed by Robert Siodmak

Robert Siodmak is regarded as one of the best classic film noir directors of all time, and his 1949 criminal noir, Criss Cross, is a significant testament to the filmmaker's work. The movie stars Burt Lancaster as armored truck driver Steve Thompson, who returns to Los Angeles in search of his ex-wife, Anna (Yvonne de Carlo), with the intention of rekindling their relationship. Unfortunately, Ann has remarried Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea), a local gangster, but they eventually ignite a secret affair, leading them down a dangerous path and deadly trouble with Dundee.

Criss Cross is a tragic criminal noir based on the 1934 novel by the same name written by Don Tracy and essentially centers around the inevitable consequences of obsession, love, and unforgiving betrayal. The film maintains a consistent level of gripping suspense and anticipation, leading up to one of the most surprising and cynical endings in any classic film noir. Aside from the alluring plot, the performances in Criss Cross are some of the finest contributions to the film noir genre, but Lancaster is the real appeal in this top-tier criminal noir.

Criss Cross (1949)

Not Rated

Crime

Thriller

Release Date

February 4, 1949

Cast

Burt Lancaster , Yvonne De Carlo , Dan Duryea , Stephen McNally , Esy Morales , Tom Pedi , Percy Helton , Alan Napier , Griff Barnett , Meg Randall , Richard Long , Joan Miller , Edna Holland , John Doucette , Marc Krah , James O'Rear , John Skins Miller , Tony Curtis

Runtime

88 Minutes

Writers

Don Tracy , Daniel Fuchs , William Bowers

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8 'This Gun for Hire' (1942)

Directed by Frank Tuttle

Alan Ladd makes his leading man debut in This Gun for Hire as a sadistic hitman, Philip Raven, who becomes enraged with his recent employer after he discovers he's been paid in marked bills. While Raven plots his revenge against the double-crossing client, Willard Gates (Laird Cregar), he crosses paths with one of Gates' newest employees, Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake). Despite being engaged to the detective searching for Raven, Graham tries to sway Raven off his destructive path and hopefully keep him from executing his plan against Gates before it's too late.

This Gun for Hire is an outstanding film noir crime film based on the 1936 novel A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene and was the first of several films starring Ladd and Lake. The movie is a fierce fight of criminal against criminal, depicting Ladd's character as the definitive anti-hero who audiences can't help but root for despite his nefarious intentions. While This Gun for Hire features an array of stellar performances, Ladd essentially runs away with the picture, earning immense praise from critics for his violence-riddled, high-quality performance that made him an overnight sensation.

This Gun for Hire (1942)

Not Rated

Crime

Thriller

Mystery

Release Date

April 24, 1942

Cast

Veronica Lake , Robert Preston , Laird Cregar , Alan Ladd , Tully Marshall , Marc Lawrence , Olin Howland , Roger Imhof , Pamela Blake , Frank Ferguson , Victor Kilian , Patricia Farr , Harry Shannon , Charles C. Wilson , Mikhail Rasumny , Bernadene Hayes , Mary Davenport , Chester Clute , Charles Arnt , Earle S. Dewey , Clem Bevans

Runtime

81 Minutes

Writers

Graham Greene , W.R. Burnett , Albert Maltz

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7 'The Big Combo' (1955)

Directed by Joseph H. Lewis

Cornel Wilde stars in The Big Combo as police lieutenant Leonard Diamond, who becomes hellbent on taking down a local sadistic mobster, Mr. Brown (Richard Conte). When Diamond fails to gather enough evidence against Brown, he's pressured to back off. Despite the warning, his investigation leads him to a woman, Alicia (Helen Walker), Brown's wife, who agrees to help Diamond by providing incriminating information about her husband and his underworld activities.

The Big Combo is a spellbinding classic that many film noir fans consider one of the best detective film noirs of all time. Despite initial lukewarm reviews, the heart and soul of The Big Combo is its intriguing plot of deception, murders, and lies painted against a shadow-filled backdrop that sets a gritty, decaying tone for the audience, subconsciously submerging them into the thick of things. The Big Combo is an unsung triumph not only for the film genre but also for director Joseph H. Lewis, whose artistic direction and keen, detailed eye are the crucial core of this classic crime film noir.

The Big Combo (1955)

Not Rated

Crime

Drama

Release Date

February 13, 1955

Cast

Cornel Wilde , Jean Wallace , Brian Donlevy , Richard Conte , Lee Van Cleef , Earl Holliman , Robert Middleton , Helen Walker , Jay Adler , John Hoyt , Ted de Corsia , Helene Stanton , Roy Gordon , Baynes Barron , James McCallion , Tony Michaels , Rita Gould , Bruce Sharpe , Michael Mark , Donna Drew , Brian O'Hara , Steve Mitchell

Runtime

88 Minutes

Writers

Philip Yordan

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6 'The Asphalt Jungle' (1950)

Directed by John Huston

After serving a seven-year sentence, criminal mastermind Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) recruits a group of criminals who each possess a specific skill to steal a million dollars in jewels. Initially, the heist is a success, but when one of the men is shot and killed by a stray bullet, their remaining plans go off the rails. As they try to get things back on track, greed and paranoia soon set in, resulting in a web of treachery, double-crosses, and murder.

Based on the 1949 novel by W.R. Burnett, The Asphalt Jungle is a criminal heist film noir that features an all-star cast including Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, and Marilyn Monroe in one of her early film roles. Like most of John Huston's films, The Asphalt Jungle is dark and grim but full of unwavering excitement and suspense with phenomenal, well-executed performances, making it an all-around thrilling picture. The Asphalt Jungle was a major success and received several Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Jaffe.

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Not Rated

Crime

Drama

Release Date

May 12, 1950

Cast

Sterling Hayden , Louis Calhern , Sam Jaffe , Jean Hagen , James Whitmore , John McIntire , Marc Lawrence , Barry Kelley , Anthony Caruso , Marilyn Monroe , Teresa Celli , William Wee Willie Davis , Dorothy Tree , Brad Dexter , John Maxwell

Runtime

112 Minutes

Writers

John Huston , W.R. Burnett , Ben Maddow

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5 'The Big Heat' (1953)

Directed by Fritz Lang

A police officer supposedly commits suicide, but Detective Dave Bannion (Glenn Ford) believes there's more to the man's death. Soon, Bannion discovers that his department is plagued with corruption that leads back to a powerful mobster, Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby). Despite being told by his superiors to back off, Bannion becomes determined to take down Lagana and his crime syndicate. When his investigation eventually puts him and those around him in imminent danger, it turns into a case of life or death.

Fritz Lang's The Big Heat is considered to be one of the best detective noirs of all time and also features flawless performances by Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin. Ford is a pure force of nature, giving one of his best performances as the no-nonsense Bannion and proving his unlimited worth as a compelling leading man. It features intense violent scenes, notably when Grahame's character is brutally disfigured, but The Big Heat still embodies an intricate tale of crime and punishment that turns the tables on a few traditional rules of the classic film genre.

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4 'White Heat' (1949)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Gang leader Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) commits a massive train robbery with his thugs, resulting in the murder of the conductor. Since the authorities don't have enough evidence against him for murder, Jarrett instead pleads guilty to a different crime, earning a lesser sentence. Once behind bars, Jarrett is befriended by his cellmate, Hank (Edmund O'Brien), who, unbeknownst to the gang leader, is an undercover officer assigned to gain Jarrett's trust to hopefully tie him to the robbery and murder.

White Heat is an enthralling criminal noir film featuring James Cagney in one of his greatest performances. The movie takes a psychological view into the dark corners of Jarett's wickedness, portraying a ruthless criminal who has zero qualms about the blood and destruction he leaves behind in pursuit of wealth and prosperity. White Heat is the epitome of a suspense-filled criminal escapade that leads up to one of the most iconic final scenes and movie lines in cinema history, cementing it as a vital classic crime noir film.

White Heat

Not Rated

Action

Crime

Drama

Release Date

September 3, 1949

Cast

James Cagney , Virginia Mayo , Edmond O'Brien , Margaret Wycherly , Steve Cochran , John Archer , Wally Cassell , Fred Clark

Runtime

114 Minutes

Writers

Ivan Goff , Ben Roberts , Virginia Kellogg

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3 'Double Indemnity' (1944)

Directed by Billy Wilder

Insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) meets the bombshell blonde Phyllis Deitrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), and the two soon engage in a torrid secret affair that leads them to plot the murder of Dietrichson's wealthy husband. After executing what they believe to be a fool-proof plan, things take an unexpected turn when Neff's co-worker and avid insurance investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) doesn't buy that Mr. Dietrichson's death was a simple accident.

Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning film Double Indemnity is a heat-induced criminal noir full of seduction and sultry passion surrounded by insatiable greed, proving that love does kill. While the film centers around a murder plot for financial gain conceived by secret lovers, the initial plans spiral into a frenzy of relentless anxiety as Neff comes to realize the true nature of his partner in crime. Many consider Double Indemnity to be one of the best classic film noirs of all time, laying the foundation of the genre and featuring an all-time great villainous performance by the mighty Barbara Stanwyck.

Double Indemnity

Crime

Drama

Where to Watch

• stream
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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

July 6, 1944

Cast

Fred MacMurray , Barbara Stanwyck , Edward G. Robinson , Byron Barr

Runtime

107 minutes

Writers

Billy Wilder , James M. Cain

2 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941)

Directed by John Huston

John Huston made his directorial debut with the timeless crime film noir The Maltese Falcon, which stars noir icon Humphrey Bogart as the suave private eye Sam Spade. When Spade is hired by a mysteriously beautiful woman (Mary Astor) to find her sister, he soon finds himself entangled in a web of crime with several seedy characters who are all in search of a priceless jewel-encrusted statue known as the Maltese Falcon. Spade eventually realizes that if he wants to make it out of this job alive, he must find the prized bird before the others can get their hands on it.

The Maltese Falcon is based on the 1930 novel written by Dashiell Hammett and is also a remake of Warner Bros. 1931 film by the same name starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. The film reigns as the quintessential classic crime noir film that sets tensions high between Spade and the group of questionable characters who are on a quest to find a statue that has the underlying tone of a classic myth and legend. The Maltese Falcon features magnificent performances by the entire cast, but Huston is the real success of this masterpiece, putting his artful eye and keen attention to every minor detail on full display, making The Maltese Falcona signature criminal noir classic.

The Maltese Falcon

NR

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Thriller

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

October 18, 1941

Cast

Humphrey Bogart , Mary Astor , Gladys George , Peter Lorre , Barton MacLane , Lee Patrick

Runtime

101

Writers

Dashiell Hammett , John Huston

1 'The Killing' (1956)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Even though the 1940s were the heyday of classic film noir, Stanley Kubrick's 1956 filmThe Killing reigns for many film fans as the definitive criminal noir film. Sterling Hayden stars as a career criminal, Johnny Clay, who, after being released from prison, gathers a group of criminals to pull off one more job before he retires and settles down with his fiancé. Initially, everything seems to go according to plan, but when one of the men spills the plan to his wife, she secretly hatches a plan, becoming a major problem for Clay and his boys.

The Killing has all the acquired ingredients of a captivating criminal melodrama but flips the traditional formula of a classic noir by depicting it in a documentary style of storytelling. The film also stands out for its unusual but plausible plot of a heist, which doesn't involve the typical kind of robbery but instead focuses on stealing from a horse racetrack, raising the stakes to a sheer height of unpredictability and tension. Despite being one of the later contributions to classic film noir, Kubrick's The Killing is full of every required element of incalculable film with powerful performances, deeming it the best classic crime film noir of all time.

The Killing

Approved

Crime

Drama

Film Noir

Release Date

June 6, 1956

Cast

Sterling Hayden , Coleen Gray , Vince Edwards , Jay C. Flippen , Ted de Corsia , Marie Windsor , Elisha Cook Jr. , Joe Sawyer

Runtime

84 Minutes

Writers

Stanley Kubrick , Jim Thompson , Lionel White

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NEXT: The 15 Most Underrated Film Noirs of the 1950s