Classic Crime Cinema: Best of the “B” Film Noir Movies




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ClassGraphic Film Noir is a sub-genre of the American crime movie and a reflection of post-World War II anxiety. The Film Noir world is marked by themes of fear and fatalism, and morally ambiguous protagonists who are driven by sex, money, or both, to commit abnormal criminal acts. Film Noir visuals are typically shown as dark and shadowy images and in low and claustrophobic camera angles. Complex noir plots may develop by narration or in flashbacks. Classic film noirs like Double Indemnity are productions of major movie studios (Universal or Paramount) with major stars, writers and directors. In the same years, small studios known as Poverty Row (Monogram and Eagle-Lion) were grinding out low-budget but high quality noirs that were shown in theaters on the bottom half of a double feature. With the advent of TV in the early 1950s, these “B” list noirs gained popularity as late features after newscasts. “B” listers such as Detour, Raw Deal, The Narrow Margin and others became B+ films and, interestingly enough, were often ignored by the Production Code censors. So join us to watch, enjoy, and discuss this collection of “crime on the cheap” film noirs which are now classics in their own right. Other movie titles will be provided in the study group syllabus.
 

Class Details

14 Session(s)
Weekly - Tue

Location
Wieboldt Hall

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$0.00

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Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
3/3/2026 - 6/2/2026 Weekly - Tue 01:15 PM - 04:15 PM Chicago, Wieboldt Hall  Map William McGuffage  ; Paul Hurder 

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