Key largo is rated number one on IMDB's film noir listing and was filmed in 1948 it follows the story of a man going to honour an old friend's memory at his hotel when a group of gangsters take the place over and wait for a hurricane to pass. It starred Humphrey Bogart who starred in many film noir including the famous casablanca which has become iconic in its own right and Maltese Falcon which is also a well known film noir. It was directed by the ten times oscar nominated John Huston who also worked along side Humphrey Bogart on many occasion including their work together on the Maltese Falcon.
The killers comes in at number two on IMDB's film noir popularity listing. When two hit men kill and unresisting man detective Reardon uncovers the man's past involvement which the beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins. Ava Gardner played the leading lady of Kitty Collins in The killers come and embodied the strong powerful and controlling leading ladies of the film noir era. The killers was directed by Robert Siodmark who spent most of his film career making film noir pieces and was well known for blending german impressionism with american methods for film making giving his films a unique feel.
Finally in third place on the IMDB popularity list for film noir is Sunset Boulevard, set in 50's hollywood where a silent film actress who believes that she is invulnerability has turned her into a recluse. She now only lives in her old mansion on Sunset Boulevard when a young small time writer becomes her lover it leads her down a maddening path that will end in murder and deceit. Again this film reflects the strong leading lady of the film noir era
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