The film noir genre reached its peak of popularity during the 1940s with classics such asThe Maltese Falcon,Laura, andDouble Indemnity. Even though the 1940s are considered to be the height of the timeless genre, it has continued to live on through hit films likeBody Heat,L.A. Confidential, andMartin Scrosese’sTaxi Driver. While many elements and individuals go into making a high-quality noir, the screenplay is the heart and soul of a film, serving as one of the main deciding factors in it becoming an adored classic for generations to come.
Award-winning screenwriters, includingJohn Huston,Billy Wilder, andRobert Towne, have given incredible contributions to the film noir genre that film fanatics know and love today. FromCarol Reed’s critical British film noir,The Third MantoRoman Polanski’s groundbreaking neo-noir,Chinatown, starringJack NicholsonandFaye Dunaway, these are the ten best film noir screenplays, ranked.
10’The Third Man' (1949)
Screenplay by Graham Greene
Carol Reed’sThe Third Manis considered to bethe greatest British film noirstarring two of classic Hollywood’s biggest names,Orson WellesandJoseph Cotten.Set in Vienna, American author, Holly Martins (Cotten) arrives to accept a job his longtime friend, Harry Lime (Welles) has lined up for him. Unfortunately, Martin learns that Lime is dead, but as he conducts his own investigation into his friend’s untimely demise, he figures out there is much more to Lime’s death than he initially believed.
The Third Manfollows an intricate screenplay of intriguing twists and turns, checking all the requirements of a traditional classic film noir. The movie earned three Academy Award nominations, including Reed for Best Director, and went on to win the Oscar for Best Black and White Cinematography. In 1999, theBritish Film Institute rankedThe Third Manas the greatest British film of all time, beatingPeter O’Toole’s Oscar-winning film,Lawrence of Arabia, andAlfred Hitchcock’sThe 39 Steps.
The Third Man
9’The Maltese Falcon' (1941)
Screenplay by John Huston
Hollywood icon and legend,John Huston, made history with his directorial debut,The Maltese Falcon, earning him his second Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay. Theclassic film noir starsHumphrey Bogartas private eye Sam Spade, who is hired by a mysterious woman, Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor) to find her sister, but as Spade begins his search, he crosses paths with several seedy characters all in search of a priceless encrusted statue known as the Maltese Falcon.
Based on the 1930 novel written byDashiell Hammett, Huston laid out every single detail of every scene in his screenplay, adding shot-for-shot notes and sketches to use as a reference while filming. This was not only cost and time-efficient, but it also allowed Huston to clearly see his vision of the film firsthand as he brought it to life on film.Huston was an exceptional filmmaker, but his greatest strength came from his visionary writing and attention to detail, which makesThe Maltese Falconone of the finest film noir screenplays of all time.
The Maltese Falcon
8’Laura' (1944)
Screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhardt, and Ring Lardner Jr.
Otto Preminger’sLaurareigns as a top-tier noir featuring an all-star ensemble cast includingGene Tierney,Dana Andrews,Clifton Webb, andVincent Price. Set in New York City, homicide detective Mark McPherson (Andrews) is assigned to investigate the murder of a beautiful socialite, Laura Hunt (Tierney), and starts his investigation by speaking to all of her friends and acquaintances. As McPherson learns more and more about his victim, he soon finds himself falling in love with her like so many other men in her life.
Based on the 1943 novel written byVera Caspary,Laurafeatures a clever twist that makes it stand apart from other classic noir films, which also deems it to be one of the most fascinating films of the genre.Aside from the film’s shocking plot twist,Laurafeatures a natural batch of dialogue tailored to each character that also heightens and reveals moreabout their true nature than any action could ever accomplish. The film was a massive success, earning several Academy Award nominations including, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
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7’Taxi Driver' (1976)
Screenplay by Paul Schrader
Martin Scorsese’sTaxi Driveris one of the most celebrated neo-noirs to date and was partially inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 noir film,The Wrong Man, starringHenry Fonda. In one of his signature performances,Robert De Nirostars asone of Scorsese’s best characters, war veteran and cab driver, Travis Bickle, who is slowly becoming more and more detached from the world around him as his mental health deteriorates, spiraling him into a state of madness and uncertainty.
De Niro’s character as a whole symbolizes the traditional cynical film noir leads who are essentially outsiders looking into a world they don’t necessarily belong in or feel that they fit into. It’s obvious thatthe film’s screenwriter, Paul Schrader, is highly knowledgeable about the film noir genre, nailing every detail and element required but still adding his modern spinto them that fits with the time and setting of the morally decaying city. Despite the film being surrounded by some controversy,Taxi Driveris a crucial neo-noir that, even with modern touches, made its own significant mark in the classic genre.
Taxi Driver
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6’L.A. Confidential' (1997)
Screenplay by Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson
L.A. Confidentialis a tangled web of a neo-noir crime drama starring an array of big names, includingKevin Spacey,Russell Crowe, andGuy Pearce. Set in the 1950s, the movie centers around an unsolved murder in Los Angeles that is investigated by three LAPD detectives, each with their own motivation and ambitions, to solve it as well as uncover the corruption plaguing the city.
Based onJames Ellroy’s 1990 novel,L.A. Confidentialis the epitome of a classic detective noir that takes place in the heart of where many classic noirs take place, adding an authentic layer to the film’s overall tone and backdrop. From unexpected double-crosses to sultry femme fatales,L.A. Confidentialcovers all its bases with an outstanding screenplay co-written byCurtis HansonandBrian Helgeland. The movie was a commercial and critical hit, receiving nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, winning two for Best Supporting Actress forKim Basingerand Best Adapted Screenplay.
L.A. Confidential
5’Body Heat' (1981)
Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan
Inspired by the iconic film noir,Double Indemnity,Body Heatis a steamy erotic neo-noir starringWilliam HurtandKathleen Turnerin one of her best movie roles, making her a sex symbol of the 1980s. The film tells the story of a lawyer, Ned Racine (Hurt) who becomes involved in a hot-and-heavy affair with Matty Walker (Turner), who is the wife of a prominent Florida businessman. When Racine begins to plot the murder of Walker’s husband, he believes he’s thought of the perfect plan, but when other factors arise, things become dangerously complicated.
Body Heatknows how to play tedious games with audiences, taking the characteristics of a full-blown noir to a psychological levellike no other. Turner is the definition of a classic femme fatale, authentically portraying an attractive woman who has mastered the game of cat and mouse long before her lover entered the picture.Body Heatmarked the directorial debut ofLawrence Kasdan, who also penned the film’s screenplay. While the film includes its fair share of sexual content and tension, Kasdan adds just enough to avoid overshadowing the film’s overall intensity and suspense, which makes it entertaining as well as seductively alluring for audiences.
4’Double Indemnity' (1944)
Screenplay by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler
Billy Wilder’sDouble Indemnityhas been credited as one of the first films to have set the standards of the film noir genre and continues to be a top contender among diehard classic noir fans.Fred MacMurraygoes against type as an insurance salesman, Walter Neff, who falls under the spell of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and the two engage in a torrid secret affair. When the lovers plan and execute the “accidental” death of Dietrichson’s husband, his daughter reaches out to an insurance investigator (Edward G. Robinson) who looks further into the sudden death of the husband.
Based onJames M. Cain’s 1943 novella by the same name,Double Indemnityis a classic noir with a suspense-filled, sublime screenplay co-written by Wilder and best-selling crime author,Raymond Chandler, who is best known for creating the iconic detective, Philip Marlowe. The movie was a major success and received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Even decades later,Double Indemnitynot only reigns as one of the greatest films of all time, but it is also universally recognized as a flawless screenplaywritten by two significant pioneers of the timeless genre.
Double Indemnity
3’The Killing' (1956)
Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick
Despite only making two film noirs,directorStanley Kubrickhad a genuine eyefor the genre, and his 1956 film,The Killing, played a crucial role in laying the foundation of future criminal heist films. Classic film starSterling Haydentakes on the role of career criminal, Johnny Clay, who, with several others, plans to rob a racetrack of two million dollars. The plan is essentially bulletproof, but when one of the guys blabs to his wife about the job, things take an unexpected turn that jeopardizes the entire heist.
Hayden gives a gritty, hardboiled performance inThe Killing, which many film fans and historians consider to be the ideal criminal noir film. Along with directing, Kubrick also co-wrote the film’s screenplay with novelist and screenwriter,Jim Thompson, who reigns as one of the genre’s greatest writers.Between Kubrick’s one-of-a-kind vision of the complex heist and Thompson’s solid expertise in the film noir genre,The Killing isone of the most notableand thrilling noir films with a screenplay that stands proudly in a category of its own.
The Killing
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2’Sunset Boulevard' (1950)
Screenplay by Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and D. M. Marshman Jr.
Shortly afterDouble Indemnity, Billy Wilder followed up with another signature noir film,Sunset Boulevard, which is a somber homage to the bleak downfall of a silver screen queen.William Holdenstars as a young aspiring screenwriter, Joe Gillis, who agrees to write a comeback film for former silent film star, Norma Desmond, played by the sensationalGloria Swanson. Initially, Gillis doesn’t mind Desmond’s extravagant gifts and free room and board, but when her harmless adoration for him turns into a wild obsession, he must find a way to escape her grasp before it’s too late.
Sunset Boulevardis a spectacular classic noir with a touch of dark humor featuring a tour de force performance by Swanson, marking a grand comeback for the silent film star.The film’s screenplay showcases every characteristic of Wilder’s talent and craft and includes the traditional hardboiled dialogue layered with a slight comedic overtonethat eases the film’s unwavering intensity.Sunset Boulevardwas a huge success, earning eleven Oscar nominations, including Best Actress, Best Picture, and Best Director. The film ended up winning three Academy Awards, most notably Best Original Screenplay, ultimately dubbingSunset Boulevardas one of the greatest screenplays to ever grace the film noir genre.
Sunset Boulevard
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1’Chinatown' (1974)
Screenplay by Robert Towne
After coming off the massive success ofFrancis Ford Coppola’sThe Godfather, Paramount Studios took another leap of faith with the quintessential detective neo-noir film,Chinatown, which defied almost all the traditional tropes of the genre. Jack Nicholson stars as a Los Angeles private detective, Jake Gittes, who is hired by Evelyn Mulwary to track her husband’s daily activities. When Gittes discovers he was hired by an impostor, he finds himself entangled in a mystery full of corruption and dark family secrets which seemingly all lead back to the real Mulwary (Faye Dunaway) and her father, Noah Cross (John Huston).
Chinatownfollows the basic blueprint of a classic Philip Marlowe case but with an added taboo twist that many still consider to be one of the most shocking in film history.The film features a top-notch screenplay written by the infamous Robert Towne, who elevates the essential qualities of the classic noirto an unpredictable, but plausible height, makingChinatownan incomparable neo-noir film.Chinatownwas another smash hit for Paramount, receiving eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress, and winning for Best Original Screenplay.
