Elements of Noir

A true film noir would have some or many of these elements:

1. A morally ambiguous protagonist 
2. A femme fatale, usually blonde 
3. A central crime 
4. High contrast black and white photography, deep shadows 
5. Odd, jumbled framing 
6. A voice-over narrative; story told in flashback (the plot is therefore inevitable) 
7. A convoluted plot, unexpected turns 
8. The men wear fedoras 
9. Everyone smokes 
10. A fatalistic or cynical philosophy ("The little guy can never win") 
11. An urban setting, usually at night (the title sequence often features the city at night) 
12. A sad ending, or a less than entirely happy ending 
13. Right-wing directors: a police procedural style of plot 
14. Left-wing directors: pronounced social commentary 
15. The past comes back to haunt the protagonist 
16. A couple on the run from the police 
17. Made between 1940-1960 (around 1948 was the peak) 
18. A dreamlike mood 
19. The protagonist is emotionally detached and cool 
20. The bad guys are sadistic and/or psychotic 
21. Desire and desperation are often present 
22. Corrupt authority figures 
23. Adapted from a book by Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane or James M. Cain