British Film Noir Guide (369 Films 1937-1964)

Created by Apu.

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"This work presents 369 British films produced between 1937 and 1964 that embody many of the same filmic qualities as those "black films" made in the United States during the classic film noir era. This reference work makes a case for the inclusion of the British films in the film noir canon, which is still considered by some to be an exclusively American inventory.

The following information is presented: a quotation from the film; title and release date; a one- to five-star rating; production company, director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and main performers; and a plot synopsis with commentary. Appendices categorize films by rating, release date, director and cinematographer and also provide a noir and non-noir breakdown of the 47 films presented on the Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, a 1960 British television series."

NOTE: I created this list in May 2012 and had to add well over 75 titles to iCM, suggesting that there are many obscurities worth checking out.

Keaney included 26 of the 47 Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre "films" into this work that he considered to be film noirs or at the very least marginal noirs. The remaining 21 "films" were not included.

Keaney's ratings:

#1-4: ★★★★★
#5-15: ★★★★½
#16-42: ★★★★
#43-85: ★★★½
#86-150: ★★★
#151-234: ★★½
#235-312: ★★
#313-339: ★½
#340-341: ★
#342-369: "Not reviewed" (since they were not available at the time of writing).

Michael F. Keaney is a fan of classic movies and the author of "Film Noir Guide".

ISBN: 978-0-7864-6427-2