Film Noir is usually associated with crime fiction films, which emphasised cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. The classic film noir period was stretched between the 1940s and 1950s. Film noir from this era was associated with the low key black and white visual style. The main stories were based from the depression in America. The name 'Film Noir' - meaning 'black film' in French - was first applied by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, which was unknown to American film makers of that era.
The aesthetics of 'Film Noir' are deeply influenced by German Expressionism, an artistic movement from the 1910s and 20s which involved theatre, photography, painting, sculpture and architecture, as well as cinema. Due to the growing threat of the Nazi power, led to German directors fleeing to Hollywood. Directors such as Fritz Lang, Robert Siodmak and Michael Curtiz. With them, they brought the dramatically shadowed lighting style and an expressive approach to visual composition, which now has become well known as mise-en-scene. This led to making some of the well known 'Noir' films. Later on, many films in the 1930s were influenced by German Expressionism. Well known films such as, 'Dracula' (1931) and 'The Mummy' (1932). The closest film which has all the elements of 'Noir', was the film 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941) which was widely regarded as the first major film noir of the classic era. Most of the 'Noir' labelled films were low (and modestly low budgeted features without major stars) movies either literally or spirited. With this production context, writers, directors, cinematographers and other craftsmen were relatively free from typical-big picture constraints.
