This page unlocks when you clear all 30 alleys on Night Beat. Work through the full canon first. The best films by year will still be here when you've earned them.
The finest films from each year of the golden era.
From the germinal shadows of 1940 to the baroque extremity of 1960, noir produced something essential in almost every year. These are the films that defined each moment in the genre's history, chosen for their quality, their influence, and their staying power.