Join us on TCM each Saturday at midnight with an encore on Sunday mornings at 10AM ET.
A cloud of smoke wafting through an obliquely lit room, the camera tightly framing a gun-wielding hand, an urban landscape as the backdrop for a tension-filled tale of crime—these are the signs that you are watching a film noir. Though the stories may change, the mood is always the same within the frame of this influential cinematic style of the 1940s and 1950s. Each week, host Eddie Muller will guide you through the lingo and tropes of this definitive era of cinema. Whether you're a hardboiled addict or newly initiated, Noir Alley is the place for all things film noir. Because you need noir, now more than ever.
For a more thorough investigation into dark corners of Noir Alley, grab a copy of Muller’s “Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir” in stores wherever books are sold beginning April 2025.
“Muller (host of Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies and president/founder of the Film Noir Foundation) updates his 2001 homage to the dames of film noir cinema with new material. The original book was an insightful look at the life and careers of six actresses (Jane Greer, Audrey Totter, Evelyn Keyes, Marie Windsor, Ann Savage, and Coleen Gray) who made an impression portraying hard-edged characters within the shadowy worlds of film noir. This influential cinematic style was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. A chapter on their beginnings and successes is followed by a chapter on their personal lives long after their careers faded. Muller, who became friends with his subjects, infuses intimate anecdotes and offers fascinating insights into their stories. His knowledge of the era also brings a perceptive look into filmmaking during that time, emphasizing the hurdles of censorship and Hollywood blacklisting. This new edition profiles 10 more actors (including Rhonda Fleming, Joan Bennett, Ruth Roman, Jan Sterling, Marsha Hunt, and Claire Trevor). VERDICT: This attractively designed book, featuring film stills, publicity posters, and gorgeous photos of its subjects, is a valuable addition to the genre.” — Phillip Oliver
Catch the following films this month on Noir Alley. Please note that this schedule is subject to change. Check the TCM Schedule page for up-to-date listings.
FEATURED FILMS
4/5 - The Narrow Margin (1952)
4/12 - The Steel Trap (1952)
4/19 - The Set-Up (1949)
4/26 - The Prowler (1951)
5/3 - Riff Raff (1947)
5/10 - The Killers (1946)
5/17 - Touchez pas au grisbi (1954)
5/24 - Cornered (1945)
5/31- The Big Steal (1949)
As part of the TCM Spotlight:
4/11 - The Maltese Falcon (1941)
4/11 - Murder, My Sweet (1944)
4/11 - My Gun is Quick (1957)
4/11 - The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
4/11 - Harper (1966)
4/11 - The Getaway (1972)
ABOUT EDDIE MULLER
Eddie Muller is a contemporary renaissance man. He writes novels, biographies, movie histories, plays, short stories and films. He also programs festivals, curates museums, designs books, and provides commentary for television, radio and DVDs. He produces and hosts NOIR CITY: The San Francisco Film Noir Festival, the largest noir retrospective in the world, which now has satellite festivals in eight other U.S. cities.
He is also the Founder and President of the Film Noir Foundation. You can learn more about film noir, the FNF's mission and films they have restored and preserved here.
