Description
Author Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton
Publisher City Lights Publishers
Format Paperback, Illustrated
Condition like new
Summary
Widely regarded as the foundational text on the genre, A Panorama of American Film Noir: 1941–1953 is an essential read for cinephiles, scholars, and collectors of Hollywood history. Written by French critics Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton, this groundbreaking work was the first to define "film noir" as a distinct cinematic movement. Originally published in France in 1955 and translated into English by Paul Hammond, the book examines the dark and often morally ambiguous postwar thrillers that reshaped American cinema. With incisive commentary, it analyzes the stylistic and thematic elements of noir—shadowy visuals, fatalistic narratives, hard-boiled heroes, and femme fatales. Through a lens that is both analytical and appreciative, this book offers a historical sweep of noir’s golden age, including works by directors such as Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, and Orson Welles. Ideal for students of film history or lovers of vintage cinema, this volume is both a scholarly resource and a loving tribute to the genre’s smoky allure.