10. NARROW MARGIN 1952...Suspense filled film that really gets me caught up in the action about a detective trying to protect a woman who is a passenger on a train. She is going to testify against the mob. Great tight sets and a dark moody atmosphere.
9. PLUNDER ROAD 1957...Very unique film about a 10 million dollar Utah heist, and the interesting way the criminals plan to transport it. A sadly underrated noir.
8. ARMORED CAR ROBBERY 1950...Re-teaming of director Richard Fleischer and actor Charles McGraw who both worked on "Narrow Margin". This story absorbed me completely and I have never forgotten it.
7. BLAST OF SILENCE 1961...Allen Baron wrote, directed and stars in this compelling film about a hit man having second thoughts. The bizarre off screen narration makes this a great little thriller that shouldn't be missed. Dark and brooding from start to finish.
6. THE KILLERS 1946...If you haven't seen this film you're missing a masterpiece of American cinema. It's about two killers who come to a small town and kill a man who doesn't resist, and the police begin investigating.
5. THE KILLING 1956...A man released from prison plots, along with 5 others a 2 million dollar heist from a racetrack. Stanley Kubrick weaves a masterpiece of story telling like no other film in history. My kind of movie making and the final line of the film is a classic.
4. DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE 1947...Lawrence Tierney is a crazed killer in this gem that for some reason has never been released on DVD and I can't figure out why. Once seen, it is not easily forgotten. I saw it at 3AM one early morning and have never gotten it out of my mind.
3. GUN CRAZY 1949...Strong sexual tension, cold blooded murder, unique camera usage and a gorgeous female killer. This is what makes Noir great!!
2. KISS ME DEADLY 1955...Ralph Meeker is Mike Hammer who by sheer accident finds himself involved with "a great whatsit". A superb combination of film noir and nuclear horror with an ending that you'll never forget.
1. THE BIG COMBO 1955...Some will disagree with this, but to me this is a perfect example of Noir. Cornel Wilde is a policeman trying to nab a top crime boss named Mr. Brown. Richard Conte as Brown is tough, cruel and unmerciful.
That wraps up my top 10 for the only genre that is truly an American form of film making. Film Noir.
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