English N166

Other Readings and Media

Films:  The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941); Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944); Scarlet Street (Fritz Lang, 1945);

Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945); The Big Clock (John Farrow, 1948); The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955); Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958); Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)

Description

A survey of classic mystery and crime films produced in Hollywood between the 1940s and the 1970s. We will consider film noir’s antecedents in German Expressionist cinema and hard-boiled crime fiction as well as its representative themes, techniques, and character types. Requirements include weekly written responses, one group presentation, a final exam, and a research essay anticipated by several short assignments.

All readings available in PDF format.

This course will be taught in Session A, from May 23 to June 29.