Based on the novel by James M. Cain, but changed significantly by producer Jerry Wald, the film version of Mildred Pierce gives us an earlier look at the hybrid film noir that employs significant characteristics of another genre. In this case, it's melodrama, as a working class mother battles her way in the business world and at home. Part of Joan Crawford's move into a new phase of her career, her performance in Mildred Pierce would earn her the Academy Award for best performance by an actress in a leading role, and help establish her as a major force in film noir's classic era.

The trio of Otto Preminger, Gene Tierney, and Dana Andrews, who came together for the 1944 classic Laura, reunite here for a 1950 film noir that showcases just how much the classic era of film noir had evolved in six short years. Fatalism and guilt battle the concept of free will and determining one's own life, as Detective Mark Dixon struggles through a NYC storyworld of crime, investigation, and love. Complete with beautiful scene composition and camera movement from director Otto Preminger, Where the Sidewalk Ends is a place where gritty noir meets an artistically told story of timeless questions.

With a modest budget and a short shooting schedule, film noir extraordinaire Jules Dassin turned out this socially focused film based on the book and screenplay of A.I. "Buzz" Bezzerides. Perhaps as a critique on unchecked markets, this story pits a hard-working WWII veteran against an unethical "businessman." Complete with solid performances from Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb, and Valentina Cortese, we get a clearer sense of right and wrong than often accompanies film noir. Buckle up your seat belt for a long trucking haul with this one.

Lupino. Widmark. Enough said. Road House brings together these two giants of the film noir world for a melodramatic story that crosses squarely into the dark world of noir. With solid performances from Cornel Wilde and Celeste Holm to boot, this film is a showcase of star power and acting execution. Who says you can't have a bowling alley and a sporting goods section in a night club?