1000 Essential Films of Film Noir

Night of Mystery

1937 • 66 min

This film continues the story of Philo Vance, a recurring character in a series of movies.

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4.5

Black Crown

1951 • 106 min

A woman wakes up with no memory after killing her husband. He had just discovered her affair and was about to ask for a divorce. Her lover, however, isn't interested in her; he's only after the hidden location of valuable…

5.2

6.6

A Kiss for a Killer

1957 • 105 min

In Nice, a wealthy widow is captivated by a charming young man who marries her and takes over her financial affairs. He quickly begins an affair with her secretary, who proves to be even more calculating than he is.

5.3

6.9

Walk Softly, Stranger

1950 • 82 min

Fugitive Chris Hale seeks a fresh start in a quiet Ohio town and forms a close friendship with Elaine Corelli, a compassionate heiress who is living with disabilities following a skiing accident. As their relationship deepens into love, Hale promises…

5.0

6.5

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I Loved a Bookie

1952 • 88 min

Determined to provide a brighter future for his fiancée, a man travels to Rio de Janeiro hoping to find opportunity.

6.5

7.0

Behind the Rising Sun

1943 • 88 min

A Japanese publisher pressures his son, who was educated in America, to support the Axis powers.

5.7

5.6

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Hotel Reserve

1944 • 89 min

In a hotel in the South of France, just before World War Two erupts, a hunt unfolds for a spy.

6.5

6.2

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Arch of Triumph

1948 • 133 min

Drama, Romance

Paris, 1938. As Nazi persecution intensifies, refugees live in fear of deportation. Dr. Ravic, a doctor forced to practice secretly, is consumed by a personal mission to find Haake, the man responsible for deep wounds in his past. He meets…

5.8

6.3

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Cosh Boy

1953 • 75 min

Roy Walsh is a bold and ambitious criminal who controls his friends through intimidation. He and his gang commit street assaults and robberies, but their actions become more serious as they move into bigger crimes.

5.2

6.1

The Strange Awakening

1958 • 79 min

After a head injury, Peter Chance awakens with amnesia in a lavish home. A doctor and several women claim he is a missing heir who has inherited a vast fortune. However, Peter grows suspicious of their account and begins investigating…

6.2

5.6

Conflict

1945 • 86 min • Budget $774K • Box office $3M

Thriller

Richard Mason is unhappy in his marriage to a critical and difficult woman. He wants freedom and a chance at happiness, so he carefully plans to murder his wife. His goal is to then be free to pursue a relationship…

6.6

7.2

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Nobody Lives Forever

1946 • 100 min

A con artist becomes romantically involved with the wealthy widow he is attempting to defraud.

6.3

7.1

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Crime by Night

1944 • 72 min

A private investigator and his secretary investigate a murder and uncover a global spy network.

6.0

6.2

The Man I Love

1946 • 96 min

Petey Brown, a hardened torch singer, returns home to discover her family is entangled with the dangerous nightclub owner Nicky Toresca. While Petey is capable of dealing with Toresca herself, she finds her resolve shaken by a passionate affair with…

6.1

6.6

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Betrayed Women

1955 • 70 min

Two women, both longing for love, flee a harsh prison farm run by cruel female guards.

4.7

5.8

I Am Waiting

1957 • 91 min

A washed-up boxer becomes entangled with a nightclub hostess who is trying to break free from her dangerous boss.

6.5

7.0

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Calcutta

1946 • 83 min

Neale and Pedro work as cargo pilots, flying between Chungking and Calcutta. Their routine is disrupted when their friend Bill is murdered, prompting them to investigate. Neale meets Bill's fiancée, Virginia, and begins to suspect a larger conspiracy. He finds…

6.3

6.4

Highway Dragnet

1954 • 70 min

A former Marine, fleeing a murder accusation, joins forces with a glamorous magazine photographer on a cross-country trip with her top model. As the journey progresses, the women become increasingly suspicious that their traveling companion might be a dangerous killer.

5.7

6.3

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Blackout

1954 • 87 min

Casey Morrow, a young man struggling with alcohol, is offered a large sum of money for a simple task by an attractive woman. He accepts without hesitation. The next day, the woman's father is murdered, and Morrow discovers his coat…

6.1

6.2

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To Have and Have Not

1945 • 100 min • Box office $3M

Adventure, Romance, War

During World War II, a Martinique charter boat captain is drawn into the secret work of the French Resistance. While sailing the dangerous waters of occupied France, he uncovers a network of intrigue and peril that challenges his commitment to…

7.4

7.8

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Man in the Attic

1953 • 82 min

Thriller, Crime, Horror

In Victorian London, the Jack the Ripper murders create fear and suspense. Mr. Slade, a quiet pathologist with a strong interest in medical mysteries, becomes a lodger with the Harley family. Mrs. Harley is uncomfortable with him and starts to…

5.4

6.2

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+18

Girl with Hyacinths

1950 • 89 min

After a young woman's suicide, she leaves everything to her neighbor. The neighbor becomes driven to uncover the truth behind her death.

7.3

7.5

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Stolen Identity

1953 • 88 min

Consumed by jealousy, a musician murders his wife and then sets about framing a taxi driver for the crime.

4.6

6.5

Hit and Run

1957 • 87 min

A garage owner marries a significantly younger woman. Problems arise when he develops a friendship with a man who is interested in his ex-wife, a former showgirl.

4.9

6.3

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Hell Road

1951 • 90 min

During a botched robbery, the thief takes a singer hostage. An unexpected romance blossoms between them as they attempt to start new lives together, but tragedy strikes in a surprising turn of events.

6.3

6.9

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Paris Underground

1945 • 96 min

In *Paris Underground*, Constance Bennett stars alongside Gracie Fields as an American and an Englishwoman caught in Paris when the Nazis invade. The two women join forces to aid Allied airmen in escaping the occupied city to safety in Free…

5.4

6.6

Such a Pretty Little Beach

1949 • 90 min

Drama

During the quiet, off-season in a small coastal town, a mysterious man named Pierre arrives and checks into the only hotel still open. The locals are curious about him; he seems to know the area well, despite saying he's just…

6.7

7.4

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Humoresque

1947 • 125 min

Drama, Romance

A gifted but modest classical musician from a working-class family becomes entangled in the world of a wealthy socialite when they fall in love. He struggles to balance his music with this new relationship, navigating the differences between their worlds.…

7.0

7.3

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Under Capricorn

1949 • 118 min • Budget $2M • Box office $1M

Drama, History

A British man is sent to Australia after being wrongly convicted of murder. His life becomes complicated when his wife, Henrietta, is revealed to be the victim’s troubled sister. Together, they travel through the challenging Australian landscape, and their connection…

6.0

6.2

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Abandoned

1949 • 78 min

In Los Angeles, a journalist's search for a woman's sister leads him to an illegal baby trafficking operation.

6.1

6.7

Act of Violence

1949 • 82 min • Budget $1M • Box office $1M

Thriller

Frank Enley returns to his California hometown a hero after being released from prisoner of war status. While celebrated by the community, Frank carries a secret from his time in captivity that threatens to unravel his peace. This hidden past…

6.9

7.5

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99 River Street

1953 • 83 min

Crime

A former boxer turned taxi driver in a busy city faces mounting pressure from his wife while struggling to make ends meet. He unexpectedly gets drawn into the world of jewel thieves. The film combines action, drama, and suspense as…

6.8

7.4

Stream on

You Can't Escape

1956 • 77 min

Novelist Peter Darwin is engaged to Kay March, an heiress. After a fight, he accidentally kills Claire, his former mistress. He convinces Kay to help him hide her body in the woods. When the body is discovered and the truth…

5.0

6.6

The Walking Hills

1949 • 78 min

Treasure hunters race to find a hidden gold shipment buried in the harsh landscape of Death Valley. The film explores the destructive nature of greed as they pursue their fortune.

6.0

6.5

The Good Humor Man

1950 • 80 min

Biff Jones works as an ice-cream man with dreams of marrying Margie, a secretary to an insurance investigator named Stuart Nagel. However, Margie refuses Biff's proposal because she's the only provider for her younger brother, Johnny. When Biff tries to…

6.0

6.3

I Shot Jesse James

1949 • 81 min

Western

Unexpectedly, Bob Ford shoots his best friend Jesse James, hoping for a pardon and a peaceful life with Cynthy. Instead of being praised, Bob faces scorn and disbelief for betraying their friendship. Haunted by guilt and rejected by his community,…

6.3

6.8

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The Green Buddha

1954 • 62 min

Morris, a charter pilot in New York, gets caught up with a group of thieves who steal a valuable jade statue from a museum. He follows them to Battersea, where he rescues a woman named Germaine from the criminals. The…

5.4

5.5

Hell's Island

1955 • 84 min

Mike Cormack, struggling to make ends meet, takes a job flying to a Caribbean island to recover a stolen ruby. He discovers his ex-girlfriend may be connected to the gem's disappearance while he's there.

5.4

5.9

Alimony

1949 • 70 min

A talented young composer is drawn to a woman who is interested in his success, not in him. This attraction threatens his marriage to a loving wife.

5.8

5.3

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Swamp Fire

1946 • 69 min

In Louisiana, a riverboat pilot (Johnny Weissmuller) is drawn to a wealthy woman (Virginia Grey) who cares for him after an accident and owns a vast stretch of swamp where she's banned hunting. His rival, a trapper (Buster Crabbe), resents…

5.2

5.4

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+11

Blood on the Sun

1945 • 94 min

Action, Drama, War

In 1920s Tokyo, a young American journalist named Nick Condon uncovers a startling secret: Japan's detailed plan for global power. He publishes his findings in his newspaper, triggering a fierce reaction from the Japanese government, who then relentlessly pursue him.…

5.8

6.0

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+21

The Lost One

1951 • 98 min

During World War II, a German scientist kills his fiancée after discovering she has been secretly selling his research to the enemy.

6.7

7.0

A Bucket of Blood

1959 • 66 min • Budget $50K • Box office $180K

Comedy, Horror

Walter Paisley, an awkward busboy at a beatnik café, feels like an outsider among his effortlessly cool coworkers. He secretly loves Carla, a captivating fellow employee, and decides to express his feelings by sculpting her in plaster. A series of…

6.6

6.7

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+36

Alias Nick Beal

1949 • 93 min

Drama, Crime, Fantasy

Joseph Foster, a driven district attorney, wants to eradicate crime in his city. Frustrated by a powerful mob boss's immunity, Foster impulsively wishes he could bring him down. His wish is answered when a mysterious stranger, Nick Beal, appears with…

6.7

7.1

Stream on

Force of Evil

1950 • 79 min

Crime, Drama

Joe Morse, a sharp lawyer, wants to unite all the small gambling operations into one powerful organization. He believes this will make them stronger and able to compete with the major crime bosses. But his brother, Leo, wants no part…

6.5

7.2

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Tomorrow We Live

1943 • 87 min

This World War II film, set in occupied France, follows the work of the French Resistance. It depicts the Nazis' strategy of taking and executing innocent hostages as punishment for sabotage. The film's opening credits credit General de Gaulle and…

6.0

6.3

Stream on

Apology for Murder

1945 • 67 min

A reporter develops a passionate obsession for the wife of a wealthy, older businessman. She is seduced into plotting with him to murder him and inherit his fortune, framing a rival businessman for the crime.

4.6

5.7

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Sinners of Paris

1958 • 82 min

Inspector Michel Piccoli's close friend is killed by the powerful gang leader Charles Vanel. Knowing Vanel's influence will shield him from justice, the inspector meticulously plans a carefully crafted trap. However, both men find their plans complicated by the interference…

5.1

6.7

Background to Danger

1943 • 80 min

A U.S. Citizen becomes involved in the conflict during wartime in Turkey.

6.6

6.4

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The Conspirators

1944 • 101 min

During World War II in Lisbon, a guerrilla leader develops a romantic relationship with an enigmatic woman.

6.0

6.6

Stream on

May God Forgive Me

1948 • 97 min

Lena, a strikingly beautiful refugee with a hidden, unsettling history, is pursued by a powerful industrialist. Her pursuit isn't driven by affection, but by a need to obtain information.

6.2

6.4

Madhumati

1958 • 171 min

Seeking refuge from a storm, two men find themselves in an abandoned mansion in the countryside. One of them experiences a sudden, vivid memory: he recalls a past life as Anand, a painter who once fell in love with a…

6.8

7.7

Man with the Gun

1955 • 83 min

Western

A mysterious stranger comes to a struggling small town to find his estranged wife. He soon learns the community lives in fear of a powerful, unseen landowner who controls everything through violent enforcers. The stranger, skilled at resolving conflicts, accepts…

6.1

6.7

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Pursued

1947 • 101 min

Western, Drama, Romance

Set in 1880s, a young boy is haunted by nightmares stemming from the brutal murder of his family. He finds refuge with a compassionate couple and slowly integrates into their home, forming a strong connection with his charming adoptive sister.…

6.6

7.2

Stream on

Bodyguard

1948 • 62 min

A police officer on suspension becomes the suspect in a murder after he starts investigating a homicide case.

6.0

6.5

Stream on

Web of Evidence

1959 • 90 min

Years after being evacuated from England during World War II, a young man returns home to discover his father imprisoned. He's been framed for murder.

4.0

6.3

Second Chance

1953 • 82 min

A skilled boxer known for his powerful right hand falls in love with a woman fleeing with a gangster in Mexico.

5.9

The Tattered Dress

1957 • 93 min

Following a night of excess, Charleen Reston, the wife of wealthy Michael Reston, returns home in disheveled clothing, and a murder occurs. Renowned New York defense attorney J.G. Blane, whose marriage is strained, travels to Desert View, Nevada. He finds…

5.2

6.5

A Strange Adventure

1956 • 70 min

Three thieves hijack a young hot-rodder to escape, then seize control of a remote mountain cabin after subduing the people inside.

5.3

5.7

The Naked Angel

1946 • 78 min

A sculptor provides financial assistance to a man facing ruin, in exchange for the man's daughter becoming his model. The film sparked controversy in Argentina due to its portrayal of the then 17-year-old Olga Zubarry's bare back. Based on Arthur…

6.2

7.0

The Hoodlum

1951 • 61 min

Vincent Lubeck is a ruthless former convict. His family disapproves of his criminal behavior, yet he manipulates and exploits them to further his schemes. Ultimately, his own brother is forced to confront him.

6.1

6.2

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The Outcasts of Poker Flat

1952 • 81 min

Four outcasts flee their mining town and find themselves stranded in a remote mountain cabin as a blizzard rages around them.

5.9

6.4

Thérèse Raquin

1953 • 106 min

Drama, Crime, Romance

Thérèse and Laurent become deeply involved in a dangerous situation after committing a murder they believe is flawless: staging Thérèse's husband's death as an accidental fall from a train. Their passionate relationship is then threatened by blackmailers and the watchful…

6.6

7.4

That Night's Wife

1930 • 66 min

During the Great Depression in Japan, a father robs a bank to pay for his daughter's life-saving medical treatment. He successfully obtains the money, but unforeseen problems quickly emerge.

6.5

6.9

17+

Stream on

Witness in the City

1959 • 86 min

Crime, Thriller

Industrialist Pierre Verdier murders his lover, Jeanne Ancelin, by throwing her from a train. He is acquitted in court. Devastated, Jeanne's husband, Ancelin, refuses to accept the verdict and sets out to avenge her death. Driven by grief and rage,…

6.2

7.0

—

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Yellow Sky

1948 • 98 min • Box office $2M

Western

In 1867, James "Stretch" Dawson leads a gang of outlaws in a successful bank heist. Fleeing into the desert, they arrive at the deserted town of Yellow Sky, inhabited only by Mike, a determined young woman protecting her grandfather, and…

6.9

7.4

Backfire

1950 • 91 min

After being released from the military hospital, former soldier Bob Corey sets out to find his friend Steve Connolly. Connolly, now trying to live an honest life, is fleeing from a false murder charge, and Corey wants to help him…

5.8

6.5

Stream on

The Bank

1915 • 25 min

Comedy

A quiet janitor at a busy city bank falls deeply for a kind and graceful secretary. He spends his days daydreaming about a life where she returns his feelings. The film explores longing, self-doubt, and imagination as his fantasies offer…

6.3

6.6

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Ransom!

1956 • 109 min

Crime, Drama, Thriller

A successful entrepreneur's life changes dramatically when his son is kidnapped by a dangerous criminal gang. Facing a ticking clock, he makes the difficult decision to address the nation in a live televised plea to the kidnappers. This unexpected move…

7.2

7.0

Stream on

This Land Is Mine

1943 • 103 min

Drama, War

Set in a European city under Nazi rule, the film centers on a quiet schoolteacher facing difficult choices each day. He constantly struggles with whether to cooperate with or oppose the occupying forces. The movie explores the delicate line between…

7.2

7.6

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The Next of Kin

1942 • 102 min

Throughout this British wartime film, walls are covered with slogans like "Be like Dad, Keep Mum" and "Keep it under your Hat." These recurring images emphasize the story's central theme: how careless talk can inadvertently reveal crucial information to enemy…

5.1

6.8

The Woman on the Beach

1947 • 71 min

Drama

A troubled sailor is drawn into a complicated relationship filled with desire and lies. He becomes captivated by a mysterious woman, despite her marriage to a painter who experiences the world through his senses. This drama explores love, identity, and…

6.1

6.4

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Interpol

1957 • 92 min

Following the death of his sister, who was battling drug addiction and killed by the powerful drug lord Frank McNally, U.S. Agent Charles Sturgis begins an investigation. It leads him across the globe, from New York to London, Lisbon, Rome,…

6.4

6.2

The Desperate Hours

1955 • 112 min • Budget $2M • Box office $2M

Crime, Thriller

A quiet suburban family's peaceful life is shattered when two escaped convicts take them hostage, plunging their home into a terrifying ordeal. Forced to obey their captors, the family struggles to cope with the unpredictable demands of the criminals as…

7.0

7.5

Stream on

Night Editor

1946 • 68 min

A news editor reflects on a detective's marriage and the dangerous woman who led to his destruction.

5.4

6.7

Hong Kong Confidential

1958 • 67 min

A U.S. Agent goes undercover to find the son of an Arab ruler, who has been kidnapped by communists in Hong Kong.

5.1

5.3

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Dead Reckoning

1946 • 100 min

Crime, Mystery

Rip Murdock and Johnny Drake, honored war heroes, are celebrated in Washington D.C. But Johnny disappears from a train and is later found dead. Suspecting foul play, Rip investigates Johnny's hidden past, uncovering a dangerous world of secrets and danger.…

6.8

7.0

Stream on

Beware, My Lovely

1952 • 77 min

Drama, Crime, Thriller

A disturbed man on the run from his past takes a handyman job in a quiet town, hoping to disappear. He works for a lonely widow, who sees him as a welcome companion. As they spend time together, their relationship…

6.0

6.6

Hitler's Children

1943 • 82 min

This disturbing story centers on an American girl who is legally declared German by the Nazi regime and forced to navigate the harsh realities of the Hitler Youth.

5.9

6.4

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The Mask of Dimitrios

1944 • 95 min

Mystery, Crime, Drama

A mystery writer investigates the death of Dimitrios Makropolous, a notorious criminal found dead in Istanbul. Driven by a need to understand, the writer follows Makropolous’s life across Europe, uncovering secrets in cities along the way. He’s joined by the…

7.0

7.2

Stream on

If I Should Die Before I Wake

1952 • 67 min

During a harmless prank, a young boy unintentionally uncovers the secret identity of a criminal living nearby.

6.6

7.4

This Man Is Dangerous

1953 • 92 min

Special Agent Lemmy Caution flees international authorities to the South of France, where he becomes involved in a plot with the notorious gangster Siegella. While appearing to work with the crime boss, Lemmy is secretly an FBI agent, planning to…

5.9

Murder, He Says

1945 • 91 min

Comedy, Mystery, Crime

In the quiet mountain town of Plainville, the town's public opinion surveyor vanishes without a trace. Pete Marshall, an ordinary young man, takes over the job and quickly finds himself caught in a complicated mystery. While investigating, he becomes increasingly…

6.6

6.8

The Unguarded Moment

1956 • 95 min

Crime, Drama, Mystery

This film follows a committed high school music teacher whose private life becomes entangled with troubling issues among his students. He is targeted by a student who sends anonymous, sexually suggestive notes and harasses female staff, disrupting the school's stability.…

6.2

6.3

The Brothers Rico

1957 • 92 min

Crime

Eddie Rico left his life in the Mafia behind to live a peaceful life with his family in Florida. But his past catches up when his brothers, once involved in major criminal activities, are now fugitives. Eddie is pulled back…

6.1

6.8

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The Beat Generation

1959 • 95 min

A group of beatniks unknowingly shelter a serial rapist. A police officer pursues him after the rapist attacks his wife.

5.2

5.4

Three Steps North

1951 • 85 min

A former American soldier returns to Italy to retrieve money he hid before serving time in prison. He finds the money missing and begins a search to discover who stole his buried fortune.

5.1

6.1

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The Wages of Fear

1953 • 153 min

Drama, Thriller, Adventure

Four men in a remote South American village are tasked with a perilous mission: transporting trucks filled with unstable nitroglycerin through a dangerous jungle to an oil field. The journey tests their courage as they face wild dangers and growing…

8.0

8.1

Stream on

Beat the Devil

1953 • 95 min • Budget $1M

Adventure, Comedy

A group of skilled con artists plans a complex scheme centered on a fake uranium mine, leading to a suspenseful story of deception and big money. They carefully craft lies to lure investors with promises of enormous wealth. The film…

6.1

6.4

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+22

One Hundred Men and a Girl

1937 • 84 min

A young woman, whose father is a struggling musician, assembles a symphony orchestra of his unemployed friends. Through determination, charisma, and a series of comical mishaps, she manages to persuade Leopold Stokowski to conduct them in a concert. This leads…

6.4

6.7

Aventurera

1950 • 101 min

Following her mother's abandonment and her father's suicide, Elena moves to a new city seeking a fresh start. She meets Lucio, whom she believes is a friend, and joins him for dinner. However, he drugs her champagne and sells her…

7.5

Stream on

Two of a Kind

1951 • 75 min

A con woman and a lawyer team up with a carnival grifter to impersonate a wealthy, long-lost son for an elderly couple.

6.7

6.6

The Houston Story

1956 • 79 min

In Texas, an oil driller devises a plan to steal millions of dollars worth of oil.

5.5

6.0

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Tiger in the Smoke

1956 • 94 min

During wartime, a young officer dies in a raid to assassinate a German general at the house where his grandmother once lived. Before he dies, he mentions a hidden treasure. Years later, the surviving members of his group are a…

6.5

6.1

High Wall

1947 • 99 min

Steven Kenet, who has a history of brain injuries, claims he accidentally killed his wife while strangling her. After confessing, he's sent to a poorly staffed county asylum with troubled patients. Dr. Ann Lorrison is doubtful of Kenet's story and…

6.3

6.9

Winchester '73

1950 • 92 min • Box office $2M

Western

Lin McAdam journeys to confront Dutch Henry Brown and finds himself in a competition where he wins a rare Winchester rifle. He soon learns Dutch has stolen the weapon. Driven by a need for revenge and to recover the rifle,…

7.3

7.6

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Circle of Danger

1951 • 86 min

An American travels to Britain to uncover the suspicious details surrounding his brother's death, which happened during a World War II commando mission.

6.5

Stream on

My Favorite Brunette

1947 • 87 min

Comedy, Mystery, Romance

Ronnie Jackson, a baby photographer with a passion for adventure, longs to be a private detective. His fantasies become a reality when a mysterious baroness hires him to find her missing husband, Baron Montay. Though inexperienced, Ronnie eagerly takes on…

6.6

6.7

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+27