Those Oases of Morality in <i> Film Noir</i>
Mark Boyd’s April 22 letter refers to film noir as “this unique American style.” Film noir is, I’m afraid, not uniquely American; all is inspired by the school of German Expressionism (gloom, impending doom) and termed noir by the French.
Also, Mr. Boyd is in error when he says there is “no moral center within the characters.” Certainly not in the evil characters, but as novelist Raymond Chandler wrote of his protagonist, private detective Philip Marlowe (certainly a noir character): “. . . Down these mean streets a man must go who himself is not mean, who is not afraid . . . a man of honor, by instinct . . . he has a sense of character . . . he must be the best man in his world and good enough man for any world.”
Indeed, noir films chronicle the actions of amoral characters as they revolve around a moral core exemplified by the prime protagonist.
As Bogie says in “The Maltese Falcon,” “. . . Don’t be so sure I’m as crooked as I pretend to be.”
MICHAEL D. GRAY
Santa Monica
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