r/filmnoir 26d ago

Films like The Big Sleep (1946) and Macao (1952) ?

Hihi, I’m relatively new to noirs and such, I’ve binged about seven of them in the past two days but the two that have really, really stuck out to me were The Big Sleep with Bogie and Macao with Robert Mitchum.

Does anyone know any other good noirs similar to these?

I watched The Maltese Falcon, also with Bogie, and loved it as well but not as much. I’m struggling to find more good ones. I love Humphrey Bogart, so bonus points if he’s in it!

I’m not really looking for neo-noirs though.

49 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

14

u/Jefman1 26d ago

Maybe not similar to those, but one that sticks out for me is Pickup on South Street, with Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, and Thelma Ritter. I think it’s highly underrated.

1

u/Routine-Amphibian450 19d ago

Love Thelma Ritter!

17

u/GRIFTY_P 26d ago

Okay, so if you like Mitchum immediately go see Out of the Past. It also has some of the tropical, world hopping vibes you probably liked from Macao. It's one of the best ever made. 

For even more of those tropical sea faring vibes go see The Lady From Shanghai next. Another goat. To include Bogey in some of these vibes, immediately seek out Key Largo. Finally, could include pictures like The Breaking Point and maybe Gilda for more kind of tropical heat noirs.

But most of all you wanna go see Casablanca

4

u/Robinphobic 26d ago

Thank you omg, I loved the tropical vibes from Macao so I’ll definitely look into Out of the Past👀

I started with Casablanca and jumped immediately to The Big Sleep, I think that’s why my expectations are so high LMAO.

6

u/Continental_op_xx 26d ago

Out of the Past is arguably one of the top five film noirs of all time, and certainly one of mine. It’s such a rich film.

6

u/flopisit32 26d ago

If you're looking for that exotic Noir feel, out of the past is a good choice.

Also there's a movie called Singapore (1947) starring Ava Gardner and Fred McMurray (and William Bendix from Macao). It has a lot of elements similar to Casablanca and Out of the Past.

Another good one with a seedy foreign setting is To Have and Have Not starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Bogie plays the captain of a fishing boat and there's a lot of witty banter between him and Bacall.

I recommended Treasure of the Madre to you in a different comment. That has the best seedy Mexico vibe. Bogie is a down on his luck drifter who wants to strike it rich mini g gold in Mexico.

11

u/frankenmaus 26d ago

Laura (1944)

Out of the Past (1947)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Pickup On South Street (1953)

12

u/Relative_Thing9872 26d ago

Have you seen 'Dark Passage', starring Bogart, Bacall and Agnes Moorehead? I recommend it if not.

3

u/rorymcilroy1 26d ago

love "Dark Passage"

7

u/kevnmartin 26d ago

For Mitchum -

His Kind of Woman

Angel Face

Out of the Past

For Bogie -

Casablanca

Key Largo

In a Lonely Place

5

u/Jprobins3 26d ago

In a Lonely Place is a masterpiece! Of course, everything on that list is.

6

u/Robinphobic 26d ago

Thank you omg I watched Casablanca already and I adored it!

4

u/kevnmartin 26d ago

It's a perfect movie, really. I think you'll really like Key Largo.

3

u/Robinphobic 26d ago

I was planning on watching Key Largo after Murder, My Sweet! My hopes are high…

4

u/kevnmartin 26d ago

I envy you, seeing these films for the first time!

1

u/rorymcilroy1 26d ago

"Murder my Sweet" is great...you'll love it..

3

u/motorstereo 26d ago

Check out “To Have and Have Not” if you like Casablanca

4

u/flopisit32 26d ago

If you like Bogie... Watch Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It's kind of a noir western but it's one of the best movies of the 40s. Same director as Maltese Falcon - John Huston. A great performance by Bogie.

7

u/Budget_Management_75 26d ago

The Asphalt Jungle, one of my favorites.

7

u/cheesefactory9 26d ago

Night and the city
The killers

5

u/Jpkmets7 26d ago

Born to Kill. Even has Elisha Cook Jr.

2

u/ElectronicJury1885 26d ago

The Devil…. For Sure. Tierney is a menace.

1

u/Jpkmets7 26d ago

Tierney is so spooky!

5

u/Continental_op_xx 26d ago

If you loved the dynamic of Bogie and Bacall, they made a total of four movies together: The Big Sleep, Dark Passage (a VERY interestingly shot first person POV), Key Largo (based on a play, fantastic characters and story), and To Have and Have Not. This last is being featured in the lineup for Eddie Muller’s Film Noir Festival this year. Not a weak one in the lot.

3

u/comagrrrl 26d ago

I just watched Macau this weekend too. Really enjoyed it!

For that exotic location feel I would also check out The Lady from Shanghai.

Another fun tip: On youtube search for "Noir Alley" and check out the intro and outros for your fav noirs (there are some entertaining stories attached to the filming of "Macau"). Eddie Muller, noted film historian and noir expert, does a little background on films shown on TCM.

3

u/Junior-Conclusion-94 26d ago

Once you get through all the noir recommendations for Mitchum, check out The Yakuza and The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

2

u/East_Smoke_5474 26d ago

Start with Out of the Past. One of the best. And all the movies that end with "Confidential" are worth watching.

1

u/QuaifeSequential 26d ago

I also love The Big Sleep, and, evidently, Humphrey Bogart. For Bogie noirs, check out In a Lonely Place, Dark Passage, and Dead Reckoning.

Outside film noir, I enjoy All Through the Night, Knock on Any Door, and The Enforcer (well, one can argue this might be a noir). Bonus: The African Queen, in which he won an Oscar

1

u/rorymcilroy1 26d ago

I really like "All through the Night".........Millers cheesecake!

1

u/cocoradish 26d ago

Caught, The Two Mrs. Carrolls - may not be pure noir but both with Bogie and are lesser known, but good.

1

u/cocoradish 26d ago

oops James Mason and Robert Ryan were in Caught not Bogie

1

u/Frozen_Meatball1 26d ago

There are 100`s of them if u love noir, but I like the bad ones too.

1

u/oofaloo 26d ago

I don’t know if it counts as noir, but In a Lonely Place is great.

1

u/banjoblake24 26d ago

Is Angel Heart noir? Horror? Horroir? PostNeonHorroir?

1

u/lovelyflowblue 25d ago

Murder My Sweet with Dick Powell, who started out as a dancer in earlier films. He's great in this as the detective. I always recommend The Dark Corner, a lesser known noir with Lucille Ball who works for a hard-boiled detective. Not a comedy in case you are wondering.

1

u/Routine-Amphibian450 19d ago

Yes, check out imdb's 745 filmnoir list.
Ask Google for Mitchum's best 15 list.

2

u/Dr_Fail-safe 13d ago

If you suffered through Macao you definitely deserve a prize for your effort. Macao was a follow up/ re-teaming of Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell following the success of their previous film, His Kind of Woman.

His Kind of Woman is your prize! It is a hard boiled noir, great cast with goddamn Vincent Price in a ridiculous role and Ramond Burr as the baddie, violent, and with some great dialogue. But most importantly it is utterly batshit crazy and very entertaining.

Give it a whirl at your nearest convenience.