Film Noir, a distinctly American genre, but with a French name.

1.Watch one of the cited German expressionist films. Write down the visual motifs you think film noir borrowed. Then watch a noir such as Double Indemnity , Laura , Out of the Past, or The Killers and note the visual similarities. Be specific. Nosferatu: The vampire's castle is in ruins. Shot at night, the scene is filled with deep shadows. The coach approaches the castle at a fast pace, on a road surrounded by deep shadows in …

…than the gangster protagonist. He is neither Clark Kent nor Superman, but is not Rico or Cody, either. He works hard, he's honest when it doesn't cost him too much, and he never betrays his partner. He tries to behave as a gentleman, but he's too tough and street-wise to pull it off. The gangster dies as a result of his own excesses, but the noir hero dies or loses because of his innate goodness.