Film noir is an ambiguous genre that has a loose set of elements that, combined, give a film a unique style that is usually recognizable to general audiences. Many people argue over whether certain elements, such as the presence of water (i.e. rain, streams, etc.), are necessary to make a movie fit into the "film noir" genre. However, from the film noir movies I've seen, which are generally acknowledged as such, I can gather a few core elements that form at least a broad base. Here are some elements, divided into categories based on how necessary the elements are, that I think define film noir:
Vital to Film Noir
-Crime/Pursuit as the plot basis
-Emotionally dark
-Morally ambiguous
-Physically/Visually Dark
-Femme Fatale
-Dark Hero/Heroine
Important, Not Vital
-Smoke (i.e. cigarettes) or Smokey mis-en-scene
-Murder
-Detective or cop as lead character
-Intricate Plot
-Plot twists
-Heavy Shadows
Common, Not Important
-Dry humor
-40s-style banter
-Alcohol and cigarettes
-In modern film noir: anachronistic characters/elements
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