Leading Film Noir Men

One thing most of the film noir men seem to have in common is this mixture of masculinity with a dose of vulnerability. It's that hidden soft spot that sometimes to get them into all that trouble which leads to their eventual downfall, particularly when it involves a woman, or the infamous femme fatale.

Click here to read about Film Noir Women.

Conversely, it's that same masculinity/vulnerability which often makes even the most hardened dames melt and fall for their own prey.

There is always an aura of sadness with these guys. An unfulfilled passion or desire that maybe they aren't even aware of themselves yet. This unrequited longing often leads them down the path to personal destruction.

This section is devoted to the film noir actors who have that capacity to move us deeply, either because we identify with their plight, or want to "make it better" for them, or both.

This is a short list of some of my personal favorites. Each actor is followed by one of the movies which really brings out his noirish qualities.