Film noir is a cinematic genre characterized by stylish Hollywood dramas that deal with the big issues of sex, violence and money. The noir world is full of morally dubious crooks, corrupt cops, insurance scams, gambling, drinking, false accusations, fast talking broads, dangerously attractive femme fatales, and murder. The movies were made by some of the most important movie makers of the 20th Century including Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles; it was also a genre that attracted some of the best talent in poster designers. Film noir posters mirrored the strong design aesthetic of the movies themselves. This post brings together 36 classic designs, laid out in chronological order, from the 1940s and 50s, the golden era of film noir.