This movie hits all the film noir staples, from the world-weary private eye hired by a dame at the end of her rope, to the twisting larger-than-life narrative. It stays very close to the source material, which portrays its protagonist as if Dashiell Hammett had Humphrey Bogart in mind. Its characters are complex and subtle, so casual viewers will be easily lost, but a more attentive audience will be rewarded with an intricate web of lies and deceit. There’s no substitute for the golden dialogue delivery and pre-war era style that easily cements itself as a time-tested classic.

Closest comparison: It’s like a less sleazy Chinatown by way of The Big Sleep (1946).

Setting: Drama
Plot: Detective
Tone: Noir