“Film Noir” is a term used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, emphasizing cynical attitudes and motivations, and filmed in black and white. Detectives Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, created by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, respectively, personify film noir in the four films: “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Murder, My Sweet” (1944), “The Big Sleep” (1946) and “Lady in the Lake” (1947). Marc Strauss, professor emeritus of theater and dance at Southeast Missouri State University, introduces and shows each film; class discussion follows.

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