7 Italian Noir Films You Must Watch

La mano dello straniero (The Stranger's Hand) (1954)

Based on the draft novel of the same name written by Graham Greene. The plot follows the son of a British MI5 agent kidnapped in Venice by agents of Yugoslavia as he searches for his father.

Obsession (1949)

Another name of the film is The Hidden Room, directed by Edward Dmytryk. The film explores themes of jealousy and revenge as a British doctor, Dr. Clive Riordan, kidnaps his wife’s lover and holds him captive.

The Medium (1951)

An eerie film revolves around Madame Flora, a fraudulent medium, the mother of Toby, a mute and crippled client. During a session, she feels a hand squeezing her throat, causing her to throw her son out.

Stranger on the Prowl (1952)

In a tiny Italian village, an impoverished visitor inadvertently kills a man and flees. The narrative centers on his friendship with a small child who tries to assist him, which develops into a tense dynamic as the stranger's circumstances get worse.

The Bandit (1946)

Returning to his home city after the war, Ernesto, a former soldier, finds his family gone and society in shambles. Desperate for survival, he turns to crime, becoming a "bandit" in a world that has lost its moral compass.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

The story follows Nora, a young American woman who visits Rome and sees a murder. Since no corpse has been discovered, neither Dr. Bassi nor the police find her credible and several other homicides follow.

Story of a Love Affair (1950)

The film follows a jealous husband who puts his wife back in touch with a past lover by hiring a private investigator to look into her. Together, they rekindle a long-lost romance and start planning her husband's murder.

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