The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961) is a poolroom gambling culture sports drama hubris film noir con movie tragedy, about one man's prideful journey through the underworld of his own wasted talent, and the alcoholic and suicidal woman he befriends, for his own ends of course.

It's a classic of many sorts, for many reasons, and is incredibly forward looking in its tragic and existential biploar jazz and thumb-breakin' misery, set in the seediest halls and shabbiest rooms, in the ropiest towns in the loneliest states, finding a vortex of doom which swallows thew female character, played by Piper Laurie, whole.

Johnny O'Clock (1947)

Johnny O'Clock (1947) is a sinister snappy-dialogue murder and finally it has to be said classic film noir which is a lot of fun and is surely one of the hidden gems of the who noir effort of the 1940s.

Complex in approach and yet diverting in its charm and snazz, Johnny O'Clock is a waltz through the film noir style, able to copy with mystery, murder, deception and some vile violence, before it wraps up and paces stylishly through its conclusion.

New York gambling house operator Johnny O'Clock played by Dick Powell, is junior partner in a smart  casino with Guido Marchettis (Thomas Gomez) and Chuck Blayden (Jim Bannon), the latter being a crooked cop. 

Blues in the Night (1941)

Blues in the Night (1941) is a blues musical roadhouse road movie jazz band drinking and gambling brutal love and betrayal American Dream style rags to riches to institution for the insane violence against women national narrative love steals a man's creative powers hustle and dream montage rail-ridin left-leanin guy becomes a nobody rosy-posy monkey on a stick fast talkin comedy that is among the most fun of all film noir. 

Fun and noir are not the most common of screen-fellows, but this fast-moving wise-cracking funny and feeling love adventure into music, has more packed into its hour and a half than many of its slower contemporaries.