Tropescilloscope: Film Noir
A film genre involving detectives, Chiaroscuro lighting, crime, and a 1940-60s setting. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Catapult Nightmare
Chase Scene
Outrun the Fireball
The Ghost
Woman in White
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Evil Plan
Science Fiction Films
Properly Paranoid
A God Am I
Never My Fault
Manly Tears
Redshirt Army
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
Punny Name
Ship Tease
Rape as Drama
Police are Useless
And I Must Scream
Half the Man He Used to Be
Riddle for the Ages
Russian Films
The Un-Reveal
Meaningful Background Event
Undying Loyalty
Award-Bait Song
Abhorrent Admirer
Chekhov's Gunman
Early-Bird Cameo
Groin Attack
Bound and Gagged
Here We Go Again!
Line-of-Sight Name
Laughing Mad
Intrepid Reporter
Ambiguously Gay
Video Credits
Guns Akimbo
Abusive Parents
Real Life
Disproportionate Retribution
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Badass Boast
Kubrick Stare
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Eiffel Tower Effect
Psychopathic Manchild
Large Ham
Closed Circle
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Call-Forward
The Quiet One
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Bring My Brown Pants
Artistic License Law
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Pyrrhic Victory
Horror Comedy
Honor Before Reason
Rasputinian Death
Dramatic Gun Cock
Neck Lift
Villain Ball
Psychological Thriller
Fanservice
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Continuity Nod
Intergenerational Friendship
Cruel and Unusual Death
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Spiritual Successor
Suspiciously Specific Denial
N-Word Privileges
Sequel Escalation
Jitter Cam
Casting Gag
Dissonant Serenity
MayDecember Romance
Broken Aesop
Captain Ersatz
Time Skip
Hate Sink
Light Is Not Good
Eagleland
Nothing Is Scarier
Five-Man Band
Cloudcuckoolander
Facial Horror
Evil-Detecting Dog
Title Drop
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
Action Girl
A Date with Rosie Palms
Protagonist Title
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
Gender Flip
The Power of Love
The Casanova
Anti-Hero
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Canadian Movies
Evil Counterpart
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Brick Joke
Mad Scientist
Stuff Blowing Up
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Despair Event Horizon
Domestic Abuse
Sports Stories
Eureka Moment
Heroes Want Redheads
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Smoking Is Cool
War Is Hell
Posthumous Character
Department of Redundancy Department
Fate Worse than Death
The '80s
Drowning My Sorrows
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Awesome, but Impractical
Noodle Incident
Soft Glass
Fake Shemp
Ambiguous Ending
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Motor Mouth
Funny Foreigner
Dirty Old Man
She's Got Legs
Artistic License Military
The Oner
What the Hell, Hero?
Serious Business
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Even Evil Has Standards
Easily Forgiven
Bloodier and Gorier
My Greatest Failure
Evil Is Petty
One-Word Title
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
Failed a Spot Check
True Companions
Loophole Abuse
Actor Allusion
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Up to Eleven
Star-Crossed Lovers
Dual Wielding
Reality Ensues
Big Bad
Reasonable Authority Figure
Monumental Damage
Parental Neglect
Defrosting Ice Queen
What You Are in the Dark
Sinister Minister
The '50s
Vomit Discretion Shot
Let's Get Dangerous!
Toplessness from the Back
The Smart Guy
Insult Backfire
Fiery Redhead
Gratuitous English
Red Eyes, Take Warning
The Faceless
Punch-Clock Villain
Wretched Hive
Stealth Pun
An Arm and a Leg
Mind Screw
Adorkable
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Hero of Another Story
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Heel Realization
Chekhov's Gun
Rousing Speech
Your Head A-Splode
Death Glare
Manipulative Bastard
Not Quite Dead
Artistic License Geography
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Double Entendre
Black Comedy Rape
Pragmatic Villainy
Face Death with Dignity
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Alliterative Name
Truth in Television
Hair-Trigger Temper
An Axe to Grind
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Country Matters
Vampire Fiction
Book-Ends
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Super Strength
Bury Your Gays
Disguised in Drag
Novelization
Historical-Domain Character
The Ditz
Pimped-Out Dress
Final Girl
The Cavalry
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Disappeared Dad
Retired Badass
B-Movie
Death by Sex
Artistic License History
Cain and Abel
Improvised Weapon
In Name Only
Put on a Bus
Insistent Terminology
Nice Guy
Film Noir
Cool Car
Earn Your Happy Ending
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Friend to All Children
Precision F-Strike
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Revenge
Improbable Aiming Skills
Man on Fire
Cool Guns
Rich Bitch
Would Hurt a Child
Body Horror
Canon Foreigner
Knife Nut
Romantic False Lead
Freudian Excuse
The Alleged Car
Animated Credits Opening
Too Dumb to Live
Dark Reprise
Unreliable Narrator
Obviously Evil
The Remake
Costume Porn
Dutch Angle
Animal Title Index
Composite Character
Ripped from the Headlines
Foregone Conclusion
Woman Scorned
Bar Brawl
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Not What It Looks Like
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Villain Protagonist
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Fan Disservice
Shipper on Deck
Naked People Are Funny
Military and Warfare Films
Actually Pretty Funny
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The Dreaded
Took a Level in Jerkass
What Happened to the Mouse?
Arch-Enemy
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
Fantasy Films
Alas, Poor Villain
Works Set in World War II
Ungrateful Bastard
Hong Kong Films
Stepford Smiler
Fatal Family Photo
Jerkass Has a Point
Cool Old Guy
Happily Married
Credits Gag
Ascended Extra
Bond One-Liner
Tap on the Head
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Token Minority
Jump Scare
Cool Old Lady
Cat Scare
It Will Never Catch On
Broken Pedestal
For Want of a Nail
Call-Back
Evil Brit
Based on a True Story
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Be Careful What You Wish For
Silent Movie
Captain Obvious
Combat Pragmatist
Jerkass
An Aesop
Mooks
Made of Explodium
Flashback
Creepy Child
Dark Action Girl
Badass Bookworm
Henpecked Husband
Retirony
Lock and Load Montage
Only Known by Their Nickname
French Films
In Medias Res
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
All There in the Script
Retcon
Authority Equals Asskicking
Unusual Euphemism
Drugs Are Bad
Dies Wide Open
Spared by the Adaptation
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Informed Ability
Killed Mid-Sentence
I Did What I Had to Do
Amusing Injuries
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
Red Shirt
Better to Die than Be Killed
Break the Cutie
Mystery and Detective Films
Italian Films
Zombie Stories
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Brutal Honesty
The Musical
Gone Horribly Right
Gory Discretion Shot
Pragmatic Adaptation
Dark Is Not Evil
Not So Different
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Deliberately Monochrome
Defiant to the End
Darkest Hour
One Steve Limit
Room Full of Crazy
Adaptation Expansion
Oh, Crap!
Early Installment Weirdness
No OSHA Compliance
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Humans Are Bastards
Badass Normal
Your Cheating Heart
Developing Doomed Characters
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Extremely Short Timespan
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Scare Chord
Christmas Movies Index
Every Car Is a Pinto
A Minor Kidroduction
Big Bad Duumvirate
Badass Grandpa
Bloodless Carnage
Spiteful Spit
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
The Mole
Not So Above It All
Adapted Out
Cassandra Truth
Rated M for Manly
Expy
Camp Gay
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Accidental Murder
Only One Name
Cluster F-Bomb
The Smurfette Principle
Made of Iron
Kill It with Fire
No-Sell
Rule of Symbolism
Refuge in Audacity
Bad "Bad Acting"
Important Haircut
Fire-Forged Friends
The Hero
Adults Are Useless
Bilingual Bonus
Straight Gay
Tranquil Fury
Leitmotif
Big Brother Instinct
Broken Bird
Well-Intentioned Extremist
Pay Evil unto Evil
Artistic License Gun Safety
Gold Digger
Red Herring
Meaningful Echo
Stealth Hi/Bye
Interrupted Suicide
Beard of Evil
Bad Boss
Everyone Has Standards
Playing Gertrude
Crucified Hero Shot
Maybe Ever After
After the End
Australian Movies
Green-Eyed Monster
More Dakka
Our Vampires Are Different
Make It Look Like an Accident
Cool Shades
Blood from the Mouth
Fantastic Racism
Historical In-Joke
Big Applesauce
Non-Indicative Name
Last-Name Basis
Mexican Standoff
Plot Hole
Ms. Fanservice
Stalker with a Crush
Berserk Button
Diabolus ex Machina
Love Triangle
Smug Snake
The Brute
Overprotective Dad
Self-Deprecation
Slashed Throat
Police Brutality
All There in the Manual
Would Hit a Girl
Historical Villain Upgrade
Due to the Dead
Black and Gray Morality
Action Survivor
Stylistic Suck
Redemption Equals Death
Once More, with Clarity!
Character Development
The Lost Lenore
Only in It for the Money
Cold-Blooded Torture
Conspicuous CG
Bald of Evil
As You Know
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Mugging the Monster
Ax-Crazy
Market-Based Title
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Death by Irony
Guile Hero
Papa Wolf
Together in Death
Asshole Victim
Meet Cute
The Bad Guy Wins
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Accidental Misnaming
And Starring
The Alcoholic
Anachronic Order
Shower Scene
Loads and Loads of Characters
Big-Bad Ensemble
Training Montage
Betty and Veronica
The Dragon
Curse Cut Short
Mundane Made Awesome
Mr. Exposition
The Sociopath
La Résistance
Take a Third Option
Didn't Think This Through
Genre Savvy
No Antagonist
The Hero Dies
All Just a Dream
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Downer Ending
Soundtrack Dissonance
Corpsing
Idiot Ball
Exact Words
Faking the Dead
Black Best Friend
My Beloved Smother
Gorn
Drives Like Crazy
Never Found the Body
Sci-Fi Horror
Attempted Rape
Slasher Movie
Deadpan Snarker
From Bad to Worse
Apocalypse How
In the Back
Foreshadowing
Storming the Castle
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
Martial Arts Movie
Femme Fatale
Television Movie Index
Music Stories
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
Humiliation Conga
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Fatal Flaw
Jerk Jock
Sanity Slippage
Index of Film Westerns
Badass in a Nice Suit
Wrong Genre Savvy
Tempting Fate
Those Two Bad Guys
Alpha Bitch
Enemy Mine
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Victoria's Secret Compartment
The Big Guy
All for Nothing
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
Rule of Funny
Depraved Bisexual
Those Two Guys
Extreme Doormat
Scary Black Man
Imagine Spot
The Stinger
Reality Is Unrealistic
Badass Longcoat
Disney Death
Ironic Echo
A Father to His Men
Break the Haughty
Moment Killer
Naïve Newcomer
The '70s
Evil Is Hammy
Dumb Blonde
Wham Shot
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
The Chick
And the Adventure Continues
Advertised Extra
Race Lift
Covers Always Lie
Batman Gambit
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Bittersweet Ending
Big "NO!"
Hero Antagonist
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
Dirty Coward
Bait-and-Switch
Morality Pet
Shut Up, Hannibal!
The Cameo
Dwindling Party
He Knows Too Much
Dirty Cop
Back from the Dead
Blackmail
Adaptation Distillation
Pet the Dog
Madness Mantra
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
The Place
Grievous Bottley Harm
One-Man Army
Empathic Environment
British Films
Public Domain Feature Films
Evil Sounds Deep
Nice Hat
Artistic License Physics
Annoying Younger Sibling
Big Damn Heroes
Adaptation Name Change
Action Prologue
Romantic Comedy
It Can Think
Only a Flesh Wound
Biopic
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Neck Snap
Yandere
Crazy Jealous Guy
Driven to Suicide
The Lancer
Sadistic Choice
Epic Fail
Laser-Guided Karma
Fun with Acronyms
Blatant Lies
The Ace
Take That!
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Crazy-Prepared
Demonic Possession
Adaptational Heroism
Foil
Missing Mom
Framing Device
Black Comedy
Small Name, Big Ego
Superhero
The '60s
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Sole Survivor
Rewatch Bonus
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Card-Carrying Villain
Greater-Scope Villain
I Need a Freaking Drink
"Awesome McCool" Name
Random Events Plot
Took a Level in Badass
Agony of the Feet
Wicked Cultured
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
Bolivian Army Ending
Disney Villain Death
Daylight Horror
Visual Pun
The X of Y
The Mafia
Handicapped Badass
Establishing Character Moment
Bare Your Midriff
Mythology Gag
Setting Update
Does Not Like Shoes
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Darker and Edgier
Cat Fight
Death by Adaptation
I Have Your Wife
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Rule of Cool
Death Seeker
Heroic Sacrifice
Author Avatar
The Reveal
Knight Templar
Kick the Dog
Adaptational Villainy
The '90s
Male Gaze
Funny Background Event
The Starscream
Horror Films
The End... Or Is It?
Karma Houdini
Those Wacky Nazis
Anguished Declaration of Love
Red Right Hand
BrotherSister Incest
Butt-Monkey
Really Gets Around
Shout-Out
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
Pretty Little Headshots
Central Theme
I'm a Humanitarian
Historical Hero Upgrade
Older Than They Look
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Amoral Attorney
Chewing the Scenery
Sealed Evil in a Can
Expository Hairstyle Change
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Implacable Man
Demoted to Extra
Fainting
Parental Abandonment
Parental Incest
Dramatic Irony
Gainax Ending
Sassy Black Woman
Mercy Kill
Sexy Discretion Shot
Destination Defenestration
No Ending
Air-Vent Passageway
Affably Evil
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Meaningful Name
Insane Troll Logic
Big Fancy House
Creator Cameo
World of Ham
The Stoner
Show Within a Show
Offscreen Teleportation
Fourth Date Marriage
Hoist by His Own Petard
Instant Death Bullet
Damsel in Distress
Running Gag
Flipping the Bird
Plucky Comic Relief
Heroic BSoD
Action Genre
Villainous Breakdown
Taking the Bullet
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Death of a Child
Grey and Gray Morality
The Voiceless
Bland-Name Product
Genre Shift
Adaptational Badass
Ominous Latin Chanting
Antagonist Title
Almost Kiss
Dying Moment of Awesome
As Himself
20 Minutes into the Future
How We Got Here
Parental Substitute
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Totally Radical
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Pretty in Mink
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Age Lift
Evil vs. Evil
Babies Ever After
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
BFG
Villain with Good Publicity
Hollywood Law
The Great Depression
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Curb-Stomp Battle
Mighty Whitey
Artistic License Biology
Car Fu
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Hypocrite
Off with His Head!
NO INDOOR VOICE
Chekhov's Skill
Get Out!
Beta Couple
Vitriolic Best Buds
Black Dude Dies First
Famous Last Words
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Did Not Get the Girl
Hollywood Darkness
Hidden Depths
Love at First Sight
Translation Convention
This Is Gonna Suck
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Lampshade Hanging
Villain Song
For the Evulz
Fish out of Water
Eye Scream
Villain Opening Scene
Whole Plot Reference
Twist Ending
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Mr. Fanservice
Creative Closing Credits
Film Noir Index
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Distracted by the Sexy
Hell Is That Noise
timeperiod
Contrived Coincidence
Manchild
Arc Words
Our Zombies Are Different
Dressing as the Enemy
German Films
Children Are Innocent
Big Eater
Fanservice Extra
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
Bond Villain Stupidity
'80s Hair
Catch-Phrase
Bloody Hilarious
Gilligan Cut
Mama Bear
Kids Are Cruel
Ghost Fiction
Vacation Films
Serial Killer
Boom, Headshot!
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Overly Long Gag
Mood Whiplash
Dramedy
Re-Cut
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Cowboy Cop
Calling the Old Man Out
Becoming the Mask
Daddy's Girl
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Thriller
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
HeelFace Turn
Adaptation Dye-Job
Reckless Gun Usage
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Animal Motifs
The Chessmaster
You Have Failed Me
Skewed Priorities
Chiaroscuro
Auto Erotica
Major Injury Underreaction
Hypocritical Humor
Rule of Three
Good Is Not Nice
Poor Communication Kills
Brainless Beauty
Anti-Villain
Kill 'em All
Same Language Dub
As the Good Book Says...
Comically Missing the Point
Match Cut
Japanese Films
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Crapsack World
Race Against the Clock
Not So Stoic
Shown Their Work
Deus ex Machina
The Load
The Stoic
She Cleans Up Nicely
The Vamp
Stock Footage
Aside Glance
He Who Fights Monsters
Paper-Thin Disguise
Hope Spot
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Bi the Way
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Epic Movie
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Never Trust a Trailer
You Killed My Father
Shirtless Scene
The Film of the Book
Logo Joke
Say My Name
Product Placement
Documentary
Reality Has No Subtitles
Recycled IN SPACE!
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Only Sane Man
The Dog Bites Back
Have a Gay Old Time
Anachronism Stew
Arranged Marriage
Fat Bastard
Evil Laugh
All Men Are Perverts
Bowdlerise
Homage
Scenery Gorn
Spanner in the Works
Ass Shove
Ambiguous Disorder
Celebrity Paradox
Karmic Death
Blood Knight
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Determinator
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Word of God
Deal with the Devil
Eldritch Abomination
The Bully
Narrator
Improbable Weapon User
Camera Abuse
My God, What Have I Done?
Anyone Can Die
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Armor-Piercing Question
Immune to Bullets
MacGuffin
Double-Meaning Title
It's Personal
Bullying a Dragon
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
No Name Given
Tagline
Politically Incorrect Villain
Dropped a Bridge on Him
It's All About Me
Fingore
Genre Throwback
Eyepatch of Power
Married to the Job
Real Life Writes the Plot
Malevolent Masked Men
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Slasher Smile
Film Series
Trailers Always Spoil
Sequel Hook
Psycho for Hire
Irony
Mistaken for Gay
Author Appeal
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
Left the Background Music On
Silence Is Golden
Adult Fear
Affectionate Parody
Bottomless Magazines
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Sacrificial Lion
Adaptational Attractiveness
Male Frontal Nudity
Frame-Up
Bavarian Fire Drill
Dull Surprise
Not Using the "Z" Word
Leave the Camera Running
Worthy Opponent
FaceHeel Turn
The Atoner
Dark and Troubled Past
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Beware the Nice Ones
Spell My Name with an "S"
From Nobody to Nightmare
Deconstruction
Lighter and Softer
Dogged Nice Guy
Obfuscating Stupidity
Taking You with Me
Wham Line
Faux Affably Evil
Scenery Porn
Coming-of-Age Story
Decoy Protagonist