Film noir is a particularly American stylistic phenomenon (although named by French film critics) that permeated nearly every major, minor and independent Hollywood studio production from 1940 through the early 1960s. The author examines his personal choice of the best noir film represented by each studio and includes each studio's history and formation, a meticulous plot outline, an examination of the careers of the star roster for each studio, as well as each producer, director, screenwriter, camera man, composer, art and set directors, a critique of each film as well as a series of stills that represent the noir style. The book also includes, in shorter form, a chapter on the independent productions and the second choices of ""best"" film noirs of major and minor studios, film noirs that did not make the first cut.