Bleakest Noir Films?
I don't think it gets any bleaker than Kiss Me Deadly.
Runners Up
D.O.A.
The Set-Up
Double Indemnity The original ending would have made it even more bleak.
Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .
I would say 'bleak' is pretty much a prerequisite for a Noir film, but some are more so than others. I believe there would be many more without the pressure of the Hays Code and cop-out endings forced in by the Studio powers. The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry and Nightmare Alley come to mind regarding the latter.
I do agree with the films noted here - especially Detour - but I would also agree that The Set-Up isn't particularly bleak. A few omitted that I thought were pretty bleak are In A Lonely Place, Decoy and certainly Leave Her To Heaven - they don't come much bleaker than the twisted Gene Tierney character.
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"I dont think you fully understand, Bigelow.. You've been murdered."