1946: The Killers

Although much was made of the film's being an adaptation of the Hemingway short story of the same name (e.g., the poster), the picture takes the story's plot only as a starting point for a look back on the killee's life, asking why he was shot. In other words, a Rosebud type of story, a format I'm not particularly fond of. Coherently connecting all the usual noir elements, the movie's great strength is the stylish, contrast-rich cinematography. (7)