Collider highlights 10 underrated film‑noir masterpieces that deserve reappraisal

Collider contributor Andrea M. Ciriaco published a list on Jan. 31, 2026, naming 10 underrated film‑noir movies she says can be called masterpieces. The piece notes that while well‑known noirs like The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity are often cited as cornerstones, many daring, emotionally complex works remain overlooked.

According to the article, these underseen films share sharp dialogue, morally ambiguous characters and a pervasive sense of existential unease. Examples highlighted include Fallen Angel (Otto Preminger’s study of obsession and moral rot), The Narrow Margin (Richard Fleischer’s tense, largely on‑train thriller filmed on real locations), New York Confidential (a cold procedural view of organized crime) and Human Desire (Fritz Lang’s emotionally driven, icy drama).

The list also praises The Big Clock for its audacious premise of a man investigating a murder while he becomes the prime suspect; The Big Combo for its extreme lighting and brutal tone; Lured for Lucille Ball’s underappreciated dramatic turn and its mix of serial‑killer noir and police procedural; The Hitch‑Hiker for its stark, road‑bound dread; The Unsuspected for Claude Rains’s portrayal of respectable evil; and The Locket for its nesting‑doll structure and fractured, psychological narrative.

andrea m. ciriaco, collider list, underrated film noir, fallen angel, the narrow margin, new york confidential, human desire, the big clock, the big combo, lured lucille ball, the hitch-hiker, nesting doll structure, existential unease, morally ambiguous characters