@biggest_loser: Noir has nothing to do with the American dream, nor America. It started out in America, but you can produce a noir flick everywhere. Noir has no place, but a tone. A dark, broody anti-hero wandering through high contrast environments, having an inner monologue about his chances to fight the corrupt underworld all by himself, just for this one woman he's trying to save. These are Themes that define Noir. America isn't mentioned there.