FIlm Noir (litterally 'black film or cinema') was coined by french film critics. Film Noir is not a genre but rather the mood, style, point of view or tone of the film. It usually reflects to a distinct historical period of film history. Very often a film Noir story was developed around a cynical, hard-hearted, dissilusioned male character who encountered a beautiful yet promiscuous, amoral, double-dealing and seductive female. she would use her feminine wiles and come-hither sexuality to manipulate him into becoming the fall guy - often following a murder. After a betrayel or double-cross, she was frequently destroyed as well, often at the cost of a heroes life.