Why do scholars disagree about whether film noir is a genre or a style?

Scholars and critics often debate whether film noir should be classified as a distinct genre or merely a stylistic approach. This controversy arises primarily because film noir lacks thematic coherence; while the term is most frequently applied to crime dramas, it has also been used to describe certain westerns, comedies, and even sentimental dramas that share a similarly bleak tone.1

The disagreement is further complicated by the historical context of these films. Film scholar Chris Fujiwara has noted that the filmmakers of the 1940s and 1950s did not view themselves as creating "films noir," but rather as making thrillers, mysteries, or crime films. Because "noir" was not a recognized production category during its supposed heyday, some critics argue that the term is an arbitrary designation applied retroactively to a wide variety of dissimilar black-and-white dramas.1

Conversely, those who view it as a genre point to the consistent presence of specific visual elements—such as stark, high-contrast lighting—and a shared aura of postwar cynicism that connects these films in the minds of audiences and critics alike.12