The following are the entries from the OED.  1958 seems a little late to me; does anybody know of earlier use of the term in English?  (& any idea what this 1960 film referenced below might be?)  LT


1958 Spectator 25 July 134/2 It [sc. a play] tries to be a parody of a film noir. 1960 Times 9 May 16/4 A school-boy adventure story which turns suddenly and surprisingly into a bleak film noir.

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