Thanks to all who have responded to my query about roots of film noir. I'm very happy to have more routes to pursue regarding American roots in the 20s and 30s, and will do what I can to locate the films mentioned by Brian Taves and others. One result, though, is that I haven't gotten around to cleaning up the promised syllabus. In a week or two I'll have one, and will post it and mail it to all who have requested it. The points made by Brian Taves about the shifts in the Hollywood production system make a great deal of sense to me, and I have been learning more about these recently. Some books I have found useful: Bordwell, David; Janet Staiger; and Kristin Thompson. The Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style and Mode of Production to 1960. New York: Columbia UP, 1985. Parts 4, 5, and 6 give 100+ pages regarding pre- and post-1930 style AND production systems. Salt, Barry. Film Style and Technology: History and Analysis. London: Starword, 1983. Impressive, concise, solid, clear explanations of film style and technology, with chapters on the 30s and 40s. Shindler, Colin. Hollywood Goes to War: Films and American Society, 1939-1952. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979. Light, witty, but knowledgeable correlation of feature films to the cultural moment. A bit breezy and slapdash, but worth it for sheer entertainment. As far as my original question (European roots of film noir), I've had MUCH better luck by giving up on books or articles ostensibly about film noir (though I'm still waiting to get some stuff through interlibrary loan), and going instead to books on German, French, Italian films of the 30s, and looking for chapters or sections with titles like "The Legacy of Expressionism in Hollywood". The ones I've found just by browsing have yielded more explicit correlations and connections than the usual superficialities about German soul and French poetic realism. I'll name names if anyone's interested. I'm also waiting for some early American films (Leni's Cat and the Canary, 1927). I didn't know Everson was working on a pre-noir book! It's certain to be an encyclopedia of films known to a few dozen people, owned by few people except Everson -- but I don't mean that in any way except a compliment! I know someone who knows Everson well, and he thinks we could get Everson to show some of his films here. Brian, do you remember how you heard about his book? Rick Francis