In the early days of popular cinema, black and white movies were the norm. There may have been occasional films in color, but these were often reserved for bigger, more extravagant projects (Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz). For almost everyone else, black and white was all they had. This began to change in the 1950s, when color became easier to come by and more films began to implement it. Pretty soon, nearly all movies screened in theaters were in color, with television following suit by the 1970s.
But black and white cinema didn’t end once color became the norm. Some low-budget ‘80s and ‘90s films used black and white out of necessity, but by that point, other films were using it very deliberately. Films like Schindler’s List, The Artist, Nebraska, Roma, and Belfast deliberately use black and white cinematography to enhance their stories, world, and atmosphere.
For this article, we have curated a list of the best black and white movies, from undisputed classics to more recent examples. We’ll provide information for each film listed, and cover a variety of genres, from classics to comedy to horror.
Classic B&W Movies
Best classic black and white movies
If you want to know the best of the best black and white movies, you have come to the right place. These will be films from a time when black and white was the norm, but they still managed to do something unique. Plenty of these films are great regardless, but the black and white helps enhance things in a way that color may not.
Defining Eras in Monochrome Film History • Best black and white movies
1. Metropolis (1927)
Metropolis is among the great films of German Expressionism, which emphasize stylish and unrealistic visuals to highlight the film’s themes and mood. Cityscapes look particularly striking with the contrast of black and white, such as a white and unending sky with dark buildings in the foreground.
Metropolis • Best black and white movies
There is plenty of light during the pivotal “creation” moment, and that really comes through in the black and white cinematography. The Machine Human “Maria” (aka the robot) stands out in dark scenes, which helps sell her as a “more than human” entity.
2. Citizen Kane (1941)
Orson Welles’ most famous film, Citizen Kane is a classic black and white movie that continues to top lists of the best movies of all time. Chronicling the life and times of Charles Foster Kane, the film utilizes black and white imagery in a very film noir style.
Citizen Kane • Best black and white movies
It makes dark shadows and dark rooms look great, giving the film a very stark but sharp look. It also works for the main theme of Kane being a newspaper publisher, since newspapers were famously printed in black and white at the time.
Did You Know
Orson Welles shot Citizen Kane with the camera buried in the floor -- a technique almost no one had tried before. That low angle isn't artsy indulgence; it's the visual language of a man who refuses to be looked down on, even when the world has left him behind.
3. Casablanca (1942)
It doesn’t get more iconic than Casablanca. Among the most classic black and white movies, this film stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as two former lovers meeting in Cairo during World War II. Since the film is primarily set in the titular Casablanca nightclub, the black and white keeps things moody and smoky.
Casablanca • Best black and white movies
It also tells a great love story set against a very real (and at the time on-going) world event, with memorable characters and dialogue to further elevate it.
4. The Third Man (1949)
Another classic black and white movie featuring Orson Welles, The Third Man utilizes black and white to keep things secretive and murky. Film noir boomed in the post-WWII world, with The Third Man being a pinnacle example with its incredible cinematography.
The Third Man • Best black and white movies
Whether it’s a conversation at an amusement park or an iconic shadowy chase in the tunnels of Vienna, The Third Man keeps the suspense going with excellent performances, a twisty story, and a black and white palette with plenty of grey to go around.
5. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Nothing is quite what it seems in director Billy Wilder’s exploration of fading fame in Hollywood. Full of film noir flavor and a strong core performance from Gloria Swanson as Nora Desmond, Sunset Boulevard features late 1940s Los Angeles architecture that contains darkness and depression.
Sunset Boulevard • Best black and white movies
The shadows emphasize the themes of irrelevance and a sinister pull to indulge the whims of someone past their prime. Hollywood is supposed to be sunny, but it’s quite dreary and dark in Sunset Boulevard.
6. All About Eve (1950)
Set in the rooms where unknowns become stars, All About Eve uses its black and white photography to keep its plot focused. Featuring sharp dialogue and performances, the black and white makes it easy to highlight the differences between the two leads, as well as keep the focus on the characters and plot.
All About Eve • Best black and white movies
7. Rashomon (1950)
A period film like no other, Akira Kurosawa’s classic Rashomon tells the story of a crime and the trial to discover what happened. The boxy 1.37:1 aspect ratio lets the film focus on both the characters on display and the closed world they inhabit.
Rashomon • Best black and white movies
The black and white cinematography emphasizes the moral dilemmas the various characters have while also showing the sparse surrounding they find themselves in. In some cases, the black and white heightens the minor supernatural elements, adding an extra layer to this already complex classic black and white movie.
8. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho proved that black and white cinematography could be just as terrifying as color. Hitchcock deliberately chose black and white to heighten the film’s stark atmosphere while keeping the violence suggestive rather than graphic. The sharp contrast between light and shadow turns ordinary locations into unsettling spaces, particularly the infamous Bates Motel and the house looming above it.
Psycho • Best black and white movies
Combined with Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score and Anthony Perkins’ unforgettable performance as Norman Bates, Psycho remains one of the most influential horror films ever made and a defining example of how black and white imagery can intensify suspense.
B&W Horror Classics
Best black and white horror movies
Horror is a genre that works really well with light and shadow, making it a natural fit for black and white. As a result, some of the best black and white movies are horror films.
9. Nosferatu (1922)
One of the all-time classic black and white movies, Nosferatu is a horror and German Expressionist classic. Featuring the creepiest vampire around (Count Orlok), this film’s stylistic set design and dark atmosphere is heightened by the black and white photography.
Nosferatu • Best black and white movies
The film also makes very deliberate use of shadow to represent Orlok, which works incredibly well in black and white. And if we want to be retrospective about it, the older black and white that has become sepia tone over time gives the film a very old, almost “uncovered”quality.
10. Freaks (1932)
Among the most unique films of the pre-Code era of Hollywood, Freaks is a film that uses its black and white to draw clear differences between its characters. Focusing on a carnival sideshow troupe, the film is famous for casting real people with disabilities and showing them immense sympathy at a time where it would have been easy to simply exploit them.
Freaks • Best black and white movies
The film’s iconic finale is made more powerful by the stark black and white cinematography, making every shadowed threat that much more menacing and frightening.
11. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The only directorial effort from Charles Laughton, The Night of the Hunter is among the best black and white films ever made. Considered to be an example of Southern Gothic, this film is one of the most noteworthy black and white films, especially for when it came out. It fully takes advantage of shadows and lighting to create an other worldly sinister atmosphere and an on-going sense of dread.
The Night of the Hunter • Best black and white movies
In addition to the general vibe, the film is just gorgeous to look at, with scenes like one where John can see the serial killer Harry Powell in the distance. While a scene like that could work in color, it has a much stronger effect in black and white.
12. Psycho (1960)
Previously brought up among the best black and white horror movies, Psycho is an effective horror movie that uses black and white to full effect. Preferring a lower budget feel and look, director Alfred Hitchcock employs black and white to give the viewer a true sense of dread and creep factor.
Psycho • Best black and white movies
Whether it’s the Bates home in the distance, the neon lights of Bates Motel, or the way light and dark reflect every surface, black and white is a strong part of what makes Psycho a bonafide horror masterpiece.
13. The Haunting (1963)
Shot in widescreen with early anamorphic technology, The Haunting is an effective horror classic. A combination of wide-angle lenses and black and white photography make for a movie that never lets the viewer sit easy. Add the creepy shadows and dark lighting, and you can see why this supernatural tale works so well in black and white.
The Haunting • Best black and white movies
Nosferatu proved something directors still lean on today: shadows do more work than any monster costume ever could. Count Orlok's silhouette creeping up the stairs is the image that stuck — not his face, not his fangs. The lesson? Suggest the threat. Let the audience's imagination do the rest.
Visual Storytelling Techniques for Mood • Best black and white movies
B&W Foreign Films
Best black and white foreign films
Many of the best black and white movies are also black and white foreign films, spanning a number of styles and themes while making strong use of black and white.
14. M (1931)
A true classic black and white movie from German director Fritz Lang, M tells the story of a serial killer and the common citizens of Berlin who take matters into their own hands. The black and white photography is at its best when the film follows its villain while others try to identify him.
M Trailer • Best black and white movies
Shadows and reflections collide until the film’s effective and thrilling finale, showing how black and white works to aid the film’s themes of injustice and paranoia.
Pro Tip
If M is your entry point into Fritz Lang, watch it twice -- once for the plot, once for the shadows. Lang hides more story in what you can't see than most directors manage with full lighting. Pay attention to what disappears into darkness right before something important happens.
15. Bicycle Thieves (1948)
The prime example of Italian Neorealism, Bicycle Thieves stands as one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time. Focused on a poor father and son, the black and white lies bare the situation the father finds himself in when the bicycle he depends on gets stolen.
Bicycle Thieves Trailer • Best black and white movies
Set on the streets of Rome, the black and white really makes bare the desperation the characters experience, whether caught in the rain or getting lost in the crowd.
16. Wild Strawberries (1957)
One of Swedish director Ingmar Bergman’s most acclaimed films, Wild Strawberries follows an elderly man on a road trip. Remembering moments and things from his past, the black and white helps the protagonist, Professor Isak Borg, really stand out.
Wild Strawberries • Best black and white movies
The character Sara also stands out well, donned in white, whether next to Borg or in a woodsy environment.
17. The 400 Blows (1959)
The debut feature film from French New Wave filmmaker Francois Truffaut, The 400 Blows follows Antoine Dionel around Paris, dealing with family, friends, teachers, and general authority.
The 400 Blows • Best black and white movies
Shot anamorphically in widescreen, the film showcases Paris through the eyes of a child rebel, which comes to life in black and white. The film’s iconic final shot really works in black and white, letting the very white background contrast wonderfully on the darkly dressed Antoine.
18. Breathless (1960)
One of the most iconic films from the French New Wave, Breathless is light on plot but big on style. A true low budget independent project, the black and white gives the film a unique and breezy visual look that works wonders.
Breathless • Best black and white movies
Being shot on the streets of Paris with handheld cameras, the film's iconic black and white has continued to find fans the world over.
Modern B&W Movies
Best modern black and white movies
Most classic black and white films were black and white due to the times in which the film was made. However, there are select modern black and white movies that went with that style on purpose.
19. Schindler’s List (1993)
One of the most powerful films ever made, Schindler’s List is also one of the best Steven Spielberg films of all-time. The legendary filmmaker chose to shoot this film in black and white to give it a “timeless” feel, as well as tie it back to its 1940s time period. The result is a film that feels supremely real, dealing with a very real subject in a matter-of-fact way.
Schindler's List Trailer • Best black and white movies
The black and white also lets the film utilize the girl in the red coat–one of the only instances of color in the whole film–as a symbol of the general malaise many had at the time while the horrible atrocities of the Holocaust occurred around them.
20. The Artist (2011)
A period piece that commits to its premise, The Artist is a silent black and white film about an actor trying to adjust to the brave new world of “talkies.” Employing intertitles and a notable scene with sound, the film uses black and white as a direct homage to silent films of the 1920s and ‘30s.
The Artist • Best black and white movies
Taking from his childhood, writer-director Kenneth Branagh’s is set in Northern Island during the beginning of the Troubles. Using black and white to cut through "unnecessary noise”, the film evokes childhood while also covering a serious historical moment in time. Equal parts nostalgic and retrospective, it’s a film that has Branagh using black and white simply but powerfully.
While its use of black and white is fairly traditional for a more modern black and white film, it is still extremely effective for telling its story.
21. Nebraska (2013)
From director Alexander Payne, Nebraska tells the story of an elderly man wanting to go from Montana to Nebraska for what he believes is a $1 million cash prize. Wanting to give the film an “iconic” look, the black and white cinematography works to present gorgeous landscapes and small town living.
Nebraska • Best black and white movies
While ultimately a simple story, it’s a powerful and funny one that benefits from a more unique color choice set in the often overlooked Midwestern United States.
22. Cold War (2018)
Set in Poland and France between the 1940s and ‘60s, Cold War tells a tumultuous love story during the titular Cold War. Director Paweł Pawlikowski has stated that the choice of black and white was meant to evoke memory and the past, which helps give the film its hazy atmosphere.
Cold War • Best black and white movies
Featuring the different landscapes of the Polish countryside and the nighttime streets of Paris, Cold War effectively uses black and white to show off these different European locations.
23. Roma (2018)
Looking into the personal past of director Alfonso Cuarón, Roma features early 1970s Mexico in full black and white. Evoking memories and stark differences between working class indigenous housekeepers and their upper-middle class employers, the black and white photography shows these differences clearly.
Roma • Best black and white movies
The film also shows off different landscapes that are enhanced by the black and white, including rural locations, suburban homes, and movie theaters.
24. Belfast (2021)
Taking from his childhood, writer-director Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is set in Northern Island during the beginning of the Troubles. Using black and white to cut through "unnecessary noise”, the film evokes childhood while also covering a serious historical moment in time.
Belfast • Best black and white movies
Equal parts nostalgic and retrospective, it’s a film that has Branagh using black and white simply but powerfully.
B&W Comedy Classics
Best black and white comedies
Some of the best comedies of all-time were also black and white. From silent film classics to more modern tales, there is no shortage of great black and white comedies.
25. Modern Times (1936)
A classic film from Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times chronicles a hyper-exaggerated “modern time” with hilarious results. While the film being black and white was a product of its time, it also works as a way of showing off the lack of individuality the lead character finds himself in.
Modern Times • Best black and white movies
Full of industrial contraptions and physical comedy, the black and white cinematography keeps the comedy at the forefront.
26. His Girl Friday (1940)
Simple on the surface, His Girl Friday is a classic screwball comedy. Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, the film features some of the sharpest dialogue exchanges in a Hollywood film.
Modern Times • Best black and white movies
Being primarily set within a newspaper press room, the black and white keeps things simple by focusing on the character interactions that make the film successful.
27. Some Like It Hot (1959)
Directed by Billy Wilder and starring icon Marilyn Monroe, Some Like It Hot is among the best black and white comedies. Featuring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as two musicians in the 1920s escaping the Chicago mob, the film uses black and white to the benefit of the characters.
Some Like It Hot • Best black and white movies
Since the two leads dress in drag all throughout, the black and white made it easier during filming to make them up without worrying how they’ll look in color.
28. The Apartment (1960)
Another black and white classic from Billy Wilder, The Apartment was shot in anamorphic widescreen and is mostly set in an office and an apartment. While dialogue driven, the black and white makes the limited environments pop in a way color otherwise wouldn’t.
The Apartment • Best black and white movies
And of course, it lets the viewers enjoy the wonderful performances from Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
29. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
One of the best Stanley Kubrick movies of all time and one of the great satirical films, Dr. Strangelove makes great use of black and white within its multiple settings. In addition to the colorful cast of characters, the film uses deliberate set design that works really well with the black and white photography.
Dr. Strangelove • Best black and white movies
The film’s incredibly dark humour and themes also work well with the monochrome look, almost giving it a cold feeling it might otherwise not have in color.
Watching B&W Films Guide
How to start watching black and white films
If you’re unfamiliar with black and white movies, here are a few places you can start.
It’s hard to go wrong with a classic like Casablanca, which might be among the most well rounded picks here, along with Citizen Kane.
For horror fans, we would suggest Psycho or Nosferatu, both of which are black and white horror classics.
For the slightly more adventurous, it’s hard to go wrong with Bicycle Thieves or The 400 Blows.
If comedy is more your thing, you can go with Modern Times, Some Like It Hot, or The Apartment.
For modern black and white films, it will depend on whether you want something really heavy (Schindler’s List), something a little light (Nebraska), or something full of homage and adoration for the black and white films of the past (The Artist).
Frequently Asked Questions
Black and white movies FAQs
Many critics consider Citizen Kane (1941) the greatest black and white movie ever made due to its groundbreaking cinematography, storytelling, and influence on modern filmmaking. However, classics like Casablanca, Rashomon, and The Third Man are also frequently mentioned among the best.
Most early films were shot in black and white because color film technology was either unavailable, expensive, or impractical. Color became more common in the 1950s and eventually replaced black and white as the industry standard.
Yes. Many modern directors choose black and white for artistic reasons. Films such as Schindler's List, The Artist, Roma, and Belfast use monochrome cinematography to create a specific mood, atmosphere, or historical authenticity.
If you're new to black and white cinema, start with Casablanca, Psycho, Some Like It Hot, or Citizen Kane. These films remain highly entertaining while showcasing why black and white filmmaking continues to be celebrated.
Absolutely. Without color, filmmakers rely more heavily on lighting, contrast, shadows, composition, and texture. This can create stronger visual symbolism, heightened drama, and a more focused viewing experience.
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