Film noir is not a genre. It is not defined, as are the western and gangster genres, by conventions of setting and conflict, but rather by the more subtle qualities of tone and mood. It is a film 'noir', as opposed to the possible variants of film gray or film off-white.

The secret of the creative life is to feel at ease with your own embarrassment.

All the animals come out at night.

Nobody has shot a strip club in black and white in a long time.

You know, when you're in your twenties you use a great deal of symbolism. You somehow think that a character standing beneath a cross is more interesting than a character standing underneath a billboard, but when you get a little older you realize that there's not much difference.

There's no escape. I'm God's only man.

Screenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.