Which film is known as being the first film in the film noir-genre, particular popular in the 1940s?

Explanation

Film noir is one of the most known genres of American film history. It was very present in the 1940s, and the film 'The Maltese Falcon' from 1941 is considered the first film noir. The genre is associated with detective stories, shadows and women, who predict the demise of the main character - a so-called 'femme fatale'. Another famous film in this genre is 'Double Indemnity' from 1944, directed by the Austrian-Hungarian director Billy Wilder.