Answer
The film noir genre is one of the most studied examples of genre theory even though most film critics and scholars would agree that film noir is not easy to define, nor is it always considered a genre. In general, scholars place film noir's "classic cycle" as lasting from Stranger on the Third Floor (Boris Ingster 1940) to Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (1958).
The genre has clear roots in the German Expressionism, a movement that overtook 1910s to 1920s Germany. German Expressionism was characterized by strong contrasts between black and white lighting, a new focus on crime subject matter, and a protagonist who is also a criminal. The film noir genre also has roots in the American "hard boiled" pulp novels like those of James M. Cain (author of The Postman Always Rings Twice) and Dashiell Hammett (Red Harvest, The Maltese Falcon). The character of the flawed detective began to form with these novels. It is easier to label a film as "film noir" than it is to name film noir, but throughout its first cycle and later "neo-noir" cycles, there are a few common characteristics that thread through the films.
A dangerous woman
If you have ever heard of the "femme fatale," it is most likely in connection with a film noir film. The "femme fatale" is a female lead character who has a mysterious past and a dangerous air to her. Often this woman is pictured as an idealized woman who bewitches and corrupts a male character, making him carry out crimes with her. Some classic femme fatale story lines are found in Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder 1944) and The Killers (Robert Siodmak 1946).
An urban setting
Film noirs are often set in cities. This is often done as a way to emphasize the supposed danger of an urban center. The city is seen as a place of corruption, murder, and suspicion. Because many film noirs focus on an independent detective or bounty hunter to take care of rounding up criminals, it is no surprise that they view the city's police as a league of conspirators. Classics of the film noir genre that put most of the action in a city include The Naked City (Jules Dassin 1948), The Third Man (Carol Reed 1949), and The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston 1950).
Shadows and fog
While critics often disagree about what standards film noir involves, they almost always agree that the visual style and mise-en-scene are uniform. German Expressionism, which influenced the film noir genre, emphasized a chiaroscuro color palate. Black silhouettes would set a stark contrast against soft gray and white backgrounds. This style carried over to American noir. Some of this was more financially motivated; it cost studios less money to light up a scene set at night, and, as many film noirs started out as B movies, this was a way that studios could crank out more and more noirs. Some examples where the distinctive film genre look are prominent include Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949) and Scarlet Street (1945).
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