In film noir, frame-ups are a tool of the powerful and the corrupt, where an innocent person is blamed for crimes they didn’t commit. These stories plunge protagonists into a paranoid world where justice is elusive and survival depends on outwitting both law and criminals. Frame-up plots perfectly embody noir’s cynicism about institutions and the fragility of truth.

10 Frame-Up Noir Films:

The Big Clock (1948, Paramount Pictures)

A crime magazine editor is framed for murder by his manipulative boss and must unravel the setup.

They Won’t Believe Me (1947, RKO Radio Pictures)

A philandering man finds himself entangled in a deadly setup and a courtroom fight for his life.

The Dark Corner (1946, Twentieth Century-Fox)

A private detective is framed for murder while uncovering a wealthy art dealer’s secrets.

Brute Force (1947, Universal Pictures) Inside a brutal prison, an inmate falsely accused of betrayal plots an escape against impossible odds.

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950, Twentieth Century-Fox)

A tough cop accidentally kills a suspect and tries to cover it up—only to frame the wrong man.

Boomerang! (1947, Twentieth Century-Fox)

Based on a true story, a prosecutor doubts the guilt of a man framed for murdering a priest.

The House on 92nd Street (1945, Twentieth Century-Fox)

An undercover FBI agent risks being framed for treason by Nazi spies during WWII.

The Woman in the Window (1944, International Pictures)

An ordinary man is trapped after covering up what seems like an accidental killing.

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932, Warner Bros.) (slightly pre-noir but hugely influential)

An innocent man’s life is destroyed after being framed and imprisoned on a brutal chain gang.

Crossfire (1947, RKO Radio Pictures)

A soldier is framed for a murder rooted in bigotry, exposing dark social undercurrents.