The Film Noir Foundation’s 24th presentation of Noir City Hollywood with the American Cinematheque recently concluded at Santa Monica’s Aero Theatre, saluting the 75th anniversary of 1948 films and demonstrating how relevant these films are today. While shot all in black and white and at a slower tempo, these entertaining films and their dramatic stories examine the same moral and existential issues roiling culture even now. Their very creation presents a more artistic and even symbolic representation of a morally corrupt and bankrupt universe, revealing as much or more about character and story through lighting and action as actual dialogue.

Czar of Noir Eddie Muller programmed a diverse and thoughtful slate of films with the American Cinematheque, offering inspired double features showcasing everything from theatrical noir (“A Double Life”/“The Velvet Touch”) to western noir (“Blood on the Moon”/“Pursued”), Both Muller and his co-presenter Alan K. Rode offered astute, amusing introductions before each film, providing intriguing background information and sometimes even bantering with the audience.

Most of the films feature loner detectives, obsessed, depressed, even hounded by past events and actions, but overcoming moral ennui to stand up for ethics and values. Many of these flawed and tortured characters sometimes even find small moments of redemption. In other films, deep cynicism and claustrophobia drench their communities, just as we deal with now, fighting our way through alternative facts, conspiracy, and anger.

Various stars and supporting performers often appeared in more than one film, showcasing not only their acting skills but also their often telling personas. Claire Trevor demonstrated her strong range playing the tippling, down-on-her-luck moll to Johnny Rocco n “Key Largo” to the tough, obsessed girlfriend to escaping jailbird Dennis O’Keefe in “Raw Deal.” The esteemed Edward G. Robinson showed off his acting chops, with the tough talking but weak gangster in “Key Largo” and the tortured, doom foreseeing-mentalist in “Night Has a Thousand Eyes.” A young, slinky Shelly Winters is too darn hot for Ronald Colman in “A Double Life “ and too sexily dangerous for John Payne in “Larceny.” An upcoming Burt Lancaster plays everything from a somewhat milquetoast husband to Barbara Stanwyck in “Sorry, Wrong Number” to an intense, prison parolee looking for his just desserts from Kirk Douglas in” “I Walk Alone.” Robert Mitchum demonstrates his laconic, tough guy charm in “Blood On the Moon” and “Pursued.” And how could there be anyone better as a film noir heavy than the great Raymond Burr?

Favorite character actors add their own unique touch to movies, giving nice little business and color. Sydney Greenstreet plays a giggling detective in “The Velvet Touch,” Percy Helton is a weirdly upstanding socialworker in “Larceny,” George Chandler pops up as helpful photography store worker and bartender in “Hollow Triumph” and “The Hunted,” Harry Morgan says so much without saying a word in “Moonrise” and “The Big Clock”, Charles Lane is his usual irascible self in “Moonrise,” Whit Bissell brings squirrely charm to “Raw Deal” and “He Walked By Night,” and tough guy Charles McGraw adds his usual machismo to several films. Some unusual performers appear in these noir films, from Greenstreet to Rosalind Russell to Ray Collins to Marsha Hunt to Theresa Harris to Teresa Wright to John George.

Multiple directors, composers, and cinematographers also add their own unique touches to many movies, giving some gravitas and even more dramatic heft. Prince of darkness John Alton adds wonderful atmosphere to the elegant “The Spiritualist” as well as the sensational lighting of “He Walked By Night” and the striking visuals of “T-Men” and “Raw Deal.” Director Anthony Mann adds muscular punch to “T-Men,” “Raw Deal,” and “He Walked By Night.” Paul Sawtell shows impressive range in multiple films, composing everything from rich, poetic scores to otherworldly theremin touches. The iconic James Wong Howe and Max Steiner both add dramatic, gothic touches to the Shakespearean revenge tale “Pursued.”

So many of the films feature story elements that reverberate even day. Aging gangster Johnny Rocco describes his power in “Key Largo,” revealing how one must hold an election over and over again until obtaining the results you want. In “Sorry, Wrong Number,” Stanwyck lives or dies by her phone, just as many today can’t seem to let go of their cellphones, whether driving, watching films, or even at work. Ronald Colman finds obsession taking over his life in “A Double Life,” just as demented gamesters or stalkers do today. Ice skater Belita finds alternative facts spread about her in “The Hunted,” with her life almost destroyed. Crusading journalist Jimmy Stewart in “Call Northside 777” saves the day with the buried truth, thus thus freeing the railroaded innocent man from prison. Richard Basehart skillfully employs new technology to pull off criminal capers in “He Walked By Night.” Filled with hate and resentment, bullies almost destroy the life of Dane Clark in “Moonrise.” Dick Powell prowls to the ends of the earth trying to stop drug smuggling in “To the Ends of the Earth.” In “Bodyguard,” a crooked cop creates a conspiracy with oily villains. “Blood on the Moon” features corruption by a governmental employee. Pulpfest “The Lady From Shanghai,” mixing sex and violence in spectacular fashion also combines duplicitious attorneys with fear of nuclear weapons.

As Joan Bennett blackly utters to Paul Henreid in “Hollow Triumph,” “It’s a bitter, little world,” apt in our world today in which it’s better to “own” your opponent with alternative facts than work together to better society. Film noir offers moments of redemption and despair, just as life today often seems to mix real courage with dastardly hate, waiting for that conflicted but honest hero to set the world right. What better way to examine our society’s troubles than watching and learning from classic film noir movies?