Which Ida Lupino film is often called the first American film noir directed by a woman?

The Ida Lupino film often called the first American film noir directed by a woman is The Hitch-Hiker.

Released in 1953, the film follows two ordinary friends who pick up a hitchhiker and discover that he is a murderous fugitive holding them hostage. Edmond O’Brien and Frank Lovejoy play the trapped motorists, while William Talman portrays the threatening killer. The story was inspired by the real-life 1950 crime spree of Billy Cook.

Lupino co-wrote and directed the film with producer Collier Young through their independent company, The Filmakers. Its stark desert locations, stripped-down production, and psychological tension give it a distinctive noir atmosphere even though much of the action takes place in bright, open landscapes rather than shadowy city streets.

The wording “often called” matters: descriptions of Lupino’s achievement vary depending on how critics define film noir and whether television or earlier independent productions are included. Still, The Hitch-Hiker is the standard answer and is widely recognized as the first mainstream-released American noir directed by a woman.