What's that smell?

Film noir (et blanc)

YT thumbnail describing The First of the Few as film noir
According to The Retirement Report, The First of the Few is a 1942 film noir.

The First of the Few, AKA Spitfire, is a 1942 propaganda docudrama starring Leslie Howard and David Niven, recounting R.J. Mitchell's development of the Supermarine Spitfire. It's a little too jolly hockey sticks and derring-do to not be cringeworthy today.

YouTube channel The Retirement Report describes it as a film noir. But what makes it so? Although it was filmed in black and white, that would make it un film noir et blanc, hohoho. It has none of the stylistic hallmarks of classic film noir though.

I suspect that The Retirement Report might have retired a little too late to have retained all of his mental faculties. (oldman)