In this episode, we explore Peter Ustinov’s puzzling claim that black-and-white film “seems real” and unravel the psychological and cultural forces behind that idea. We look at the perspective of critic Ivor Montagu, and his idea of "real." From Melville’s stark storytelling to mid-century newsreels and modern visual cognition, we examine how artists create the illusion of truth. We look at how films have been portrayed and the opinion of the general public on black and white film's realism. We also take the time to address the question of whether realism is about accuracy, perception, or clarity.