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Scarlet Street

8.2

14,063

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2 Related Movies

Related to:

The Woman in the Window

Remake of:

The Bitch

Original title: Scarlet Street
Year: 1945
Running time: 97 min.
Country: United States
Director: Fritz Lang
Screenwriter: Dudley Nichols. Novel: Georges de La Fouchardière, André Mouézy-Éon
Music: Hans J. Salter
Cinematography: Milton R. Krasner (B&W)
Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, Jess Baker, Margaret Lindsay, Rosalind Ivan, Samuel S. Hinds, Vladimir Sokoloff, Anita Bolster, Charles Kemper, Russell Hicks, Arthur Loft
Producer: Universal Pictures, Walter Wanger Productions. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Film noir. Drama | Remake. Painting. 1930s. Crime
Synopsis: New York, year 1934. Chris Cross (Edward G. Robinson), a mild mannered bank clerk, celebrates his 25 years of service, but he is unhappy with his dead end job and his shrieking harpy of a wife. The only pleasure he finds in his life is painting, which he does as a hobby. On the way home from his 25th anniversary dinner, Chris sees Kitty March (Joan Bennett) being slapped around by a man, her slimy boyfriend Johnny (Dan Duryea). Chris chases Johnny off and begins to see Kitty socially. Unfortunately for Chris, Kitty has no interest in him whatsoever, and egged on by Johnny, seeks to bleed him for money. Even more unfortunately for Chris, his comments about painting give Kitty and Johnny the mistaken impression, that he is a rich and famous artist. They set out to squeeze as much money as they can out of Chris, who is now hopelessly in love with Kitty.

Rankings Position

#3 Best Remakes in the history of film
#5 Best Film Noir Movies
#9 Best Movies of the '40s
#13 Best Crime Movies
#42 Best US Movies of all time
#51 Best Drama Movies
#69 Best Movies in the history of film

Show 7 rankings

Critics' reviews

"It seems a sluggish and manufactured tale, emerging much more from sheer contrivance than from the passions of the characters involved."

Bosley Crowther: The New York Times
"Fritz Lang's production and direction ably project the sordid tale of the romance between a milquetoast character and a gold-digging blonde"

Variety
"Fritz Lang's most harrowing study of guilt and damnation (...) Strongly recommended."

Dave Kehr: Chicago Reader
"Fritz Lang’s great 1945 film 'Scarlet Street' strikes many notes to emphasize the emasculation of its protagonist (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"

Jaime N. Christley: Slant
"Lang eventually refined his mise-en-scene to the point where he could articulate a character's interior state with a single shot."

Noel Murray: AV Club
"One of Hollywood's most tortuous and bleak visions of the delusive power of the imagination"

Paul Taylor: Time Out
"It's not textbook film noir, rather, it's dark melodrama with a classic femme fatale and a lot more of black humour (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"

David Parkinson: Empire
"The manipulation, erotic obsession and vulgar bad faith of this world is dashingly presented by Fritz Lang."

Peter Bradshaw: The Guardian

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Ranking Lists Position

14 My Favorite Noir Movies (303)
43 My Favorite Remakes (16)

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