Scarlet Street DVD, 1945

Edward G. Robinson stars in Fritz Lang's film noir classic about an ordinary man who strays off his normal path into a world of seduction and deceit. Chris Cross (Robinson) is a mild-mannered accountant, middle-aged, middle-class, and married to a shrewish woman. Walking home from a work dinner held in his honour, Chris rescues a young woman who is being attacked by her lowlife boyfriend. The couple in question, Kitty Marsh (Joan Bennet) and Johnny Prince (Dan Duryea), then see an opportunity to rip off the gallant but boring Chris, using the poor fool's desire for Kitty to draw him into their trap. Chris falls for the bait, and soon finds himself riding a fast track to destruction.

This is an intriguing film noir from director Fritz Lang who also gave us "The Woman in the Window". Again, the same trio--Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Dur... more >

This is an intriguing film noir from director Fritz Lang who also gave us "The Woman in the Window". Again, the same trio--Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea star in basically similar roles. Robinson is the henpecked husband who falls for Bennett's allure and even sets her up in a fancy apartment, not knowing that he's being set up for a scam by Bennett and her scheming boyfriend. A gripping film, it owes much to Robinson's portrayal of a man unable to cope with his meaningless existence in a routine job until a woman offers him a sense of adventure and romance. When he discovers his betrayal, he turns to murder. As a lover of film noir, this one rates high on my list of "must see" films.

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