Scarlet Street, an early noir film directed by Fritz Lang in 1945, certainly has its flaws, mainly due to implausible coincidences and the interference of the production code.
Set in Depression-era New York City, Edward G. Robinson portrays Chris Cross, a timid cashier and amateur painter. After a work celebration, he witnesses a man assaulting a woman, Katherine "Kitty" March (Joan Bennett). Chris intervenes, and Kitty pretends to be interested in him, hiding her true profession as a prostitute and Johnny Prince's (Dan Duryea) pimp.
Despite his shrewish wife Adele (Rosalind Ivan), Chris falls for Kitty's manipulation and ends up giving her money, including embezzled funds, to rent an expensive apartment.
The film introduces two far-fetched coincidences that drive the plot. First, Chris's paintings gain fame when Johnny sells them as Kitty's work, even though Chris lacks confidence in his own talent. The idea of his paintings becoming masterpieces could have worked well in a comedy but leads to trouble for Chris in this noir. Surprisingly, Chris forgives Kitty, believing her desperate explanation for selling the paintings as her own.
The second coincidence involves the return of a presumed-dead police officer, previously married to Chris's wife. Chris tricks him into breaking into their home, revealing himself alive and causing their marriage annulment, allowing Chris to pursue Kitty.
As Chris transforms from a passive man to a murderer, we see an intriguing character shift. He goes from being pathetic to a vengeful murderer, adding depth to the story.
However, the production code's influence becomes evident in the film's later stages, forcing Chris back to his former sad-sack self after killing Kitty. The moralizing undertone could have been handled differently, allowing for a more complex exploration of Chris's psyche and motivations.
Edward G. Robinson delivers a solid performance as the beleaguered cashier, while Joan Bennett's portrayal of Kitty could have been more likable and less consistently angry. Dan Duryea's Johnny, though over-the-top at times, fits well as Kitty's creepy partner.
Overall, Scarlet Street provides mild entertainment, but its plot's implausibility prevents it from receiving the same accolades as more credible film noir entries.
Set in Depression-era New York City, Edward G. Robinson portrays Chris Cross, a timid cashier and amateur painter. After a work celebration, he witnesses a man assaulting a woman, Katherine "Kitty" March (Joan Bennett). Chris intervenes, and Kitty pretends to be interested in him, hiding her true profession as a prostitute and Johnny Prince's (Dan Duryea) pimp.
Despite his shrewish wife Adele (Rosalind Ivan), Chris falls for Kitty's manipulation and ends up giving her money, including embezzled funds, to rent an expensive apartment.
The film introduces two far-fetched coincidences that drive the plot. First, Chris's paintings gain fame when Johnny sells them as Kitty's work, even though Chris lacks confidence in his own talent. The idea of his paintings becoming masterpieces could have worked well in a comedy but leads to trouble for Chris in this noir. Surprisingly, Chris forgives Kitty, believing her desperate explanation for selling the paintings as her own.
The second coincidence involves the return of a presumed-dead police officer, previously married to Chris's wife. Chris tricks him into breaking into their home, revealing himself alive and causing their marriage annulment, allowing Chris to pursue Kitty.
As Chris transforms from a passive man to a murderer, we see an intriguing character shift. He goes from being pathetic to a vengeful murderer, adding depth to the story.
However, the production code's influence becomes evident in the film's later stages, forcing Chris back to his former sad-sack self after killing Kitty. The moralizing undertone could have been handled differently, allowing for a more complex exploration of Chris's psyche and motivations.
Edward G. Robinson delivers a solid performance as the beleaguered cashier, while Joan Bennett's portrayal of Kitty could have been more likable and less consistently angry. Dan Duryea's Johnny, though over-the-top at times, fits well as Kitty's creepy partner.
Overall, Scarlet Street provides mild entertainment, but its plot's implausibility prevents it from receiving the same accolades as more credible film noir entries.