Scarlet Street
1945 Directed by Fritz Lang
Synopsis
A man in mid-life crisis befriends a young woman after rescuing her from an attack. She believes he is rich and her boyfriend persuades her to con him out of his fortune.
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Though too densely plotted, Lang's noir melodrama is psychologically knotty as a result, with a sadsack protagonist in Edward G. Robinson's cashier/painter whose inner torment inspires a heightening of tension and style as the film unfolds. Ending is wonderfully batshit, like a nightmare that cannot be extinguished, even by death.
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If he were mean or vicious or if he'd bawl me out or something, I'd like him better.
-Kitty MarchFantastic film-noir by Fritz Lang. It has the same three leads from his prior film, The Woman in the Window, which I really liked but was disappointed with the ending. This time around I was completely satisfied from beginning to end.
What I love so much about this movie is the character Edward G. Robinson plays, Christopher Cross. He's a pathetic man that gets taken advantage of by a ruthless couple, Kitty and Johnny. What the couple doesn't know however is how close to the edge this sheepish unassuming man is. As the viewer you see the whole picture and…
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"Scarlet Street" is a noir staple that I'm not entirely convinced is actually noir(!), as it deviates from many of the tenets of the genre. For one thing, our protagonist is a befuddled bank clerk. Regardless of where it falls in the schema of 1940's cinema, "Scarlet Street" neatly qualifies as a must-see.
Edward G. Robinson was among the ten best character actors Hollywood ever saw and he's particularly excellent here, playing against type as a henpecked husband with eyes for Joan Bennett. And who can blame him? Joan is so good at playing the femme fatale 'Kitty,' you believe she could turn any man to putty in her hands.
At times the script isn't worth the paper it was…
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Another winner from Lang. Great story, great visuals and scene framing, and wonderful characters. Edward G. Robinson is fantastic, as he always is. Every time I see him in a film, it sort of bums me out that he's not generally mentioned in the same breath as big-time actors of the era like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart or Robert Mitchum. He's easily just as amazing, maybe better in some instances. Joan Bennett is excellent as well; any actresses that need a blueprint on how to play a manipulative bitch to perfection, look no further. Her relationship with Robinson's character is top-notch stuff and evokes some nice emotional responses.
I'd actually have given this the full monty if not…
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An all-inclusive window into the hallmarks of golden age noir. Hapless protagonist, a beguiling femme with a domineering, scheming partner and an exacting, cold third act. It takes it's time to unfold, but the actors, especially Joan Bennett, keep things moving with movie star charm.
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Fantastic noir from Lang although Dudley Nichol's script is the real star ('Can I bring my easel to your apartment' indeed). It's a Venus Flytrap of a story and you don't feel the jaws clamping shut around you til the very end. 4 out of 5 for the first 80 minutes, 5 out of 5 for the last 10.
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Though too densely plotted, Lang's noir melodrama is psychologically knotty as a result, with a sadsack protagonist in Edward G. Robinson's cashier/painter whose inner torment inspires a heightening of tension and style as the film unfolds. Ending is wonderfully batshit, like a nightmare that cannot be extinguished, even by death.
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"A man hasn't got a chance with these New York detectives."
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Psychosexually-inclined fringe noir that beats up mightily on a sad-sack Edward G. Robinson, leading to a vicious climax where he wields a particularly phallic icepick with sadistic force. Emasculated by a combination of his bitter wife and two-timing mistress, the oddly named Chris Cross is divorced from any trace of testosterone, a condition pinpointed by multiple scenes of him doing the dishes in a frilly, flowery apron (the throwaway I’ve never seen a woman without her clothes on” line sums up how sad he is) Sags under the weight of the likely censor-appeasing ending, with Chris haunted by the voice of his victim from beyond the grave, but Lang adds spice by linking these whisperings to the character’s sexual inadequacy,…
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"Scarlet Street" is a noir staple that I'm not entirely convinced is actually noir(!), as it deviates from many of the tenets of the genre. For one thing, our protagonist is a befuddled bank clerk. Regardless of where it falls in the schema of 1940's cinema, "Scarlet Street" neatly qualifies as a must-see.
Edward G. Robinson was among the ten best character actors Hollywood ever saw and he's particularly excellent here, playing against type as a henpecked husband with eyes for Joan Bennett. And who can blame him? Joan is so good at playing the femme fatale 'Kitty,' you believe she could turn any man to putty in her hands.
At times the script isn't worth the paper it was…
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Fritz Lang does an excellent job directing this film, and Edward G Robinson is his usual outstanding self. However the film is not an easy one to watch as you are completely unsure who exactly you should be sympathizing with until you realize that you really don't sympathize with anyone as the end result is really a mixed bag for the audience to swallow. The lack of audience perspective would bet great if the film was really more engrossing, however I found myself really losing interest from time to time just because I lacked any interest in seeing the characters. However as I stated Lang actually does a great job with this film especially the last 10 to 15 minutes really saves the film.
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NWAHHHRRR…. A snappy and perfect example of the genre by the German master. It’s fabulous. Edward G. Robinson is A-dorable and Joan Bennett is SUCH a petulant bitch. It’s all topsy-turvy, and yo-yos masterfully between humor and chills. Wonderful.
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"You're never appreciated in your home country." Lang gets scripter Dudley Nichols (Bringing Up Baby, Stagecoach, etc) to insert a little dig for the sake of exiled artists like himself. Lots of humor and wisps of cigarette smoke with Melancholy Baby on the soundtrack. You can see where the Coens' "films noirs" came from. And the Frida Kahlo-inspired paintings made by John Decker would be interesting to see in an art show. So yipe, I guess you could say this picture is a picture about art! "They'll be masterpieces." (Joan Bennett's toenails painted by Edward G. Robinson.)
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As far as plotting goes, this is middling film noir. However, the visuals achieved by the great Fritz Lang are very impressive and worth the price of admission. Also, it is worth noting that Edward G. Robinson turns in a solid performance, though I'd rather watch The Woman in the Window.
Not a must see unless you are a film noir completist or you're working on a thesis in film noir like myself.
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An entertaining and more bleak companion piece to Fritz Lang's "The Woman in the Window." Once again trying to ignore the song of the sirens, Edward G. Robinson gets caught in a web of deception. Only this time without a coda to give the viewer a final sense of relief.