Scarlet Street (1945)

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Georges de La Fouchardière (novel)
André Mouézy-Éon (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

28 December 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

The GREAT STARS and DIRECTOR of "Woman in the Window"

Plot:

When a man in mid-life crisis befriends a young woman, her venal fiancé persuades her to con him out of some of the fortune she thinks he has.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Party | Art Critic | Gold Watch | Wrong Man

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Christopher Cross
Joan Bennett	...	Katharine 'Kitty' March
Dan Duryea	...	Johnny Prince
Margaret Lindsay	...	Millie Ray
Rosalind Ivan	...	Adele Cross
Jess Barker	...	David Janeway
Charles Kemper	...	Patch-eye Higgins
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Mrs. Michaels (as Anita Bolster)
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Charles Pringle
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Pop LeJon
Arthur Loft	...	Dellarowe
Russell Hicks	...	J.J. Hogarth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Abbott	...	Critic at Gallery (uncredited)
John Barton	...	Hurdy-Gurdy Man (uncredited)
Rodney Bell	...	Barney (uncredited)
Richard Cramer	...	Principal Keeper (uncredited)
Dick Curtis	...	Detective (uncredited)
Tom Daly	...	Penny - Bartender (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Henri DeSoto	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Joe Williams, Morning World (uncredited)
Tom Dillon	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Neal Dodd	...	Priest (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	First Policeman in Park (uncredited)
Fred Essler	...	Marchetti (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Jones - Apartment Manager (uncredited)
Lance Fuller	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Gus Glassmire	...	Employee (uncredited)
Arthur Gould-Porter	...	Critic at Gallery (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Employee (uncredited)
William Hall	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Herbert Heywood	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin	...	Critic at Gallery (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson	...	Chief of Detectives (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Detective (uncredited)
Cy Kendall	...	Nick (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Employee (uncredited)
Fritz Leiber	...	Evangelist (uncredited)
Ralph Littlefield	...	Employee (uncredited)
George Lloyd	...	Vince Conway, Ledger (uncredited)
Lou Lubin	...	Tiny - Bartender (uncredited)
Robert Malcolm	...	Policeman (uncredited)
George Meader	...	Holliday (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Employee (uncredited)
Horace Murphy	...	Milkman (uncredited)
Clarence Muse	...	Ben - Bank Janitor (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	First Policeman in Hogarth's Office (uncredited)
Rose Plumer	...	Knitting Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Matron (uncredited)
Beatrice Roberts	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Dewey Robinson	...	Derelict Saving Cross (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Tom Crocker, Evening Globe (uncredited)
Wallace Scott	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Jack Statham	...	Employee (uncredited)
Kerry Vaughn	...	Blonde Girl (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Prosecutor (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Detective (uncredited)
Matt Willis	...	Policeman in Hogarth's Office (uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson	...	Watchman (uncredited)
Will Wright	...	Globe Loan Office Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Fritz Lang

Writing credits
Georges de La Fouchardière		(novel and play "La Chienne") (as Georges De La Fouchardiere)
André Mouézy-Éon		(novel and play "La Chienne") (as Mouezy-Eon)
Dudley Nichols		(screenplay)

Produced by
Fritz Lang	....	producer
Walter Wanger	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(musical score) (as H.J. Salter)

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Arthur Hilton

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Carl J. Lawrence		(set decorations) (as Carl Lawrence)

Makeup Department
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup director

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melville Shyer	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Decker	....	paintings: Christopher Cross's (uncredited)

Sound Department
Glenn E. Anderson	....	technician
Bernard B. Brown	....	director of sound

Visual Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photography

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Travis Banton	....	costumes

Other crew
Walter Wanger	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Fritz Lang Productions (as A FRITZ LANG Production)
• Diana Production Company (as A Diana Production)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1945) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Universal Picture) (as A Universal Release also)
• Film Classics (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Timeless Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Brentwood Home Video (1995) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood Classics (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Take 2 Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Questar Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Questar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Vintage Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport International Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• New Star (2012) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Notausgang Film (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Nova Film (1949) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Aurora (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Corinth Films (????) (USA) (DVD)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• LS Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Odeon Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Video Yesterday (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #11276) | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:PG (video rating) (1995) (2002) (2005) (2006) (2008) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1949) | UK:PG (tv rating) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Fritz Lang Productions

Trivia:

Twelve paintings done for the film by John Decker were sent to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City for exhibition in March of 1946.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The story takes place in 1934, but all of Margaret Lindsay's and Joan Bennett's clothes, shoes and hairstyles are strictly in the 1945 mode, which had considerably changed during the intervening eleven years. The featured taxicab is of late 1930s vintage, about three years too new.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bank Employees:[singing] For he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good fellow... which nobody can deny. Which nobody can deny. Which nobody can deny. Which nobody can deny.
[repeat chorus]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in One of the Hollywood Ten (2000)

Soundtrack:

Melancholy Baby

I thought it good, memorable film noir

I have never seen "La Chienne," the movie that others say this is based on. I can only say what of think of this film. I thought this film was interesting and sad, and I have seen it several times and enjoy it every time.

"Kitty" and "Johnny" are con artists who dupe a middle-aged lonely man into loving Kitty, who's a lazy whore. Robinson has a painting hobby that has never gone anywhere, and he criticizes his own work for lacking "perspective." But he's happy to show Kitty his work, pretending he is a successful artist.

I have always liked Edward G. Robinson, in every role I have ever seen him in. In this film, he is married to an old, mean wretch of a woman, his job is really at a bank as a clerk, and when a younger, beautiful Joan Bennett pretends to be in love with him, he does everything he can to keep that love, even if it means going against the law to satisfy her demands for money.

In turn, the woman "Kitty" and her boyfriend, start showing his artwork using her name, and amazingly, she is a sensation. He ultimately finds this out, and even so, only wants her love, and she turns on him harshly, saying she never cared for him, making fun of him, and crushes his heart. He goes berserk, and winds up lonely, haunted by the beauty he thought loved him.

I thought this film was great film noir, and I enjoyed all the characters. Dan Duryea is at his best as a total piece of slime, Joan is a cruel, lazy beauty, and Robinson is just great in his role as a lonely, desperate man who only wants to be loved and admired.