Scarlet Street (1945)

7.7Approved103 minDirector: Fritz Lang

1945 film by Fritz Lang

Scarlet Street is a 1945 American film noir directed by Fritz Lang. The screenplay concerns two criminals who take advantage of a middle-aged painter in order to steal his artwork. The film is based on the French novel La Chienne (literally The Bitch) by Georges de La Fouchardière, which had been previously dramatized on stage by André Mouëzy-Éon, and cinematically as La Chienne (1931) by director Jean Renoir.

The principal actors Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea had earlier appeared together in The Woman in the Window (1944), also directed by Lang. Local authorities in New York, Milwaukee, and Atlanta banned Scarlet Street early in 1946 because of its dark plot and themes.

The film is in the public domain.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Scarlet Street about?
Scarlet Street (1945) — A man in mid-life crisis befriends a young woman, though her fiancé persuades her to con him out of the fortune they mistakenly assume he possesses.
Is Scarlet Street based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Scarlet Street scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.