By Ray Walton

Scarlet Street (1945) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐.5

Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson) is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March (Joan Bennett). Kitty plays along, but she’s really only interested in Johnny (Dan Duryea), a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Dan find out that art dealers are interested in Chris’ work, they con him into letting Kitty take credit for the paintings. Cross allows it because he is in love with Kitty, but his love will only let her get away with so much.

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As much as I like the noir genre, it can get a bit repetitive. I wouldn’t say that this is necessarily original, but it does do a few things differently, and I had a lot of fun watching it. It’s so delightfully mean spirited. Joan Bennett makes a really good femme fatale, and I love the chemistry she has between Edward G. Robinson and Dan Duryea. Duryea seems to have become one of those actors I will always be happy to see show up. I feel a little bad for him with being typecast as playing assholes, but he does a great job at it. While the relationship is an abusive one, it is clear that Kitty and Johnny have a deep passion for each other. If it was a healthy relationship, we wouldn’t have a noir. I do agree with Kitty that Chris Cross is such a fool that it is honestly hard to feel sympathy for him. But my favorite part of this movie is easily the ending. While I won’t spoil it, I’m surprised that it ended on such a cruel note, but it was the most fitting for the story.

Ray Walton

Ray Walton

Neurodivergent movie lover. Here to share reviews for horror and non horror movies that fall into the “Dark Cinema” category.