The title character of 'Scarlet Street,' Chris Cross, states halfway or so through the movie that he has never had perspective. Of course, he is responding to a critique of his artwork, however, it is the most useful bit of the film's dialogue in digesting and understanding who Christopher Cross is and why he does what he does. We are introduced to Chris at the fulcrum of his professional cashiering career, a celebratory anniversary dinner in honor of Chris, complete with "For he's a jolly good fellow!" in a cigar induced haze. It is perhaps the first time and certainly the last time that Chris will receive such direct genuine appreciation. He will never receive this appreciation from the widow he married who points to the huge portrait of her 'deceased' husband that dominates the living room as an example of a good husband. He will only receive appreciation for his two dimensional contemporary art under the signature of another's name. Although we are clearly watching the downfall of a marginal man, he is barely sympathetic if for only his gullibility/innocence, but really he's just a boob.

     Awesome director Fritz Lang casts 1930's tough guy Edward G Robinson ('Little Caesar') as the emasculated, pedestrian Chris Cross. Lang sets up the film's tempo in the very first sequence. We see a 1930's Greenwich Village street in the rain. As if viewing from the building across the street, there's the foreground sidewalk, then the street traffic, the other sidewalk and buildings in the background. In the foreground, we see a young woman hurry by with an umbrella overhead and a tad behind her, a man without umbrella seemingly chasing after the woman, as if he were stumbling towards a beautiful vision. Next up is a happy couple strolling and laughing, arms locked. The film goes across the street and into the aforementioned anniversary party, but the slight foreshadowing theme has been set to linger. There will be a beautiful vision in the form of a young woman crossing Chris' path later that evening.

     Edward G Robinson, Joan Bennett and all around great tool/thug actor Dan Duryea (as a pimp no less!) are all perfectly placed in their roles. Fritz Lang made many American films after fleeing Germany and before returning, mostly Western or noir-themed, with 'Scarlet Street' falling into the latter. His work is such a joy to relish and this is one of his better noir offernings. It was also the first film to have a protagonist avoid criminal punishment for murder, which was pretty ballsy for 1945!