Scarlet Street (1945)

Nice guys finish last....but so do the bad guys.

This is the general theme of most film noirs, and particularly the story of Average Joe, Christopher Cross.  I was intrigued by this movie mostly because it was directed by Fritz Lang, who is responsible for the deeply physiological noirs such as M (1931) and Fury (1936).  While I had full faith that Lang would not disappoint, I had serious doubts that quintessential gangster actor, Edward G. Robinson, could play a meek man who gets hoodwinked by manipulative couple, Kitty and Johnny (played unremarkably by Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea). Well, I can admit when I'm wrong; and I was definitely wrong about Robinson's acting skills.

Kitty repeatedly convinces Chris to give her money (for clothes, an apartment, whatever she wants) while dangling the carrot of a relationship in front of him. Chris, in a mundane job and a marriage of convenience to a horrible woman, easily hands over the money - even if he has to steal it. Kitty gets an apartment - allegedly so Chris can use it as an art studio since his wife hates his paintings so much - and also a sweet love nest for her and Johnny. Too bad Chris also has a key...

Throughout much of the film I found it to be quite a vanilla noir, and thought to myself "where's the Lang-ness here?" The discomfort I felt about the "bad guys" getting away with so much while poor, sweet Chris has no clue, is in fact all Lang. But then the end - oh yes, this is when the plot turns and the audience is finally treated to the psychological twists and bends that is 100% Fritz Lang, and I loved it.

Kitty and Johnny grow careless with their rendezvous, and one day Chris walks into the apartment just as Kitty is confessing her love for Johnny. And what does a man in a noir do when he finds his dame cheating on him? He kills her, of course. Chris flees the scene, leaving Johnny to take the fall. Everything seems perfect. The apartment was rented for Kitty in her name; and Chris' unsigned paintings that Kitty and Johnny stole and sold were known in the art world as Kitty's work. Even Chris' nasty wife thinks Chris copied Kitty's now-famous paintings. Everyone knows Johnny has a temper, but who would meek and mild Chris ever hurt? It all fits. Happy ending? If only. But this is a noir.

After the trial, Johnny is sent to the electric chair, and Chris boards a train where he engages in a conversation with a group of men about how such a murder would effect a man psychologically. These thoughts enter Chris' head and he can't shake the memory of being responsible for not only Kitty's death, but Johnny's too. He can't shake the ever-present thoughts and eventually even tries to take his own life. His boss refused to prosecute Chris for stealing money, but he did lose his job. Chris' real passion for painting can't continue as his distinctive work is now famously known as that of a dead woman's - and now selling for tens of thousands. He has nothing to lose. But his suicide attempt also failed, and he ends up a homeless drunk sleeping on a park bench.

The end!

You really have to prepare yourself when watching noirs - although the good guy doesn't always get it in the end, they aren't exactly 'feel good' movies; but they are both thrilling and amazing.

I read afterwards that Edward G. Robinson was much more like the Chris character in real life, than he was all those gangster characters he played so well. He was even an avid art collector.  I am so glad he was given the opportunity to show is acting skills rather than remaining type cast. And I am also glad Fritz Lang gave us the ending I never expected....the saucy dark chocolate to an otherwise vanilla film.