MovieChat Forums > Scarlet Street (1945) Discussion > The Woman in the Window is much better

The Woman in the Window is much better

posted 9 years ago by don-lockwood
2 replies | jump to latest

I only rated WIW 7/10 though I found it very engrossing. Perhaps the ending did it in, or it was never really brilliant. It was much more intriguing than Scarlet Street, however, which has amassed a better reputation among many noir fans, but I'm not sure why. Edward G. Robinson is a one-dimensional chump for most of the film, and the other characters are thoroughly unlikable. It's very slow and predictable. It lacks suspense and mystery since so many scenes feature Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea without Robinson around--there's no shock factor each time they take advantage of him. The surprises in the last half-hour were just so random, the plot twists preposterous. Didn't work for me.

So really, I found this unpleasant even for a noir, and rather one-dimensional.

[–] Loverly_outcast 9 years ago

Well, i agree that characters in the film are one-dimensional. I expected Joan's character develops a mutual feeling for Robinson. But well... you could call it "consistent writing"

My top 50: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls038441044/

[–] espdemon-18077 8 years ago

Scarlett Street is classic Noir.. the Woman in the Window is all right. There are brilliant scenes in Scarlett Street and little nuances that make it a classic film. I'll give you an example of one. Robinson's character is yearning for something more than what he has from his wife. She is annoying and obnoxious. He paints a beautiful painting of a flower. It is rather large when compared with the actual flower that he used as a muse. He is looking for happiness anywhere he can find it.. he is gullible and WANTS to believe that what he has with "Kitty" is real. Again... Scarlett Street is a fine film, worthy of it's classic reputation. A simple decision to take a walk in the rain turned into doom, despair and tragedy... Noir.