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Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street

Drama · Crime · 1945

Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March. Kitty plays along, but she's really only interested in Johnny, a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Johnny find out that art dealers are interested in Chris's 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.

Movie details

Scarlet Street

“The things she does to men can end only one way - in murder!”

1945 Drama · Crime 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.6 / 10

Community rating

Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March. Kitty plays along, but she's really only interested in Johnny, a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Johnny find out that art dealers are interested in Chris's 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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Scarlet Street?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Fritz Lang

Written by

Dudley Nichols

Edward G. Robinson

Edward G. Robinson

Christopher Cross

Joan Bennett

Joan Bennett

Katherine 'Kitty' March

Dan Duryea

Dan Duryea

Johnny Prince

Margaret Lindsay

Margaret Lindsay

Millie Ray

Jess Barker

Jess Barker

David Janeway

Rosalind Ivan

Rosalind Ivan

Adele Cross

Charles Kemper

Charles Kemper

Homer Higgins

Court is in session

Put Scarlet Street on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.