Scarlet Street

Cynical and pessimistic even by the standards of film noir, Fritz Lang's Scarlet Street is a perfect noir tale of an innocent man trapped in circumstances beyond his control. Edward G. Robinson offers a more sensitive performance than usual as Chris Cross, a put-upon husband and bank clerk who finds escape in painting. When he rescues the beautiful Kitty (Joan Bennet) from an attacker on the street, the two begin a secret affair. But Chris finds that Kitty isn't what she seems, and senses a familiar presence lurking in the shadows.