2.5/4  Scarlet Street Quick Review
A rating of about 6/10, this movie was far from Edward G. Robinson or Fritz Lang's best.

5/5 A high-water mark for mainstream Hollywood cinema
  by Matthew Watters (Vietnam)
Scarlet Street still sets a sort of standard for a mainstream Hollywood narrative film that also manages to be intelligent, literate and thematically rich. Director Fritz Lang actually reins in some of his more outrageous visual style to make a movie that focuses first-of-all on a great story, but then layers it with detail and meaning through such devices as set and costume design, as well as clever editing and innuendo. A film student could write an interesting paper on this film simply by examining the wallpaper alone, with florals regularly associated with the love of Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson) for Kitty (Joan Bennett) and jail-like bar patterns associated with Johnny (the super-annoying but perfectly-cast Dan Duryea, whose character in this film never shuts up). The use of costume is similarly rich. When Joan Bennett's Kitty first appears, in a clear plastic wrap and some very outrageous high heels, all sorts of dark undercurrents begin to churn within the viewer, as well as within Christopher Cross. Scarlet Street was surely an influence on everyone from David Lynch (see Cross' Lynchian apartment or the threatening but almost-fey quality of villainous Johnny) to Peter Greenaway (who certainly took the use of set design and costume as an extension of theme and character to an extreme in The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, as well as the concept of the sadistic, overtalkative villain). Lang also seems to anticipate some of the ways Antonioni would later express characters' inner states through settings and editing. And Lang accomplishes all this high-falutin' literary style, and even manages a social commentary on the high-brow New York art world, in a movie that also functions as pure popular, Hollywood-style entertainment. You are guaranteed to give this DVD multiple viewings.

1/5 Great movie, but this is NOT the copy you want!
  by G. Alan Hicks
No one can dismiss Scarlet Street as anything less than one of director Fritz Lang's best films. A supreme cast along with fantastic cinematography and studio supplied atmosphere help to create a memorable standout in film noir. A classic film that has, unfortunately, languished in public domain hell for way too long.

But, if you are tempted to purchase a copy of this film, DO NOT buy this edition. There is no restoration or remastering here. If you want the definitive edition, get the KINO edition mastered from a Library of Congress 35mm negative. You can find the DVD for around the same price and it is well worth the purchase.

4/5 You Reap What You Sew, Bro!
  by Craig Connell (Lockport, NY USA)
Here's another example that one really does "reap what one sows" even if it isn't apparent at first. That seems to be the message of this film.

After a slow first half, the second half of the film picked up considerably and made the whole film worth watching. Because I am a fan of many of the actors in here, I'll watch it again especially that someone has finally put out a good transfer on this movie (the "remastered" edition).

Dan Duryea did what he did best: play the cocky wise-guy. Joan Bennett as "Kitty March" offered good looks, a nice body, and a despicable character. Her foil was the pathetic "Christopher Cross," portrayed by Edward G. Robinson. No tough guy role here for Eddie G. He's just a poor sap taken in by a pretty younger woman.

**** spoilers **** Actually, it's hard to feel too sorry for "Chris" as he lets an innocent man go to the electric chair. At least he has a conscience, which torments him more and more as he winds up losing his mind.

Here's another example that one really does "reap what one sows" even if it isn't apparent at first. That seems to be the message of this film.

1/5 AVOID annything from Alpha!
  by Edward Oleksak (New Jersey USA)
Terrible transfer! Alpha is a shamless schlock company that sells out of copyright films transfered to DVD - Put this rotten cheating concern out of business! SCARLET STREET is a terrific little film but the Alpha transfer to DVD is rotten (as is the company itself). AVOID ANYTHING PUT OUT BY ALPHA!

5/5 More Great Fritz Lang
  by J. Walker
The Lang direction and visual style is apparent on every frame, and the performance of Edward G. Robinson is among his best, and often strangely neglected.

For me, the essence of noir films has as much to do with the bleak outlook on human existence as it does the visual sense, and at the very beginning of this film, we see (IMHO) the single, most perfect noir moment: Chris Cross (Robinson) is given a dinner, a nice little send off for a nice little man. On his way out, a friend asks if Chris is going to ride the train home, as is his normal pattern. Chris has something on his mind though, and chooses to walk instead.

That one single moment, that one choice... and because of that, this man will lose his home, his wife, his career and the very thing that makes him want to continue, his art.

One moment, one choice, and an entire life is destroyed.