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Scarlet Street (1945)

Director: Fritz Lang
Actors: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, Margaret Lindsay, Jess Barker
Runtime: 103 min.

Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson) is a middle-aged amateur painter who helps out Kitty, a young woman in trouble. Believing he is wealthy, Kitty attempts to extort money from him at the urging of her boyfriend, while Chris ends up stealing to support her. Kitty becomes famous when her boyfriend promotes her paintings under her name, then Chris' wife recognizes the paintings and things rapidly spiral downward for all concerned.

Trivia: Based on the French novel La Chienne by Georges de La Fouchardiere, the book was also the basis for a French movie called La Chienne.