The Woman in the Window (1944)
The Woman in the Window Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Prof. Richard Wanley
as Alice Reed
as D.A. Frank Lalor
as Dr. Michael Barkstone
as Heidt/Tim the Doorman
as Claude Mazard/Frank Howard
as Inspector Jackson
as Mrs. Wanley
as Collins, the Steward
as Elsie Wanley
as Dickie Wanley
as Man in Front of Art Gallery
as Man in Front of Art Gallery
as Garageman
as Traffic Cop
as Garage Helper
as Man by Taxi
as Man in Taxi
as Toll Collector Sergeant
as Motorcycle Cop
as Radio Announcer
as Officer Flynn
as Newsreel Cameraman
as Boy Scout with Glasses in Newsreel
as Druggist
as Fred
as Capt. Kennedy
as Elevator Operator
as Elevator Operator
as Elevator Operator
as Elevator Operator
as Woman at Elevator
as Child at Elevator
as Police Driver
as Officer Flynn
as Streetwalker
as Magazine Model
as News Vendor
as Club Manager
as William, the Head Waiter
as Steward
as Steward
as Page Boy
as Page Boy
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Blonde
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Bar Extra
as Stenographer
as Stenographer
Critic Reviews for The Woman in the Window
All Critics (19) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (1) | DVD (2)
A clockwork noir of diabolical determinism.
A strong and decidedly suspenseful murder melodrama.
It's not merely a dazzling piece of suspense, but also a characteristically stark demonstration of Lang's belief in the inevitability of fate.
The Woman in the Window is a humdinger of a mystery melodrama.
A masterful film noir from Fritz Lang's rich American period.
The Woman in the Window is a thriller in the new tradition of Double Indemnity and Laura. It fails to reach the standard of either because it lacks the courage of its murderous conclusions to an extent only fully revealed by a disappointing ending.
Audience Reviews for The Woman in the Window
Fritz Lang's "The Woman in the Window" is a reasonably good but second-rate film noir, starring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett. It's hard to believe that the same man directed this and 1927's "Metropolis." "The Woman in the Window" isn't terrible, but it almost completely lacks ingenuity. The cinematography is uninteresting, the sets and costumes run-of-the-mill, and the story rather thin. But it does hold one's interest, and there are moments of real tension. Robinson plays a college professor who specializes in criminal psychology. He gets wrapped up in a murder with a woman (Bennett) he meets on the street late at night. It is fun to watch them try to cover it up. But the twists and turns are pretty much what you'd expect from a B picture. There's also a tremendously lame twist ending built to make the film palatable to a Disney audience. I suppose Lang was pushed by the studio to end it this way. But it's still lame of Lang to have given in. He should have pushed back harder. It seems clear that in this period Lang cared more about earning his salary than making true cinema. From world-famous artist to studio hack in 20 years. What a disappointment. Lang was an Austrian Jew who fled the Nazis and ended up in Hollywood. Another Austrian Jew who did the same was Billy Wilder. While Lang's creative period was over, Wilder's was just beginning. By coincidence, Wilder also directed a film noir in 1944: "Double Indemnity," starring Barbara Stanwyck. If you want to see first-rate film noir, skip Lang's film and watch Wilder's.
Super Reviewer
This is a more intense version of Scarlett Street, and I can't decide which one I like better, but they have such similar plots, I get them mixed up.
Super Reviewer
First M, then Metropolis, and now The Woman in the Window. It seems that when Lang is at the helm, I can always expect a great film. While this is the first film of his that I have seen of his days in America, it appears that his transpacific migration did not have a negative effect on his eye for fantastic cinema. This slick noir features an aging professor Richard Wanley who is played by Edward G. Robinson. While Wanley's family is out of town, he fears going out on the town with his friends because he knows to ignore what he calls the , "Siren call of adventure." While the lure of eroticism is constantly hovering around him, he prefers to stay inside. However, upon a fateful encounter with a young woman, he becomes involved in a murder. Lang expertly gives the viewer the sense of Wanley's inner turmoil as the police begin to gather evidence that could lead to his conviction. Lang's constant use of mirrors illuminate the double nature of these characters while his use of clocks help to build suspense and shows that time waits for no man, regardless of class. To the chagrin of many, the twist ending adds another element to Lang's theme of sexual repression. While I was a bit disappointed, it does seem logical for Lang to use this twist seeing as he was the man who helped bring about a similar twist in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. All in all, a densely packed film that is not only a success for fans of Lang, but for fans of Noir as well.
Super Reviewer
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