The Woman in the Window (1944) - Film-Noir

Starring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, this film-noir involves an ordinary psychology professor and a beautiful woman. The story begins at the club where the professor and his friends begin to discuss an enchanting portrait of a woman in a store window. He stays behind for a while longer and before he leaves he takes one last look at the painting. And there he meets the woman herself who then invites him over for a drink. However, her angry boyfriend comes by and he is left dead after a scuffle. Now the two perpetrators must cover up their murder and dispose of the body. That task goes to the professor and he naively dumps it out in the country leaving behind numerous clues. One of the professor's friends is the district attorney and so he finds himself invited back to the scene of the crime. The professor is not suspected but the woman is blackmailed by a low life ex-cop who threatens to expose them if he doesn't get his money. Much to the woman's relief the blackmailer is killed but it comes too late for the professor. Or does it? This noir directed by Fritz Lang focuses on a mysterious woman and psychology. It also has one of the most abrupt, out of the blue endings. Every movie should not be resolved this way but I rather liked it one time around.

4/5 Stars