Scarlet Street

In Brief: A remake of Jean Renoir's La Chienne (1931) —  itself based on a play of the same name by Georges de la Fouchardiere, which was based on the book by André Mouezy-Eon — is easily the darkest and most psychologically bleak of Fritz Lang's American output, which places it high on the list of the darkest and most psychologically bleak films ever made almost by default. After the success of The Woman in the Window, Lang reunited Edward G. Robinson, Dan Duryea and Joan Bennett for another round of moral ambiguity and nihilistic social commentary. Even though Lang managed to narrowly skirt the production code censorship board with his careful depiction of Duryea and Bennett's prostitute-pimp relationship in the film, it was still widely banned for its salacious setup. While that reaction may seem quaint by modern standards, it was definitely not without some justification in the context of its time. Come see what all the fuss was about, and judge this classic Noir high-water mark for yourself. The Asheville Film Society will screen Scarlet Street on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at The Grail Moviehouse, hosted by Xpress movie critic Scott Douglas.