The Woman In The Window (1944) Edward G. Robinson

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The Woman in the Window (1944) is a film noir directed by Fritz Lang that tells the story of psychology professor Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson) who meets and becomes enamored of a young femme fatale.[1]
Based on J. H. Wallis’ novel Once Off Guard, the story features two surprise twists at the end. Scriptwriter Nunnally Johnson founded International Pictures (his own independent production company) after writing successful films such as The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and other John Ford films, and chose The Woman in the Window as its premiere project. Director Fritz Lang substituted the film’s dream ending in place of the originally scripted suicide ending, to conform with the moralistic Production Code of the time.

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45 Replies to “The Woman In The Window (1944) Edward G. Robinson”

  2. never liked any character Dan Duryea plays. he plays such a rotten guy at times he would be my favorite dead bad guy if got killed.11 minutes left of movie yup he needs killin'. well got my wish and 5 minutes to go. YEAH!

  6. This movie is very similar to another Fritz Lang movie called “Scarlet Street” with The same actors, even her pimp boyfriend is played by the same actor. Only the end of Scarlet Street was. It happy. Both movies are great. People were slim, elegant and good looking in those days. I just love the old black and white movies,. I never watch Netflix although I have a subscription but I just don’t like series lasting for ages.

  13. Great twist, all in all i enjoyed it……..folkes who reads reviews like i do b4 watching try not to read too far down…..SPOILER ALERT!!……People saying too much, thank you

  26. I don't know why theatre owners do not re-release these old films. I would pay to see them a second time just to see on a big screen before I would pay to see a new mediocre movie. As these are 10 times more entertaining…superb acting great writing directing.

  27. I get it, Wanley (Robinson) dreamed the whole thing based on his infatuation with the portrait. Very clever if you really get the ending. Cool movie! Love Eddy G.
    \][//

  30. 5 STAR film. What  GREAT original plot in this crime noir masterpiece. There is only one Fritz Lang and he knows how to spin a crime yarn. Excellent acting all the way around especially the very beautiful Joan Bennett – here as a luscious brunette. She did it again in "Scarlet Street". And that ending…something from Oz. Don't miss this one.

  32. Filme noir da fase áurea do gênero, dirigido pelo mestre Fritz Lang, lançado nos cinemas dos EUA pela RKO em 3 de novembro de 1944. Fora dos EUA, foi distribuído pela United Artists, inclusive no Brasil, onde foi exibido como "Um retrato de mulher". A presente cópia é do relançamento norte-americano de 1953, feito pela Independent Releasing Organizantion (nos EUA, saiu em DVD pela MGM e também pela Fox).

  33. DEAR EDWARD G. FANS:  what was the name of the black and white movie from the forties with edward g. putting his hand in the window to change the time on the clock?  it was an end scene and i am BLOWED if i can recall the title.
    THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

  36. After criminology professor[4] Richard Wanley sends his wife and two children off on vacation, he goes to his club to meet friends. Next door, Wanley sees a striking oil portrait of Alice Reed (Joan Bennett) in a storefront window. He and his friends talk about the beautiful painting and its subject. Wanley stays at the club and reads Song of Songs. When he leaves, Wanley stops at the portrait and meets Reed, who is standing near the painting watching people watch it. Reed convinces Wanley to join her for drinks.
     
    Later, they go to Reed's home, but an unexpected visit from her rich lover Claude Mazard (Arthur Loft) leads to a fight in which Wanley kills Mazard. Wanley and Reed conspire to cover up the murder, and Wanley disposes Mazard's body in the country. However, Wanley leaves many clues, and there are a number of witnesses. One of Wanley's friends from the club, district attorney Frank Lalor (Raymond Massey) has knowledge of the investigation, and Wanley is invited back to the crime scene, as Lalor's friend, but not as a suspect. As the police gather more evidence, Reed is blackmailed by Heidt (Dan Duryea), a crooked ex-cop who was Mazard's bodyguard. Reed attempts to poison Heidt with a prescription overdose when he returns the next day, but Heidt is suspicious and takes the money without drinking the drugs. Reed tells Wanley, who overdoses on the remaining prescription medicine.
     
    Heidt is killed in a shootout immediately after leaving Reed's home, and police believe Heidt is Mazard's murderer. Reed races to her home to call Wanley, who is slumped over in his chair. In an impossible match on action, Wanley awakens in his chair at his club, and he realizes the entire adventure was a dream in which employees from the club were main characters in the dream. As he steps out on the street in front of the painting, a woman asks Wanley for a light. He adamantly refuses and runs down the street.

  39. seen this fli 3 times…this is EGR at the top of his game i believe…but i cant think of any film he's been in where it wasnt a tribute to the acting craft….

  44. these old movies are so much better than the films today thank God for post like yours and TCM for keeping intelligent movies around to bad a lot of people won't give a black and white movie a chance,thanks for the post. The end of this movie is really cool its a must watch.              

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