The Woman in the Window (1944)

Starring Joan Bennett and Edward G. Robinson, and directed by Fritz Lang, this film noir/thriller had me on the edge of my seat for most of its 99 minutes. No wonder this BW flick scores +90% on Rotten Tomatoes: it's a winner! From the first year of the film noir era in Hollywood, 1944-54, it is definitely permeated with "a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace" (Oxford). I thought I would be thoroughly discouraged by this picture, but the ending left me feeling okay ... No spoilers. Joan Bennett was mesmerizing as the woman caught in a situation of her own making who ends up having no real choices at all. If you can stand the intensity, I recommend watching this one. Robinson is perfect as usual. I could write a whole essay about Lang's direction, but I want to keep these posts short. Superb, nuff said. Lang liked working with Bennett, Robinson, and Dan Duryea so much that they all got together the next year and made Scarlet Street (1945).

Alice when she realizes there's a dead man on her floor: 

Alice when she realizes there's a dead man on HER floor:

Alice when she realizes THERE'S a DEAD MAN on HER FLOOR: