Film Noir Review: The Woman in the Window starring Edward G. Robinson

The more I see of Edward G. Robinson's acting, the better I appreciate his thespian talents. I'd seen him as the thuggish gangster chieftain Johnny Rocco in Key Largo and the sad death scene he did in the science fiction thriller Soylent Green, his last picture made with Charlton Heston. In this well-acted film noir, Robinson plays a middle-aged psychology professor whose specialty is criminology. He is attracted to the painting of an attractive young woman displayed in an art shop window. Played by Joan Bennett (who I've enjoyed in the previous films I've seen her act in), she accosts Robinson. Believe it or not, she invites him to her swanky apartment to see her other "sketches" (instead of etchings?). Their romantic evening is interrupted by a large man with a quick temper who thinks she's his exclusive property. He breaks into her apartment, and a struggle ensues and...well, you have to watch the movie to appreciate it. Whip-thin, leering Dan Duryea is the particularly sleazy blackmailer. Fritz Lang directed it, so the photography is gorgeous and the camera angles are nicely arranged. IMDb.com rates this movie a 7.7/10.0, but I'd go higher with a solid 8.0. It's not gritty and hectic like many of the classic film noirs, but I like this one's mostly clever plotting, and Robinson is a real pro to watch act.