The Woman In The Window (1944)

I haven't done one of these in a long time and I am glad to be back with a hidden gem. Now there's a 2021 movie with the same name but it's the 1944 version which I hold dear to my heart. So let's jump right into the nitty-gritties of the plot.

Plot

Psychology professor Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson) is besotted by the portrait of an enchanting damsel adorning a shop window right next to the club which he frequents along with his friends.

Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson) awestruck by the woman in the window

The professor's family is out of town and he spends the evening with his friends lamenting the boredom that has set into their middle-aged lives. After a hearty supper, Richard's friends leave but he spends some more time at the club before heading out close to midnight.

Richard Wanley relaxing in the company of his friends

Richard relaxing in the company of his friends

Upon stepping out of the club, he once again walks up to the shop window and marvels at the portrait which had never quite left his thoughts since he first laid eyes on it. In a surprising turn of events, he runs into the woman (Joan Bennett) who has modelled for the portrait right there.

Joan Bennett as the woman in the window

A healthy banter leads to a night on the town and the mysterious woman invites him back to her apartment where she promises he could sample more such pieces of art. The invitation piques his interest and he accepts it, against his better judgement. After a round of drinks, their merry time is interrupted by a jealous acquaintance of the lady who promptly proceeds to attack both of them. With his life in peril, Richard takes the help of the lady to finish off the assailant.

Richard and the woman reeling from the sudden attack

Even though there's a clear case of self case defence, Richard believes his reputation and life will be irreparably damaged once the news breaks out. The woman wants no part of the scandal too and reassures him that the man who had intruded upon them always met her alone and no one had ever seen them together anywhere. Both agree to hush up the matter rather than call up on the police. Richard volunteers to dispose of the body provided the woman (who now reveals her name as Alice) never tries to get in touch with him.

Richard and Alice go over some last-minute details

Despite many slipups, Richard follows through with his plan. The body is eventually discovered and the man is identified as Claude Mazard, a wealthy financier and entrepreneur. The case gets assigned to Richard's friend, Frank (Raymond Massey), the district attorney who unwittingly shares quite a few details of the ongoing investigation with him.

Frank (Raymond Massey) discusses the investigation with his friends

Richard also accompanies Frank to the spot where the body was found and tries very hard not to implicate himself (Next to the climax, this is one of the best scenes of the movie in my opinion). With the days passing by and the trail seemingly running cold, Richard and Alice assume that the incident is well and truly behind them until a suspicious character pops up and threatens to unveil them.

Dan Duryea as the blackmailer

Will Richard be able to escape? What will become of Alice? You will have to watch the movie to find out.

Best Scene in the movie:

The climax revelation!

Conclusion

I can't leak anything more but I can vouch for the fact that the ending gave me a thrill and left me on a high. They don't make movies like this anymore where you personally connect with the lead character's struggles and cheer for them to get out of their predicament. Now, there might be a few things about the plot that may seem implausible but do we have to analyze everything? Why can't we just have an old-fashioned thriller take us on a ride and leave us at a spot that none of us expected. If you are a lover of film noir then you can't miss out on this one.

Do leave a comment once you are done watching the movie but not a word about the climax!

Verdict: Must Watch

Until Next Time,

Your Movie Buff,

Chaitanya J.J.

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