A reserved professor meets a model and gets mixed up in murder.A reserved professor meets a model and gets mixed up in murder.A reserved professor meets a model and gets mixed up in murder.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 nominations total
Edmund Breon
- Dr. Michael Barkstane
- (as Edmond Breon)
Iris Adrian
- Streetwalker
- (uncredited)
Austin Badell
- Club Member
- (uncredited)
Brandon Beach
- Man at Club
- (uncredited)
James Beasley
- Man in Taxi
- (uncredited)
Al Benault
- Club Member
- (uncredited)
Robert Blake
- Dickie Wanley
- (uncredited)
Paul Bradley
- Man at Club
- (uncredited)
Don Brodie
- Onlooker at Gallery
- (uncredited)
Carol Cameron
- Elsie Wanley
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe painting of Alice Reed was done by Paul Clemens. He painted portraits of many Hollywood stars, often with their children. He was married to Eleanor Parker from 1954 to 1965.
- GoofsWhen Claude Mazard hits Alice in the face, his hand clearly does not actually hit her, yet she reacts to it.
- Quotes
Alice Reed: Well, there are two general reactions. One is a kind of solemn stare for the painting.
Richard Wanley: And the other?
Alice Reed: The other is a long, low whistle.
Richard Wanley: What was mine?
Alice Reed: I'm not sure. But I suspect that in another moment or two you might have given a long, low, solemn whistle.
- Alternate versionsAlso shown in a color-computerized version.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Ally McBeal: The Inmates (1998)
Featured review
A Longing For Adventure
The lead character, Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson), is a middle-age absent-minded professor who teaches a course in crime. For relaxation he meets with two other middle-age men for drinks and academic conversation. Surrounded by books and dim light, the three men talk about how stodgy their lives are, how averse they are to adventure, and how alluring the woman is whose portrait they see in a nearby shop's window.
Says Richard to his two friends: "you know, even if the spirit of adventure should rise up before me and beckon, even in the form of that alluring young woman in the window next door, I'm afraid all I'd do is clutch my coat a little tighter, mutter something idiotic, and run like the devil."
This story setup, with quiet, reflective, sedentary characters, gives the film's surprise ending credibility. With a different setup, with different characters, the film's ending, as is, would be an act of creative malfeasance. But here, it works.
And Richard's excellent adventure is spellbinding. Tension is maximized because we, as viewers, are put directly in the point of view of Richard and his predicament. What would we do in such a situation? How would we react?
I wouldn't have cast Edward G. Robinson in the lead role. But he certainly does a nice job. So does Joan Bennett, as the woman in the window. The film's plot is tight, except in the second half, in a couple of sequences involving a blackmailer.
"The Woman In The Window" is a clever, well-written, character driven story about a man whose infatuation with a beautiful woman's portrait drives him into a dangerous adventure. Once the viewer has seen the ending, the power of the plot vanishes. But even then, that ending is still thought-provoking.
Says Richard to his two friends: "you know, even if the spirit of adventure should rise up before me and beckon, even in the form of that alluring young woman in the window next door, I'm afraid all I'd do is clutch my coat a little tighter, mutter something idiotic, and run like the devil."
This story setup, with quiet, reflective, sedentary characters, gives the film's surprise ending credibility. With a different setup, with different characters, the film's ending, as is, would be an act of creative malfeasance. But here, it works.
And Richard's excellent adventure is spellbinding. Tension is maximized because we, as viewers, are put directly in the point of view of Richard and his predicament. What would we do in such a situation? How would we react?
I wouldn't have cast Edward G. Robinson in the lead role. But he certainly does a nice job. So does Joan Bennett, as the woman in the window. The film's plot is tight, except in the second half, in a couple of sequences involving a blackmailer.
"The Woman In The Window" is a clever, well-written, character driven story about a man whose infatuation with a beautiful woman's portrait drives him into a dangerous adventure. Once the viewer has seen the ending, the power of the plot vanishes. But even then, that ending is still thought-provoking.
Helpful•00
- Lechuguilla
- Apr 5, 2009
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Once Off Guard
- Filming locations
- New York City, New York, USA(background footage)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 47 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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