Scarlet Street: Femme Fatale of Film Noir

The femme fatale is an alluring woman of great seductive charm who leads men into compromising or dangerous situations. No other film genre better captures her essence than the dark, brooding, gritty world of film noir. "Scarlet Street" (1945) tells the story of a sexy, tough-talking prostitute named Kitty and her scheming pimp who take advantage of a shy bank clerk and aspiring painter; her pimp urges her to bilk money from this man, whom they mistakenly believe to be a wealthy artist. He embezzles money from his employer in order to finance a lavish lifestyle for Kitty. Tragedy ensues for all involved.

Femme fatale: the fatal woman...