Suspicious of her behavior, Ralph tells his secretary Kathy Stevens that he's planning to take his wife on a vacation and permit Marsh to run the company in his absence.

It turns out, meanwhile, that Dr. Lynbury has masterminded the burglary of his own home, looking to collect insurance money after having replaced his wife's jewels with worthless fakes.

James Gregory and Elaine Stritch, having left the successful Broadway productions Desperate Hours and Bus Stop, were cast as Ralph and Phyllis.

The Times wrote, "It is a very drab hour and a half, in the company of actors who have not yet established their reputations and are unlikely to achieve them as a result of this movie.

"[8] Critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a lukewarm review, referring to it as a "sluggish study of marital discord leading to murder."

In an interview with New York magazine, Elaine Stritch referred to it as being her worst film, primarily due to her limited role; she said, "The part was so terrible it looked like I was visiting the set: I had nothing to say.

In People magazine, she was quoted as saying "The first film I did The Scarlet Hour was shown in a Greenwich Village art house as a laughable exercise in how not to make a movie.

"[9][10] David Krauss of High-Def Digest wrote that "The Scarlet Hour travels a well-worn film noir path, but slick direction from Michael Curtiz, spirited performances from a fascinating cast, and a jaw-dropping transfer freshen up this taut tale of infidelity, greed, and murder.

Excellent audio and a first-rate commentary track also distinguish Imprint's release of this little-known but surprisingly potent movie.

Though a far cry from Double Indemnity and Out of the Past, The Scarlet Hour delivers solid entertainment and makes a great addition to any noir collection."