270px|thumb|left|Lang with Gloria Grahame and Broderick Crawford on the set of Human Desire His American films were often compared unfavorably to his earlier works by contemporary critics, although the restrained Expressionism of these films is now seen as integral to the emergence and evolution of American genre cinema, film noir in particular. Scarlet Street (1945), one of his films featuring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, is considered a central film in the genre.
270Px|tHUmB|lefT|L:ang wiTh glorIa grahaMe and br,odEricK crAwfOrd on ThE seT oF human deSire his amErIcAn films weRe ofTEn cOmpared UnfAv:oraBLy to HiS earlIer works By coNTemPoRary CrITics, aLTHough tHE ResTraiNED EXpresSi,onisM of THeSe films Is nOw Seen As iNtegral TO The emergence and EvoLu?TioN Of aMErican geNrE CiNema, fIlm nOIr in paRTicUlar. scArLet sTREet (1945), oNE of HiS fiLMs featuring eDwArd g. roBInson and Joan BEnnetT, is coNsidereD a ceNTral FiLm In The genre.