The Scarlet Web

Watched this on Talking Pictures. Pretty preposterous story, with some truly bizarre acting performances. It showcases two outstanding British beauties from the 50's British film world, Zena Marshall and Hazel Court.

I would watch this film again just for them alone.

Griffith Jones is released from prison. Waiting in a convertible is snazzy blonde Zena Marshall, who's looking for a man like him. Her husband is being blackmailed and she wants someone to break into the blackmailer's apartment and steal the incriminating letter. Here's fifty pounds and show up at our apartment later to discuss the details. Jones agrees, and then goes to the insurance agency he works for. He reports to his new boss, Hazel Court, where the loot he went into prison undercover to locate is, tells her to get his fingerprints and record erased before it becomes annoying, and kisses her.

When he gets to the meeting, Miss Marshall gives him a drink. He falls asleep and wakes to discover a dead brunette. He flees, investigates, and reports occasionally to Miss Court, mostly to flirt and inform the audience what is going on.

It's not a particularly deep B movie, but it moves at a good pace, with efficient direction by Charles Saunders and workmanlike black&white camerawork by Hone Glendinning -- I'm more used to his Technicolor work for James Fitzpatrick's TRAVELTALK series for MGM. There's little in this movie that will astonish anyone. It is simply another unassuming second feature that gets its story told in an hour. Good enough.

The one thing that separates THE SCARLET WEB from the mass of British B-movie crime films of the 1950s is the comedy. Now, I'm not sure whether it was intentional or not, however, this film is chock full of amusing one-liners and non-sequiters that are guaranteed to have viewers scratching their heads. It's awful, in a way, insofar as being very stilted and dated, and yet in a way, it's also oddly amusing.

The film stars the unremarkable Griffith Jones as an insurance investigator who comes out of prison having been there undercover and immediately falls into the arms of femme fatale Zena Marshall (DR. NO). Although she's very attractive, Marshall's overacting style makes her something of a laughable figure, so it's a relief when the tough Hazel Court shows up as Jones's boss and indulges in plenty of witty and not-so witty repartee with our stolid hero.

The plot is far from realistic and sees Jones framed for murder and subsequently pursued by the cops while he tries to catch those really responsible. There's not much mystery here and not much of anything really apart from some dated romance scenes and incessant shots of Jones climbing in and out of windows. However, Court is as lovely as ever, and you do get the likes of Ronnie Stevens and Michael Balfour in support; plus Molly Raynor steals her scenes as the acidic Miss Riggs.

Even by the lax standards of the British 'B' picture of the fifties, this is a peculiarly slapdash affair; and the comical drawing accompanying the main title seems to go some way towards acknowledging the makers' predicament (your guess is as good as mine if the title ever actually meant anything).

Leading actor Griffith Jones seems far too old for such frivolous shenanigans, but the film does boast two glamorous female leads for the price of one: Zena Marshall as the glossy blonde femme fatale, and brunette Hazel Court, initially wearing enormous glasses which she of course soon discards. There's also an amusing cameo as a fierce little secretary by a New Zealand actress called Molly Raynor.

I was a bit unsure about watching this because I didn't want it to be just another 50s lamo. I'm glad to see that it was a well made B-movie. An insurance guy is released from prison after serving a short sentence. A hot blonde is looking for a fall guy so that she & (not) her married man can get away with murder and claim on the insurance. It's a good plot and they will only fall short if the man they're going to set up gets caught by the police. There's a lot going on here and it's well worth the investment in the hour it takes to see the conclusion. Griffith Jones Hazel Court & Zena Marshall head the cast in this wonderful short thriller.