The Spider and the Fly

A well cast and well paced police drama set in Paris just prior to WWI featuring Eric Portman as the professional and unemotional detective Fernand Maubert and his adversary the aristocratic gentleman thief and bank robber Philippe Lodocq played by the exceptionally tall Guy Rolfe. In some scenes I'm sure his lover, the demure Madeleine (Nadia Gray), is standing on something so as to kiss him. As the Hun approaches Paris, the French government tempts Philippe with a pardon and a wad of cash to do a little espionage. The film ends well with an unexpected twist. British film buffs should look out for a young George Cole (aka Arthur Daley)in the dual role as a trainee detective and actor. Also Arthur Lowe (Dad's Army) appears as a nervous town clerk. Note: This is not a film for those trying to quit smoking. In every scene every man smokes furiously and towards the end even the fair Madeleine lights up.

Police inspector Eric Portman (Maubert) is permanently on the case of gentleman thief Guy Rolfe (Philippe), who is a character similar to David Niven's gentleman thief in the original "Pink Panther" film. The film is set in France just before World War 1 and we watch Portman and Rolfe play out a cat-and-mouse game as various robberies are carried out. Nadia Gray (Madeleine) plays the love interest for our two male leads. She is part of Rolfe's crooked network and Portman is constantly at her to shatter Rolfe's alibis. An undercover operation finally finds Rolfe caught in the act but the outbreak of war leads to new priorities and Portman asks for his old adversary to be released from prison to assist France in stealing some important documents from Switzerland. The film then turns into a buddy-buddy movie as these two characters work together to complete their mission. Can they succeed?

I really enjoyed this film. The acting is good and Portman (representing detection) and Rolfe (representing crime) are extremely likable in their roles and play off each other with a camaraderie that will have you relishing in them working together in the latter part of the film. The dialogue is good throughout and not one scene is wasted. An amusing occasion occurs when Portman arrests Rolfe and they go into a bar on the way to jail to share a cognac together. Portman pays way in excess of the cost of the drink and when this is pointed out by the barmaid, he replies that it is for the glasses as well at which point both Portman and Rolfe smash their glasses onto the floor. It's amusing and it strengthens the bond between them. I dare you to try it next time you have a drink in a bar.

There are a couple of twists at the end which are quite moving. It's a good film to keep and watch again.

Robert Hamer's next film after 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' was this super-stylish precursor to the same director's 'Father Brown' five years later; which feels like an adaptation of a novel but was actually an original screenplay. Continuing his fascination with criminality and deception while studying the bond that develops between a gentleman thief and a detective against a French backdrop, in his tragically sparce career before he drank himself to death aged just 52 he also made two other films with French settings, one of them even called 'To Paris with Love'. It also anticipates 'The Dirty Dozen' and numerous other war films in it's proposition that criminals constitute a valuable resource in wartime.

In answer to an earlier correspondent, Guy Rolfe's career never really took off because health problems made him difficult to work with; although he fortunately enjoyed a late career resurgence in the 'Puppetmaster' series.

The 'gentleman crook' and his ongoing battle of wits with a police detective has proved to be of immense appeal. Raffles had his Inspector Mackenzie, Lupin his Inspector Ganimard and Simon Templar his Inspector Teal. Here it is the mercurial Ledocq of Guy Rolfe versus the earthy Inspector Maubert of Eric Portman. Although on opposite sides of the law theirs is a very interesting relationship based on mutual admiration and is further complicated by their being rivals for the enigmatic Madeleine of Nadia Gray. However, a cruelly ironic twist of Fate thwarts them both.........

Films set in Europe featuring English actors seldom ring true but this is a glorious exception. Both Portman and Rolfe, whose career alas was hampered by tuberculosis, are first class. Excellent support from Edward Chapman and Maurice Denham. It is of course the lovely Miss Gray who supplies the exotic touch.

Based by writer Robert Westerby on a story related to him by a member of the French police, this film is atmospherically shot by Geoffrey Unsworth and marks an impressive editorial debut by Seth Holt.

Although no doubt considered a 'minor' work of Robert Hamer this is extremely entertaining. It typifies Hamer's flair, distinctive visual style and what one critic astutely called 'his bitter intelligence'.

Eric Portman plays a police officer desperate to get Guy Rolfe behind bars in "The Spider and the Fly" from 1949.

Eric Portman is Fernand Maubert, a French police officer around World War II. He is being heavily criticized because he is unable to catch a very efficient robber, Philippe Lodocq (Guy Rolfe) who always seems to have an alibi when there's a robbery.

If things weren't bad enough, both men are in love with the same woman (Nadia Gray). She is madly in love with Philippe, who at first uses her; later, however, he realizes that he does love her.

Happily for Maubert, he is able finally to catch Philippe and throw him in prison for six years. War breaks out, and Maubert, working with the government, is summoned and given an assignment. Maubert knows just the man to carry it out.

I don't know if I gave this an 8 because I've seen so mediocre films lately, or if this was really good. I think this was really good, particularly because of the performances of Portman and the elegant, handsome Guy Rolfe. I only knew him from the film "King of the Khyber Rifles" but was too busy looking at Tyrone Power to notice him.

The lesson of the film is that, for the good of a country, opposing forces can work together. Given the situation in the U. S. today, I found it timely.

There's are two twists at the end, both of which add to the film.

Recommended, especially if you're not familiar with Guy Rolfe.