La tela del ragno

Agatha Christie was a top-drawer playwright as well as a novelist, and this film is based on her successful comedy thriller 'Spider's Web' (there was no 'The' in the original title). It had a successful run in London in 1954-56 and starred the wonderful Margaret Lockwood, who also starred in a 1955 TV movie versiion (which I've never seen, alas).

In this very plush technicolor adaptation, Glynis Johns steps into Lockwood's shoes, and does a creditable job. It's a high-energy role, and she overplays her part just a bit. This was probably at the urging of director Godfrey Grayson, a competent director of crime movies who perhaps found himself in unfamiliar comedy territory. In fact, Godfrey's uninspired direction is probably why the film starts to plod about halfway through, and never really recovers.

For the complicated plot, Christie may have borrowed an idea or two from Jack Trevor Story's novel The Trouble With Harry, which of course was the foundation for Hitchcock's classic 1955 movie. The Spider's Web is no classic, however, and probably won't stick in your memory. But it makes for OK viewing, with some laughs and a few thrills. The acting all around is commendable, and, best of all, the sets are gorgeous and definitely worth a peek.

It's one of Agatha Christie's lesser known stage plays, but it's quite an intriguing mystery, with some unexpected moments, and a rather surprise ending. Glynis Johns is utterly charming as Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, the whole film depends on her delivering, making the character insanely enthusiastic, energetic and hugely inquisitive, and that she does incredibly well. She is well supported and in good company, Cicely Courtneidge grabs my attention the most, with an excellent performance as Miss Peake. Peter Butterworth adds some wonderful humour as the bemused and baffled Inspector Lord.

It's definitely well acted, well produced, you can tell by the costumes and design that very early 1960's, as it has a wonderfully proper feel to it.

Previously made in the 50's with Margaret Lockwood, It would be remade by the BBC for Christmas in 1982, for what is my personal favourite adaptation, I adore Penelope Keith's interpretation of Clarissa.

Come on BBC this one could be remade rather easily :-)

Nice movie 8/10

As usual with Agatha Christie, this is a very intelligent thriller with towering complications all the way, all happening in the same house, where Glynis Johns' VIP husband is expecting some international celebrities for the night to not be disturbed, while before that a dead body is surprisingly found. Fortunately Glynis Johns' friends are at hand, and they fake a bridge party, but that does not fool the policemen a very long way, who unfortunately have been anonymously informed about something fishy going on at the manor and come looking there for a body. No one has any idea who or why that fellow has been murdered, he is a distant relative being married to Glynis Johns' husband's former wife, and they have a child, a daughter, who lives with Glynis Johns and her husband, and she is a good mother while the real mother apparently was not. Glynis assumes that it's the girl who has killed that intruding step-father, and so the mysery rolls on. It's delightful entertainment with witty dialog and a typical Agatha Christie jig-saw intrigue of many suprirses. Enjoy!

This comic adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's lesser-known (and just plain lesser) stories is a static piece of filmmaking (basically, it's just filmed theater), and suffers from an overbearingly incessant score, but Glynis Johns is a charming leading lady, and fans of the writer may want to take a peek anyway, for completion's sake. **1/2 out of 4.

The Quick Pitch: Having discovered a dead body in her drawing room, Clarissa Hailsham-Brown is more concerned with how it will look to a visiting diplomat than she is with who committed the murder. She convinces three friends to help her not only hide the body, but also hide the truth from the police.

Based on an Agatha Christie play, The Spider's Web is a light, airy, mystery/comedy that's less concerned with who-did-it and more concerned with how-do-we hide-it. The film succeeds thanks in large part to the efforts of Glynis Johns. She's bright, funny, quirky, and, above all else, supremely entertaining. Her character, Clarissa, is the energy behind the film. She's a non-stop whirlwind of plots and schemes that are a joy to watch unfold. Johns is joined by a strong supporting cast, including Cicely Courtneidge, Ferdy Mayne, and Peter Butterworth (so good as the befuddled police inspector). All of the performances are helped along by some cleverly written dialogue. I'm not sure, however, who to credit - Christie or screenwriters Eldon Howard and Albert G Miller - but it's a solid script. And the whole production benefits from an appropriately jazzy, bouncy score. It fits nicely with the action on screen. My only complaint is with the film's pacing. While I'll give director Godfrey Grayson a big chunk of credit for the overall finished product, the film dragged a bit for me in the first act. But once the dead body turns up, The Spider's Web becomes an incredibly enjoyable experience.

7/10