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.

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.

Glynis Johns is the sort of sweet but vague woman who calls everyone 'darling'. So when a dead man turns up behind the couch, she calls her houseguests and has them move the body into the secret passage in the house.

It's based on one of Agatha Christie's lesser known stage plays. Like most of her writing, it is marvelously plotted, but indifferently written. It relies on a fine cast to bring this murder mystery to life, including Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Ronald Howard, Ferdy Mayne, and Peter Butterworth as the befuddled inspector.

It's been opened up slightly from the stage play, resulting in a four-set movie.

Sometimes it seems as if makers of mystery movies have two choices: they can make a good mystery or they can make a good movie. This one is enlivened by a fine cast, but not enough to make it more than an indifferent programmer.

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

This being a Danziger film you don't have great expectations.Presumably most of the money was spent on buying the film rights and colour.So there is only one set and Johns only gets one frumpy dress.John's overreacting is matched by Courtneidge.The music will drive you round the bend.Almost continuous and very intrusive.The pace is leaden.So a disappointment.