Vincent Price was my main attraction to The Web, and thank goodness I checked it out because it was a very good movie. Edmond O'Brien for my tastes is rather bland and the exterior set for the rendezvous is on the tacky side. Aside from that, The Web is very well made, stylish, atmospheric and sumptuous. The script is taut and exceptionally well-written, the direction is spirited and never lags and while the story is somewhat run-of-the-mill the fact that the film continually makes it interesting and intricate makes you not mind so much. Ella Raines is appropriately smart and elegant, while John Abbott is very creepy and William Bendix is great fun as the crafty police lieutenant who is not as dumb as he looks. But the film belongs to Vincent Price, suave and subtly menacing it is a role that he is perfect for and one that he plays the heck out of. All in all, a very well-done thriller that deserves to be better known. 8/10 Bethany Cox
31 Reviews
Forgotten Thriller Is a Lot of Fun
evanston_dad17 May 2006
A nifty little thriller that has lawyer Edmond O'Brien hired as bodyguard for business tycoon Vincent Price. Of course it doesn't take a detective to figure out that someone is setting someone else up, nor does it take a college diploma to figure out who those someones might be. Still, the cast (which also includes Ella Raines and William Bendix) is obviously enjoying themselves here, and if they're not going to take things too seriously, why should you? It's best not to think too hard about the plot developments (like why would a tycoon hire a lawyer to be his bodyguard in the first place?) and just enjoy the slick ride.
Grade: A-
Grade: A-
Collecting a debt
jotix10031 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Young lawyer Robert Regan's client, trying to collect damages the rich Andrew Colby did to his fruit cart, is a man that will take no for an answer. Regan pushes his way into Colby's conference room where he is holding a meeting. Making his point, Regan is offered a job by Colby so he can start his own practice in nice digs. What Regan does not realize is that Colby intends to use him for his own criminal intentions. Ancrew Colby claims his old partner, Leopold Kroner, who has just been released from jail after spending five years for counterfeiting bonds, will do whatever to seek a revenge.
Regan, who knows his way around town, goes to clear the fact he will be carrying a gun Colby gave him to protect his new boss. Being friends with police Lt. Damico helps Regan, although his friend is against his involvement and the likely idea he will be using the firearm. The occasion comes when Murdock, an aide to Colby comes for him because Kroner has broken into his boss' office. While Regan is cleared by the police, he begins putting things together realizing he was a pawn to carry on the unscrupulous Colby's shady business.
"The Web", an Universal International film noir, was directed by Michael Gordon, based on a screenplay by William Bowers and Bertram Millhouser based on a story by Harry Kurnitz. The film strength lies in the strong cast assembled for the film. The atmosphere is enhanced by Irving Glassberg's black and white cinematography. Mr. Gordon delivers a good film that will delight fans of the genre. He made an elegant film that even more than sixty years later still packs a good punch.
Edmund O'Brien lives up to what was wanted of his character, a man duped because of his ambition to get ahead without thinking of the consequences. Vincent Price plays the suave Andrew Colby with conviction. Ella Raines makes an elegant Noel Faraday, the gal whose main role was being more than a secretary to Colby, although the film is ambiguous in that respect. William Bendix another great character actor of those years is seen as Lt. Damico, the wise detective who sees right through Regan's employer. John Abbott is the creepy henchman who pays dearly for his good work for Colby.
Regan, who knows his way around town, goes to clear the fact he will be carrying a gun Colby gave him to protect his new boss. Being friends with police Lt. Damico helps Regan, although his friend is against his involvement and the likely idea he will be using the firearm. The occasion comes when Murdock, an aide to Colby comes for him because Kroner has broken into his boss' office. While Regan is cleared by the police, he begins putting things together realizing he was a pawn to carry on the unscrupulous Colby's shady business.
"The Web", an Universal International film noir, was directed by Michael Gordon, based on a screenplay by William Bowers and Bertram Millhouser based on a story by Harry Kurnitz. The film strength lies in the strong cast assembled for the film. The atmosphere is enhanced by Irving Glassberg's black and white cinematography. Mr. Gordon delivers a good film that will delight fans of the genre. He made an elegant film that even more than sixty years later still packs a good punch.
Edmund O'Brien lives up to what was wanted of his character, a man duped because of his ambition to get ahead without thinking of the consequences. Vincent Price plays the suave Andrew Colby with conviction. Ella Raines makes an elegant Noel Faraday, the gal whose main role was being more than a secretary to Colby, although the film is ambiguous in that respect. William Bendix another great character actor of those years is seen as Lt. Damico, the wise detective who sees right through Regan's employer. John Abbott is the creepy henchman who pays dearly for his good work for Colby.
A Slickly Spun Snare
dougdoepke17 February 2011
A delight for old movie fans—perfectly cast, engagingly scripted, and generally unpredictable. O'Brien's a brash, penny-ante lawyer who hooks up with slick, financial tycoon Price and his silken mistress- secretary Raines. Somebody's going to get taken for a ride, but who. O'Brien's so good at playing fast-talking operators, while Price calibrates (no hamming here) surprisingly well as a sly fox. And the long haired Raines looks absolutely ravishing as the cool and calculating Noel. Judged from this showcase, it's really too bad that O'Brien and Raines have slipped into obscurity. Also, catch John Abbott as Charles, the rather mysterious factotum. He always adds eccentric color to his parts.
Those early scenes of O'Brien getting entangled are expertly scripted with sharply drawn characters. The banter is especially engaging without being cutesy or competitive with the story. I also like the way O'Brien's character (Regan) is kept purposely ambiguous, adding an element of unpredictability to the story's direction. Bendix's crafty cop is nicely conceived too. His scenes with O'Brien are little gems of sly one-upmanship. My only complaint is that tacky exterior set where O'Brien and Raines rendezvous. Doing the outdoors on a sound stage was always a challenge for the studios.
Anyway, the movie comes as a pleasant, noirish surprise, again demonstrating the vitality of post-war Hollywood.
Those early scenes of O'Brien getting entangled are expertly scripted with sharply drawn characters. The banter is especially engaging without being cutesy or competitive with the story. I also like the way O'Brien's character (Regan) is kept purposely ambiguous, adding an element of unpredictability to the story's direction. Bendix's crafty cop is nicely conceived too. His scenes with O'Brien are little gems of sly one-upmanship. My only complaint is that tacky exterior set where O'Brien and Raines rendezvous. Doing the outdoors on a sound stage was always a challenge for the studios.
Anyway, the movie comes as a pleasant, noirish surprise, again demonstrating the vitality of post-war Hollywood.
I'm a lawyer not a bodyguard.
hitchcockthelegend23 August 2015
The Web is directed by Michael Gordon and collectively written by William Bowers, Bertram Millhauser and Harry Kurnitz. It stars Edmond O'Brien, Ella Raines, William Bendix and Vincent Price. Music is by Hans J. Salter and cinematography by Irving Glassberg.
A good and solid film noir from one of the golden years of the film making style. Plot pitches O'Brien as a small time lawyer, who after impressing crafty businessman Vincent Price with his commitment to his work, gets hired as a minder since Price is worried about an old associate who has apparently issued a death threat. Sure enough all is not as it seems and before long O'Brien finds himself under scrutiny for the death of the associate.
The writing isn't great as per the twists and turns, they are all signposted and lit up in bold letters, yet this is a small complaint because the fun is in the characterisations and the scripted dialogue. O'Brien has the quips and bravado, Raines the sexy smoulder and Price the weasel machinations. Bendix as a good cop is a little too out in the periphery of things to truly impact on the narrative in the way his fans would like, but his scenes with O'Brien are a joy and sparkle with prickly sarcasm, while Gordon and Glassberg bring the film noir style via the requisite amount of shadow play and camera tilts (love those slats and balustrades).
Nifty noir tech credits cosy up with a likable hero, a sassy femme, a slimy villain and big bad Billy Bendix = Score! 7/10
A good and solid film noir from one of the golden years of the film making style. Plot pitches O'Brien as a small time lawyer, who after impressing crafty businessman Vincent Price with his commitment to his work, gets hired as a minder since Price is worried about an old associate who has apparently issued a death threat. Sure enough all is not as it seems and before long O'Brien finds himself under scrutiny for the death of the associate.
The writing isn't great as per the twists and turns, they are all signposted and lit up in bold letters, yet this is a small complaint because the fun is in the characterisations and the scripted dialogue. O'Brien has the quips and bravado, Raines the sexy smoulder and Price the weasel machinations. Bendix as a good cop is a little too out in the periphery of things to truly impact on the narrative in the way his fans would like, but his scenes with O'Brien are a joy and sparkle with prickly sarcasm, while Gordon and Glassberg bring the film noir style via the requisite amount of shadow play and camera tilts (love those slats and balustrades).
Nifty noir tech credits cosy up with a likable hero, a sassy femme, a slimy villain and big bad Billy Bendix = Score! 7/10
Not A Bad Crime Story.
rmax30482315 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Vincent Price is the phlegmatic murderous, thieving millionaire. He has a live-in secretary, Ella Raines, just like every other phlegmatic murderous, thieving millionaire. He contacts small-time lawyer Edmond O'Brien and hires him as a kind of bodyguard, claiming that his life was threatened by a former business partner, recently released from the slams. Price stages a situation in which O'Brien must shoot and kill the former partner in the belief that it is self defense. The police lieutenant, William Bendix, is skeptical of the entire affair -- and he should be. But he spends the entire movie trying to pin the murders -- there's a later pragmatic murder too -- on O'Brien instead of the smooth Vincent Price.
It's essentially a B movie plot with some elements, especially in the dialog, that are not exactly witty but at least clever. Some thought went into the writing. The direction of Michael Gordon is pedestrian. There are a few night-time scenes with odd shadows and wet streets but this is not a film noir by any normal definition. It's just a story of murder, theft, intrigue, and romance, with a bit of comic brashness thrown in.
Edmond O'Brien began his career as a handsome young leading man in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in 1939, opposite the exquisite Maureen O'Hara. Then, immediately afterward it seems, he became flabby without ever becoming genuinely fat. He turned in some nice performances as a dying but still vital man in "DOA" and as the somewhat dim-witted Casca in MGM's "Julius Caesar." He was even better as the washed out, blurry, Southern senator in "Seven Days in May." Here, he gets the job done in a professional way.
Ella Raines was really beautiful in an entirely conventional way. It was principally her hair that did the job, a cascade of dark and shiny tresses ending with a margin of curls. Any normal man would love to run his toes through it. She seems to have taken some acting lessons from Lauren Bacall's early performances because she's languid and sultry and makes the most of her sex appeal.
Vincent Price was an aesthete and a genuinely nice guy, with whom everyone seemed to enjoy working. His role here is liminal -- somewhere between his earnest performances of the mid-40s and the tongue-in-cheek villainy of the 60s. He seems sincerely regretful about the need to kill his loyal and gorgeous secretary.
Overall, it's a success, though a minor one. We pretty much know what the ending will look like, with the snooty Price in chains, and O'Brien and Raines in a final clinch. Bendix mainly abets the romance.
It's essentially a B movie plot with some elements, especially in the dialog, that are not exactly witty but at least clever. Some thought went into the writing. The direction of Michael Gordon is pedestrian. There are a few night-time scenes with odd shadows and wet streets but this is not a film noir by any normal definition. It's just a story of murder, theft, intrigue, and romance, with a bit of comic brashness thrown in.
Edmond O'Brien began his career as a handsome young leading man in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in 1939, opposite the exquisite Maureen O'Hara. Then, immediately afterward it seems, he became flabby without ever becoming genuinely fat. He turned in some nice performances as a dying but still vital man in "DOA" and as the somewhat dim-witted Casca in MGM's "Julius Caesar." He was even better as the washed out, blurry, Southern senator in "Seven Days in May." Here, he gets the job done in a professional way.
Ella Raines was really beautiful in an entirely conventional way. It was principally her hair that did the job, a cascade of dark and shiny tresses ending with a margin of curls. Any normal man would love to run his toes through it. She seems to have taken some acting lessons from Lauren Bacall's early performances because she's languid and sultry and makes the most of her sex appeal.
Vincent Price was an aesthete and a genuinely nice guy, with whom everyone seemed to enjoy working. His role here is liminal -- somewhere between his earnest performances of the mid-40s and the tongue-in-cheek villainy of the 60s. He seems sincerely regretful about the need to kill his loyal and gorgeous secretary.
Overall, it's a success, though a minor one. We pretty much know what the ending will look like, with the snooty Price in chains, and O'Brien and Raines in a final clinch. Bendix mainly abets the romance.
Ella Raines Promoted to one of my screen Goddesses
howardmorley20 April 2014
My wife and I visited our vintage DVD store at Camden Lock, north London the other day, for my Easter 2014 treat which was to buy some more dvds for my collection of mainly 1940s & 50s film dramas.I am thinking now of promoting the lovely Ella Raines to one of my favourite screen goddesses after seeing "The Web"(1947).By the way, I especially collect Margaret Lockwood, Vivien Leigh, Jean Simmons,Gene Tierney,Jennifer Jones, Ava Gardner & Hedy Lamarr films.So far I have "Impact" (1949), "La Dama Desconocida","Tall in the Saddle","The Suspect" all from (1944) and now I have "The Web" (1947).
Ella always brilliantly and naturally plays the true American heroine in her movies and she has the most engaging smile which melts my heart whenever I see her act on screen.I will definitely look out for more vintage movies of Ella.As to the film I award it 7/10 as it is well written with a fine cast which includes arch horror actor Vincent Price as a youngish actor.I do not see Edmund O'Brian as a particularly romantic lead however.There are a few "red herrings" in the script but the viewer soon ascertains who is the true villain.I believe the complete film is now available on www.youtube.com
Ella always brilliantly and naturally plays the true American heroine in her movies and she has the most engaging smile which melts my heart whenever I see her act on screen.I will definitely look out for more vintage movies of Ella.As to the film I award it 7/10 as it is well written with a fine cast which includes arch horror actor Vincent Price as a youngish actor.I do not see Edmund O'Brian as a particularly romantic lead however.There are a few "red herrings" in the script but the viewer soon ascertains who is the true villain.I believe the complete film is now available on www.youtube.com
Taut, well-acted and well-plotted thriller.
rollo_tomaso14 May 2001
Ella Raines was one of the best and most under-utilized actresses of the 40's. She was great in Phantom Lady and Tall In The Saddle, and is even better in the Web. And Bendix, O'Brien, and Price all equal her in excellence. But, the writing is the single most above-average thing about this all-but-forgotten little gem. It is exceedingly well[plotted, suspenseful, and surprising without ever seeming the least bit contrived. Mystery fans should track AMC carefully to be sure to catch this one next time around.
pretty good noir
blanche-216 February 2021
A strong cast and a neat story make up "The Web" from 1947, starring Edmond O'Brien, Ella Raines, Vincent Price, and William Bendix.
O'Brien is an attorney, Regan, who is hired for an exorbitant amount of money to be the bodyguard for a tycoon, Andrew Colby (Price). He is frightened of a former employee who has just been released from prison.
Regan meets Colby's beautiful secretary-girlfriend Noel (Raines) - she seems to be living in Colby's house, which makes me wonder where the censors were. Regan falls for her. After the released convict seemingly breaks into Colby's home, Regan kills him. Then he starts to think he's been set up.
Enjoyable noir with Raines a knockout - she's one of my favorite actresses of that era - and Price before his horror days and very effective.
Neat plot.
O'Brien is an attorney, Regan, who is hired for an exorbitant amount of money to be the bodyguard for a tycoon, Andrew Colby (Price). He is frightened of a former employee who has just been released from prison.
Regan meets Colby's beautiful secretary-girlfriend Noel (Raines) - she seems to be living in Colby's house, which makes me wonder where the censors were. Regan falls for her. After the released convict seemingly breaks into Colby's home, Regan kills him. Then he starts to think he's been set up.
Enjoyable noir with Raines a knockout - she's one of my favorite actresses of that era - and Price before his horror days and very effective.
Neat plot.
Better than your average potboiler!
mikequinlan615 February 2014
Surprisingly good unknown noir, featuring fine work from noir regulars Ella Raines, William Bendix, Vincent Price and Edmund O'Brien. Taut, well-acted, although rather unsurprisingly plotted and photographed, this is quite a satisfying diversion.
Ms. Raines, a competent actress, seems to have relied on her 'ironed' and particularly sleek tresses to carry her career forward. Price, always elevated because of his voice, poise and diction, carries another role both admirably and distastefully. Edmond O'Brien, oleaginous and plump, doesn't sweat as much as usual, although he is subjected to a hotter than usual roasting from... William Bendix, who many of my generation recall as the harmlessly bumbling Riley in 'The Life of Riley' TV series of the 1950's, once again reprises his role as a hard as nails, street-wise tough guy as the police detective.
Great ensemble cast of noir regulars, good pacing and direction, mostly mediocre dialog and music and cinematography, yet still a joy to watch.
Ms. Raines, a competent actress, seems to have relied on her 'ironed' and particularly sleek tresses to carry her career forward. Price, always elevated because of his voice, poise and diction, carries another role both admirably and distastefully. Edmond O'Brien, oleaginous and plump, doesn't sweat as much as usual, although he is subjected to a hotter than usual roasting from... William Bendix, who many of my generation recall as the harmlessly bumbling Riley in 'The Life of Riley' TV series of the 1950's, once again reprises his role as a hard as nails, street-wise tough guy as the police detective.
Great ensemble cast of noir regulars, good pacing and direction, mostly mediocre dialog and music and cinematography, yet still a joy to watch.
Seasoned cast redeems run-of-the-mill noirish mystery
bmacv25 February 2002
Despite some atmospherically dark camerawork in the midtown streets and cavernous brownstones, The Web keeps its tone on the lighter side. Set among Manhattan sophisticates, it gathers together Edmond O'Brien, Ella Raines, Vincent Price and William Bendix. That reads like a recipe for a succulent film noir; not quite that, The Web is noirish enough and satisfying.
Rich and ruthless industrialist Price hires poor but honest lawyer O'Brien as his bodyguard. His first night on the job, O'Brien shoots and kills an intruder, an old associate of Price's just out of prison. The killing looks suspicious to a street-smart police detective (Bendix), who lacks the evidence to bring a charge. But when the murdered man's daughter tries to kill him in revenge, O'Brien starts to have second thoughts ("Was I set up?"); he also starts to have amorous thoughts about Price's Gal Friday (Raines).
The performers redeem the run-of-the-mill material. Price reminds us what a smug villain he could be before horror movies snatched his soul. For once neither a dim-witted sidekick nor a brute, Bendix convinces us as a shrewd cop. Raines -- a star in two early Robert Siodmak noirs (Phantom Lady and Uncle Harry) -- leads us to wonder why her career never took flight; sleek, quick and smart, she's every bit as good as her contemporary Lauren Bacall. Only O'Brien fails to impress; he always plays O'Brien and works better co-starring than in the lead.
Like The Crack-Up and The Unsuspected, TheWeb is a suspense thriller that happens to fall under the influence of the noir cycle that was reaching full speed in 1947. It's fun, but far from canonical.
Rich and ruthless industrialist Price hires poor but honest lawyer O'Brien as his bodyguard. His first night on the job, O'Brien shoots and kills an intruder, an old associate of Price's just out of prison. The killing looks suspicious to a street-smart police detective (Bendix), who lacks the evidence to bring a charge. But when the murdered man's daughter tries to kill him in revenge, O'Brien starts to have second thoughts ("Was I set up?"); he also starts to have amorous thoughts about Price's Gal Friday (Raines).
The performers redeem the run-of-the-mill material. Price reminds us what a smug villain he could be before horror movies snatched his soul. For once neither a dim-witted sidekick nor a brute, Bendix convinces us as a shrewd cop. Raines -- a star in two early Robert Siodmak noirs (Phantom Lady and Uncle Harry) -- leads us to wonder why her career never took flight; sleek, quick and smart, she's every bit as good as her contemporary Lauren Bacall. Only O'Brien fails to impress; he always plays O'Brien and works better co-starring than in the lead.
Like The Crack-Up and The Unsuspected, TheWeb is a suspense thriller that happens to fall under the influence of the noir cycle that was reaching full speed in 1947. It's fun, but far from canonical.
Elegant Escapism
telegonus10 December 2002
The Web is one of dozens of forties thrillers featuring private detectives and the rich men who hire them, the beautiful women who love them, and the police, who invariably hamper their efforts to unravel the clues to intricate mysteries, the details of which are explained with astonishing clarity in the end, despite the fact that most viewers can scarcely be expected to keep track of all the evidence. This one is more elegant than most, with plush settings and striking photography. There's a touch of Laura here, thanks to the casting of Vincent Price and the character he plays, as well as a bit of the Chandler private eye cycle in the character of Edmond O'Brien's detective. Ella Raines makes a beautiful heroine, and Bill Bendix is on hand as the no-nonsense cop. Michael Gordon directs smoothly, and everything comes together in the end. There's nothing remarkable in The Web, which is just a cut above the generic, but it works like a Swiss watch.
Good and I guess lost film noir
searchanddestroy-116 February 2022
I prefered Vincent Price in SHOCK, several years earlier, but in this one, he palys a role that would have suit to George Sanders, I am sure. O Brien is also at the right place in this good smart crime scheme. Ella Raines is superb, and I realize now that she was a damn good actress but maybe too neglected by the producers. Not a masterpiece though, bringing a predictable ending. Don't expect any surprise, just enjoy the atmosphere and actors play.
Only mystery is why people think it's good
rhoda-93 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I have never understood why anyone gave Edmond O'Brien the leading role in numerous movies, and why anyone would want to watch them. I saw this because I like Ella Raines (charming, adorable smile, a kind of brunette Veronica Lake) and because Vincent Price can be interestingly creepy. But O'Brien's presence is no help to this extremely obvious, plodding film. He is, as always, clumsy, sheepish, and self-deprecating, with the world's most insincere smile. He confesses past failures with girls like someone begging for pity, not like someone being honest and amused at himself. He is, in words of one syllable, a big dumb lug.
There is, of course, no chemistry between him and Raines, but her character is already murky because of her association with Price. She is his secretary, but is she or is she not his lover? The script clearly wants to avoid any impression that she is a Bad Girl, but she talks about having gone with Price to Paris, and she spends so much time in his house she practically lives there. Then there is the wheezy-voiced, loutish William Bendix, whose purpose on earth seems to be to make Edmond O'Brien look attractive.
Worst of all is the script--an obvious frame-up is immediately questioned by both O'Brien and the police. The former tries, with an extremely inept trick, to get the goods on Price, who isn't fooled for a minute. But it's all right because the cops are secretly still on the case, and have tricks of their own--including a doctor's report that is totally ridiculous and unbelievable but that shakes Price to his core. The whole thing has an air of nobody having tried very hard.
There is, of course, no chemistry between him and Raines, but her character is already murky because of her association with Price. She is his secretary, but is she or is she not his lover? The script clearly wants to avoid any impression that she is a Bad Girl, but she talks about having gone with Price to Paris, and she spends so much time in his house she practically lives there. Then there is the wheezy-voiced, loutish William Bendix, whose purpose on earth seems to be to make Edmond O'Brien look attractive.
Worst of all is the script--an obvious frame-up is immediately questioned by both O'Brien and the police. The former tries, with an extremely inept trick, to get the goods on Price, who isn't fooled for a minute. But it's all right because the cops are secretly still on the case, and have tricks of their own--including a doctor's report that is totally ridiculous and unbelievable but that shakes Price to his core. The whole thing has an air of nobody having tried very hard.
"You get framed more than any guy I ever met"
ackstasis10 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Michael Gordon's 'The Web (1947)' is an obscure crime thriller, but you wouldn't have guessed it from the cast list. Edmond O'Brien can always play an unconventional noir hero – not the sort who is continually in control, but one with a accidental tendency to get into more trouble than he can handle. Vincent Price originally made his name with a string of devious supporting roles in 1940s dramas, including 'Laura (1944)' and 'Dragonwyck (1946).' William Bendix is, of course, a staple of the film noir movement, and here he proves that his range extends beyond playing sadistic brutes and weak-willed buffoons. Femme fatale Ella Raines is less well-known than her co-stars, but, based on this film and her comedic turn in 'The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947),' she had quite a bit of talent. It's not just the cast that is excellent, though. The screenplay by William Bowers and Bertram Millhauser (the latter of whom penned a number of Basil Rathbone's "Sherlock Holmes" mysteries) has plenty of unexpected surprises around the corner.
Bob Regan (O'Brien) is a two-bit lawyer with the bluster of a high-price attorney. In his first scene, Regan sidles through a busy reception office, offends a secretary (Raines) with some surprisingly-forward sexual banter, before busting in on millionaire businessman Andrew Colby (Price) and demanding the sum of exactly $68.72. Impressed with Regan's passion for the job, Colby hires him for a high-paying, two-week stint as a personal bodyguard. However, when Regan guns down Leopold Kroner (Fritz Leiber), a former associate of Colby's who was recently released from prison, he finds himself in hot water with detective Damico (Bendix), who scents murder. Desperate to clear his name, Regan begins to investigate Colby's shady dealings, reluctantly exploiting the affections of secretary Noel Faraday for information. Meanwhile, Vincent Price's articulate, calculating Colby plots the coup de grâce of his high-stakes crime spree, culminating in a murder frame-up that initially seems so airtight that I couldn't imagine any way for our hero to get out of it.
Though it doesn't necessarily offer any new material for the film noir lexicon, nor does 'The Web' feel contrived. The romance between O'Brien and Raines could easily have been squandered with melodrama, but the film always keeps their relationship edgy. Noel's affections, for one, are clearly split between Regan and Colby, whose association with her visibly extends beyond the professional realm ("I recognise him when I see him"). Regan himself, while essentially good-hearted, has a clumsy crudeness about him where women are concerned, in contrast with Colby, who always knows what to say and how to say it. There's something subtly fascinating about Price's 1940s performances; it has to do with how he speaks. When his character is telling an untruth, he does so in a manner that, to us, reeks of deception, and yet we can perfectly understand why the film's characters – say, a policeman – swallow the lie whole. He toes a fine line, and yet manages to suspend the audience's disbelief. Maybe that's why Price got away with starring in so many awful movies.
Bob Regan (O'Brien) is a two-bit lawyer with the bluster of a high-price attorney. In his first scene, Regan sidles through a busy reception office, offends a secretary (Raines) with some surprisingly-forward sexual banter, before busting in on millionaire businessman Andrew Colby (Price) and demanding the sum of exactly $68.72. Impressed with Regan's passion for the job, Colby hires him for a high-paying, two-week stint as a personal bodyguard. However, when Regan guns down Leopold Kroner (Fritz Leiber), a former associate of Colby's who was recently released from prison, he finds himself in hot water with detective Damico (Bendix), who scents murder. Desperate to clear his name, Regan begins to investigate Colby's shady dealings, reluctantly exploiting the affections of secretary Noel Faraday for information. Meanwhile, Vincent Price's articulate, calculating Colby plots the coup de grâce of his high-stakes crime spree, culminating in a murder frame-up that initially seems so airtight that I couldn't imagine any way for our hero to get out of it.
Though it doesn't necessarily offer any new material for the film noir lexicon, nor does 'The Web' feel contrived. The romance between O'Brien and Raines could easily have been squandered with melodrama, but the film always keeps their relationship edgy. Noel's affections, for one, are clearly split between Regan and Colby, whose association with her visibly extends beyond the professional realm ("I recognise him when I see him"). Regan himself, while essentially good-hearted, has a clumsy crudeness about him where women are concerned, in contrast with Colby, who always knows what to say and how to say it. There's something subtly fascinating about Price's 1940s performances; it has to do with how he speaks. When his character is telling an untruth, he does so in a manner that, to us, reeks of deception, and yet we can perfectly understand why the film's characters – say, a policeman – swallow the lie whole. He toes a fine line, and yet manages to suspend the audience's disbelief. Maybe that's why Price got away with starring in so many awful movies.
Old School Double Cross
jeroduptown15 December 2021
Surprisingly complex hidden-gem B-noir with Vincent Price in top form
declancooley2 February 2022
There is a lot of pleasure to be obtained from this fast-paced flick focussed on the 'web' of deceit, schemes and counter-schemes that eventually pile up as the story unfolds.
It is played with gusto and a delightful little turn from Ella Raines who plays a hot-and-cold sassy dame - there are also tiny moments of levity in the sardonic banter. A great example of its type and I am glad I came across it. Perhaps with a bigger budget and A-star casting this film might be more known - but as it is, it is perfectly serviceable and enjoyable.
It is played with gusto and a delightful little turn from Ella Raines who plays a hot-and-cold sassy dame - there are also tiny moments of levity in the sardonic banter. A great example of its type and I am glad I came across it. Perhaps with a bigger budget and A-star casting this film might be more known - but as it is, it is perfectly serviceable and enjoyable.
Terrific thriller
shark-4312 May 2000
I saw this on AMC one night and loved it. One of the best things Vincent Price ever did. Nice twists and turns, great performances. A real underrated gem. Edmund O'Brien and William Bendix give wonderful performances. This movie is hard to track down. Try and seek it out.
THE WEB (Michael Gordon, 1947) ***
Bunuel19762 June 2011
Little-known but rather splendid minor Noir with an intricate, ingenious plot (a small-time lawyer takes a job as bodyguard to the tycoon he has come up against in his latest case and is immediately drawn into unwittingly committing premeditated murder on his behalf, being a man who had taken a rap for him but has now come to collect!) – in hindsight, the title is very appropriate – and a top cast (genre stalwarts Edmond O'Brien, Ella Raines and William Bendix and, naturally as the smooth villain, Vincent Price). Universal, who produced this, churned out a number of excellent efforts during the form's heyday – notably several works by Jules Dassin and Robert Siodmak – which, this being made by second-tier talent, may explain how it got to be overlooked in the long run!
O'Brien starred in his share of classics – notably the much-remade THE KILLERS (1946) and D.O.A. (1950) – and, in fact, when I went through some genre stuff early in the year, I acquired a couple of his lesser vehicles i.e. TWO OF A KIND (1951) and the self-directed SHIELD FOR MURDER (1954), but they ended up not making the list I eventually checked out (my collection of such items having basically gone out-of-hand in the last few years)! Lovely Raines, then, was the quintessential Noir heroine but, like Jane Greer and Audrey Totter (who were more the femme fatale type), she seemed to be out of her element in other genres, so that her career lasted only as long as the field held sway but, of course, whenever this kind of film is discussed even now, their names inevitably crop up! Typically, Bendix is the cop smelling a rat: though he was a friend of O'Brien's late father, his integrity does not allow him to make it easy for the hero – especially when the latter becomes the prime suspect of a second murder, which was committed with his gun!
Again, the climax delivers a real coup as Bendix announces that the latest victim (Price's live-in secretary, played by the sinister-looking John Abbott) is still alive so that the real culprit is caught red-handed while attempting to finish the 'job', leading to the traditional shoot-out in a darkened room. In spite of the inherent gloom, the film does not entirely eschew humor throughout – especially when O'Brien confronts Price during a business conference with a bill amounting to peanuts, which is then resumed at the very end, as the hero is about to take what is owed to the former client (whom he had even tried to pass off as an associate of the first murdered party who could incriminate Price – I did say this was complexly-plotted!) before his current employer is taken away, only to be stopped in the act by Bendix who sarcastically asks him to exercise his official profession of lawyer and sue the man!
O'Brien starred in his share of classics – notably the much-remade THE KILLERS (1946) and D.O.A. (1950) – and, in fact, when I went through some genre stuff early in the year, I acquired a couple of his lesser vehicles i.e. TWO OF A KIND (1951) and the self-directed SHIELD FOR MURDER (1954), but they ended up not making the list I eventually checked out (my collection of such items having basically gone out-of-hand in the last few years)! Lovely Raines, then, was the quintessential Noir heroine but, like Jane Greer and Audrey Totter (who were more the femme fatale type), she seemed to be out of her element in other genres, so that her career lasted only as long as the field held sway but, of course, whenever this kind of film is discussed even now, their names inevitably crop up! Typically, Bendix is the cop smelling a rat: though he was a friend of O'Brien's late father, his integrity does not allow him to make it easy for the hero – especially when the latter becomes the prime suspect of a second murder, which was committed with his gun!
Again, the climax delivers a real coup as Bendix announces that the latest victim (Price's live-in secretary, played by the sinister-looking John Abbott) is still alive so that the real culprit is caught red-handed while attempting to finish the 'job', leading to the traditional shoot-out in a darkened room. In spite of the inherent gloom, the film does not entirely eschew humor throughout – especially when O'Brien confronts Price during a business conference with a bill amounting to peanuts, which is then resumed at the very end, as the hero is about to take what is owed to the former client (whom he had even tried to pass off as an associate of the first murdered party who could incriminate Price – I did say this was complexly-plotted!) before his current employer is taken away, only to be stopped in the act by Bendix who sarcastically asks him to exercise his official profession of lawyer and sue the man!
Comes across with a punch!
JohnHowardReid13 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Michael Gordon's suspenseful and fluid direction plus Irving Glassberg's solid camerawork, build up interest and tension to a seat-tingling climax here. It's all in the direction and playing for the plot itself is slight and not nearly as web-like as the title implies. But it is thickly studded with smart lines and wisecracks. And director Gordon gives these lines more edge than they are worth. He's also assisted no end by Irving Glassberg's atmospheric lighting photography.
A first-rate cast and solid production values help.
In short, "The Web" steadily comes across as an absorbing crime drama, packed with suspense, thanks to a script that delivers with a wallop, plus a number of outstanding acting performances from the likes of Ella Raines, William Bendix, Vincent Price and Edmond O'Brien.
A first-rate cast and solid production values help.
In short, "The Web" steadily comes across as an absorbing crime drama, packed with suspense, thanks to a script that delivers with a wallop, plus a number of outstanding acting performances from the likes of Ella Raines, William Bendix, Vincent Price and Edmond O'Brien.
The Web
AAdaSC29 November 2017
Lawyer Edmond O'Brien (Regan) bursts into the office of business magnate Vincent Price (Colby) to serve him with a notice to pay his client for damages incurred in a road incident. Price is impressed by the determination and loyalty that O'Brien shows and hires him as a bodyguard. In his new role, O'Brien shoots and kills someone but begins to suspect that he has been manipulated into this killing. The story unfolds and Price ain't no good guy.
The cast are all good in this offering and we watch as it dawns on O'Brien that things aren't what they seem. Credit to Police Lieutenant William Bendix (Damico) – he's on the right track and yet sort of wrong. The plot works out fine and it is easy to follow. We have two strong character actors in Price and Bendix. They own their characters just by speaking. That's their key identifier in any role that they play. The film is no great shakes but it's on the better side of OK.
The cast are all good in this offering and we watch as it dawns on O'Brien that things aren't what they seem. Credit to Police Lieutenant William Bendix (Damico) – he's on the right track and yet sort of wrong. The plot works out fine and it is easy to follow. We have two strong character actors in Price and Bendix. They own their characters just by speaking. That's their key identifier in any role that they play. The film is no great shakes but it's on the better side of OK.
An old man is released from prison after five years to be almost instantly murdered.
clanciai20 October 2021
The web is woven tight by the expert fingers of a crook too advanced to be seen through by even his closest associates, but even the greatest experts in the crime business have to make a mistake sooner or later to make everything come tumbling down. The main attraction of this film is the exquisitely sharp and witty dialog, which sustains this talking show all the way to the end. Yes, there are some shots fired and some deaths, but they become insignificant in comparison with the constant cross fire of oral intrigue and intelligence. Fortunately all the actors are perfect as well, each one giving a major performance, with Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix, Ella Raines and Vincent Price leading this charade of getting away with murder by concealing it too well to be given any second thoughts, which is why these become the more inevitable. Vincent Price is as suave as ever in his double role play, Ella Raines is irresistible for her charm, beauty and intelligence, a rare combination in film stars, Edmond O'Brien is as honest a fool as ever, but the question is if it isn't William Bendix who gives the most interesting performance here as the police in charge, Lt. Damico, who immediately recognizes the web from the start for what it is but allows all the others to try to disentangle themselves first before striking. It's a wonderful thriller, somewhat reminding of "The Maltese Falcon" in its chamber play character, and like John Huston's first film there are few films within so narrow frames of action to engage the watcher so deeply.
Twisty, pacy little noir thriller *spoilers*
Robbmonster4 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Saw this film for the first time last night. Nice little noir, and I genuinely liked the character played by Vincent Price. I mean I actually liked the guy, and I'm usually someone who goes for the good guys.
Good performances all around, actually. Ella Raines was effective as the femme anti-fatale, William Bendix was great in a performance that reminded me of the work James Gandolfini would be doing 50-60 years later, and Edmond O'Brien was always a solid noir lead, without ever truly setting the world on fire.
Two things bothered me. One was the ending, with the gambit about the dead body. It just didn't quite work for me.
The other was the trick of using the friend to impersonate the late Victor Bruno and then simply assuming Colby wouldn't be able to tell it wasn't him. I understand it was different times, but it did seem to have a racist and xenophobic quality to it, relying as it did on the basic conceit that all 'foreigners' sound the same. The idea of getting anyone with any accent to impersonate a 'foreigner' - who you never heard speak and haven't the faintest idea what his voice sounded like - , and then just assuming the baddie won't be able to tell the difference, well, stupid writing, stupid characters, maybe hoping for a stupid audience, or maybe all three.
But in all, a cool little movie, certainly a bit far-fetched, but nice atmosphere, brisk pace, and wonderful performances.
Good performances all around, actually. Ella Raines was effective as the femme anti-fatale, William Bendix was great in a performance that reminded me of the work James Gandolfini would be doing 50-60 years later, and Edmond O'Brien was always a solid noir lead, without ever truly setting the world on fire.
Two things bothered me. One was the ending, with the gambit about the dead body. It just didn't quite work for me.
The other was the trick of using the friend to impersonate the late Victor Bruno and then simply assuming Colby wouldn't be able to tell it wasn't him. I understand it was different times, but it did seem to have a racist and xenophobic quality to it, relying as it did on the basic conceit that all 'foreigners' sound the same. The idea of getting anyone with any accent to impersonate a 'foreigner' - who you never heard speak and haven't the faintest idea what his voice sounded like - , and then just assuming the baddie won't be able to tell the difference, well, stupid writing, stupid characters, maybe hoping for a stupid audience, or maybe all three.
But in all, a cool little movie, certainly a bit far-fetched, but nice atmosphere, brisk pace, and wonderful performances.
Preposterous premise
bkoganbing26 March 2014
Edmond O'Brien who later starred in such noir classics as 711 Ocean Drive and DOA stars in this film with Vincent Price for Universal. The Web casts O'Brien as a young attorney and Price as a millionaire who is not above outright criminal activity as a way of supporting his lifestyle as we see.
Sad to say the film while not bad in and of itself and its conclusion is quite interesting, it starts with one preposterous premise. O'Brien is rather brash and heavy handed and a bit stupid. Just what Price needs to slip into a neat frame. He hires and O'Brien accepts because business isn't too good a job as a bodyguard because an old business associate played by Fritz Leiber is threatening him.
Sure enough Lieber shows up at Price's house and O'Brien shoots him to save Price. The police in the person of William Bendix aren't sure, but they can't prove anything. Later on Price commits another murder and this time he frames both O'Brien and his secretary Ella Raines for the crime. Quite The Web that O'Brien and now Raines are in, in this day we call it a jackpot.
Granted I've known all kinds of lawyers including some of the stupidest people I've ever met. But I could never swallow a street smart guy like O'Brien being so easily manipulated. It prevents The Web from being a truly great noir film.
Sad to say the film while not bad in and of itself and its conclusion is quite interesting, it starts with one preposterous premise. O'Brien is rather brash and heavy handed and a bit stupid. Just what Price needs to slip into a neat frame. He hires and O'Brien accepts because business isn't too good a job as a bodyguard because an old business associate played by Fritz Leiber is threatening him.
Sure enough Lieber shows up at Price's house and O'Brien shoots him to save Price. The police in the person of William Bendix aren't sure, but they can't prove anything. Later on Price commits another murder and this time he frames both O'Brien and his secretary Ella Raines for the crime. Quite The Web that O'Brien and now Raines are in, in this day we call it a jackpot.
Granted I've known all kinds of lawyers including some of the stupidest people I've ever met. But I could never swallow a street smart guy like O'Brien being so easily manipulated. It prevents The Web from being a truly great noir film.
noir crime thriller
SnoopyStyle23 April 2024
Relentless small-time lawyer Bob Regan (Edmond O'Brien) pushes past secretary Noel Faraday (Ella Raines) to confront Andrew Colby (Vincent Price) about a tiny case. That impresses Colby. He hires Regan as a secret bodyguard. His former employee Leopold Kroner is out after serving five years in prison for embezzling his company nearly a million dollars. Kroner barges into his mansion and Regan shots the intruder dead. Police detective Lt. Damico (William Bendix) cannot charge Regan. Kroner's daughter wants revenge and has a different take on the story.
It's a good premise for a noir crime story. I would cut out the opening with Kroner and his daughter. I want the audience to believe Colby first before the turn reverses the assumption and do it sooner. Also, Regan should team up with Kroner's daughter. The investigation is a bit slow. Kroner's daughter could have speed it up. I really like Colby being a smart villain. The other characters are pretty smart too. I do question why supposed suspects are left free and unmonitored. They could spend a couple of bucks for handcuffs. All in all, it's a good little crime thriller.
It's a good premise for a noir crime story. I would cut out the opening with Kroner and his daughter. I want the audience to believe Colby first before the turn reverses the assumption and do it sooner. Also, Regan should team up with Kroner's daughter. The investigation is a bit slow. Kroner's daughter could have speed it up. I really like Colby being a smart villain. The other characters are pretty smart too. I do question why supposed suspects are left free and unmonitored. They could spend a couple of bucks for handcuffs. All in all, it's a good little crime thriller.
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