The Web

Plot synopsis:
Leopold Kroner (Fritz Leiber, Sr.), formerly of Colby Enterprises, is released after five years in prison for embezzlement. Andrew Colby (Price), claiming that Kroner has threatened him, hires lawyer Bob Regan (Edmond O'Brien) as a personal bodyguard. That evening, Regan hears a gunshot from Colby's study and finds Kroner there, apparently trying to kill Colby. Regan kills Kroner when he turns around, pointing the gun at him.
Regan believes Colby's explanation that Kroner had become delusional and threatening, until Regan's police buddy Damico (William Bendix) lets on that he's suspicious that Regan murdered Kroner. Kroner's daughter Martha Kroner (Maria Palmer) shows up at Regan's apartment and tries, but fails, to murder him. She reveals that Colby had invited Kroner to the house that night and Kroner was of sound mind. Regan investigates further, getting information about Kroner's embezzlement case from a reporter and Colby's secretary, Noel (Ella Raines). Regan has a friend impersonate one of Colby's associates on the phone to deceive him into providing information about the embezzlement, unknowing that this associate is already long dead.
Colby uses this situation to his advantage to set a trap for Regan and Noel (whom he has decided has betrayed him). He innocently asks Noel to remove money from his safe, then after she leaves, he kills his associate Charles (John Abbott) with a weapon having Regan's fingerprints. The two of them are framed for theft and murder, but Lt. Damico tricks Colby into thinking Charles is still alive. Since Charles would reveal all of Colby's actions, that night Colby tries to sneak down and strangle Charles, only to be caught red-handed.

Tags: revenge, murder

Review:
O'Brien's a brash, penny-ante lawyer who hooks up with slick, financial tycoon Price and his silken mistress- secretary Raines.
O'Brien's so good at playing fast-talking operators, while Price calibrates (no hamming here) surprisingly well as a sly fox.
I also like the way O'Brien's character (Regan) is kept purposely ambiguous, adding an element of unpredictability to the story's direction.
Forgotten Thriller Is a Lot of Fun. A nifty little thriller that has lawyer Edmond O'Brien hired as bodyguard for business tycoon Vincent Price.
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-.
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.
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.
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!
Vincent Price was my main attraction to The Web, and thank goodness I checked it out because it was a very good movie.
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.
Edmund O'Brien and William Bendix give wonderful performances.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
(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!.
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.
Surprisingly good unknown noir, featuring fine work from noir regulars Ella Raines, William Bendix, Vincent Price and Edmund O'Brien.
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..
The Web. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It's all in the direction and playing for the plot itself is slight and not nearly as web-like as the title implies.
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..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I always like watching actors playing against their typecast character, and watching Vincent Price in his pre-Dr. Phibes days is great.
William Bendix and Ella Raines add to the spell of this story about a self-confident lawyer (Edmond O'Brien) who gets snookered by a murderous, sophisticated investment bad guy (Price).
Bodyguard Edmund O'Brien is set up to supposedly kill someone, but it's very apparent that there's more going on than even the audience can see.
Ella Raines who works for the calculating Vincent Price (whom O'Brien has been hired to protect), falls in love with O'Brien but there's a plot thickening behind the scenes that makes this confusing and frustrating.
William Bendix is a tough detective, with John Abbott as Price's right hand man.
Nice little noir, and I genuinely liked the character played by Vincent Price.
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.
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.