Black Widow

Plot synopsis:
Catharine Petersen (Theresa Russell) carefully applies and checks her make-up, puts on a pair of dark glasses and disembarks from a private jet. She is met by her sister-in-law, Sara (Lois Smith), with a limousine. It develops that Catharine's husband (Sara's brother), Sam Petersen, died suddenly in his sleep the previous night, while Catharine was out of town. On the short trip back to Catharine's apartment, Sara tries to offer what comfort she can. She offers to go upstairs with her, but Catharine declines. She enters the apartment alone and goes to her husband's den. She sits at his desk, takes off her sunglasses, and stares sadly at the pictures there...of her, of them, of the events of their short life together. She goes to a sideboard, picks up a glass brandy decanter, and takes it into the bathroom. Looking impassively at herself in the mirror, she pours the contents of the decanter into the sink, and turns on the water to rinse away all traces. Then, strangely, she goes into their bedroom, lies down on the bed and weeps for the husband she just murdered.Alexandra "Alex" Barnes (Debra Winger) is a data analyst for the Justice Department. She arrives at the office in her usual dither, thrilled over the news of the sudden death (in his sleep) of a Jersey mob boss. Convinced it was a mob hit, she orders her co-worker and sidekick, Michael (D.W. Moffatt), to search for similar deaths. He finds only one: that of wealthy publisher Sam Petersen, a year earlier. Both men died of a rare congenital condition called Ondine's Curse, in which the victim simply stops breathing during sleep. But there is no other connection between the two men: Alex's boss, Bruce (Terry O'Quinn), tells her to move on to something else.Marielle Dumer strides into the office of her new husband, Dallas toy manufacturer Ben Dumer (Dennis Hopper). With curly red hair, flashy (but expensive) clothes, and an air of brassy sex appeal, she bears little resemblance to quiet, elegant Catharine Petersen...but we see she is the same woman. After visiting her husband, she goes to a bank to access a safe deposit box. Alone in a private room, she takes a bottle of brandy from her purse. From the box, she removes some jewelry, several thick bundles of money, and a small brown case. The case contains a syringe with a very long needle, and a small vial of clear liquid. She fills the syringe from the vial, and injects the liquid through the cork into the bottle of brandy. She replaces everything in the box, puts the brandy in her purse and leaves. That night, as she packs for a five-day trip out of town, Ben asks why they ran out of brandy so fast. "Didn't I see a fresh bottle in the cabinet?" she says. He finds it, and replies, "Right again, Hon'." She smiles sweetly...and the scene cuts immediately to a funeral procession, driving slowly through a cemetery...and shortly thereafter to a lawyer's office. Ben's sister, Etta (Diane Ladd), is threatening to contest Ben's will. Marielle tells her she has no one to blame but herself for being cut from it...but she intends to leave Dallas, to go back to Charleston, and doesn't want to leave any hard feelings (or nagging questions?) behind. She offers to make a small gift to Etta from her share of the estate. "How small?" asks Etta. "Something in the mid-six-figure range?" suggests Marielle. Etta signifies her acceptance, and the matter is closed.Alex arrives at her office and the unauthorized gun in her purse sets off the metal detector in the lobby. The security guard escorts her up to her boss's office for an explanation and a reprimand. She tells Bruce that she's been practicing with it before work, trying to qualify for field duty. Bruce wryly advises her to take the gun back to Sears. Late that afternoon, Alex is working at her computer. Michael approaches, tells her he has found another death involving Ondine's Curse. Then he shyly asks her out to dinner. She puts him off, telling him she values his friendship too much to risk losing it with a failed love affair. Then she asks about the death from Ondine's Curse. He tells her it was a toy manufacturer in Dallas. Both he and the publisher were wealthy, middle-aged, and both had married younger women within a couple of months of their deaths, but there seemed to be no other connection. Alex, however, is excited by this news. She asks him to round up information and pictures of them both. "Shouldn't be hard," he says, "they were both wealthy, prominent men." "No," replies Alex, "I want pictures of the wives."Margaret Dodd (the former Marielle Dumer) is conducting an investigation of her own. Her hair is now longer, dark brown, and pulled back into a neat French braid. She is now dressing in quiet grey, brown and olive-green suits, slacks, sweaters...sensible shoes...even, occasionally, a pair of plain black-framed glasses. She looks studious and earnest, but still alluring in an unostentatious way. She visits a bookstore in Seattle, Washington and asks for books on Seattle history, Japanese cooking, rare coins and Native American Tribes of the Northwest. The bookstore clerk asks her jokingly if she's cramming for a quiz show. She gives him a long look, a faint, unamused laugh, and goes back to her notes.Michael has found remarkably few photos of the wives, and in all of them, the women seem to be deliberately turning away from the camera. He has them made into slides for Alex and she takes them home, along with a slide projector. She studies their faces and their bodies as they're projected onto her living room wall...she looks in her bathroom mirror, and experiments with her own hair and stance, noting how even small changes can make a significant difference in a woman's overall appearance.Margaret is also studying, in her suite at a Seattle hotel: photos of rare coins, an old video of a Coast Salish (Native American) ritual. Her objective soon becomes clear: these are all interests and hobbies of William McCrory (Nicol Williamsen), a noted anthropologist, chairman of the Native American Museum Board...late-middle-aged, a lifelong bachelor...and one of the five wealthiest men in Washington State.Bruce is not convinced by Alex's evidence and theory. He argues that the Dallas woman is slimmer, younger. Alex counters that it's just make-up, attitude, posture. He reminds her that her job is data analysis, and that she does the best work in the office...and she shouldn't try to get all of the excitement in her life out of her job. Alex is outraged, she feels he's overstepping his bounds. He tells her that he just wants her to be happy...she isn't happy, and she deserves to be happy. "Bruce," she pleads, "Make me happy." After a long silence, he finally gives her permission to go after her "Black Widow".Margaret approaches Irene (Rutanya Alda), a member of the Museum Board, and offers to donate a million dollars to the museum in exchange for a seat on the board of directors. Irene primly tells her that those seats are not for sale. "Fine," replies Margaret, evenly, "I'm sure Mr. McCrory will appreciate my intentions," and leaves. In the next scene, a meeting of the board of directors, William McCrory tells Margaret that as their newest board member, they want to hear her views. She reluctantly suggests that they shouldn't concentrate so much on acquisition of Coast Salish artifacts (McCrory's specialty field and his passion), they should try to exhibit equally artifacts from all tribes. It's a bold and risky strategy, but it works...she states her reasoning articulately and movingly, and McCrory is immediately drawn to her.Alex visits the sisters of the first two victims. She interviews Sara first, who still believes Catharine is the genuine article, and is very put off by Alex's theories and manner. She sees Etta next, who is lying on a tanning bed in an expensive salon. Etta says she also suspected Marielle...But since Ben was dead, and nothing could bring him back, she decided to avoid the scandal and publicity of accusing her sister-in-law of murder. Alex suggests rather pointedly that she might have been influenced by the $500,000 gift as well. Etta sits up, takes off her protective glasses, gives Alex a long look...and says sweetly, "You're looking a little peaked, my dear...can I buy you a tan?"William and Margaret have been seeing each other...dinner, long walks, quiet discussions over afternoon tea or evening coffee. One day he takes her on a ferry ride and a long drive to his family's cabin in the woods. It is large, elegant, peaceful and inviting...he tells her he has always meant to live here someday. "Why don't you?" asks Margaret. He looks at her, and says, "Why don't WE?" During the passionate lovemaking that follows, Margaret notices a medallion that William wears on a chain around his neck. "It's a Medic Alert," he tells her, "I'm allergic to penicillin." She lets out a low laugh, and kisses him lustily.At the Justice Department, the guys and Alex are engrossed in a late-night poker game. In the last hand, one of the guys, Herb (David Mamet), obviously has the winning cards. The others fold, but Alex, the lone female, decides he's bluffing. She meets his bet, then raises $20, and then, recklessly, another $20, even after the other guys warn her he's clearly got the cards. When she loses, she defiantly reminds him that she'd won big from him the week before. While the rest leave, she sits down at her desk and puts her head down on her folded arms. Bruce offers to give her a neck rub, and while he does so, they chat about her "Borgia" lady. Bruce makes a tentative pass at her, which she rejects. He shrugs philosophically, and asks if she needs more time and resources to find her, but she tells him she's already there...they've narrowed it down to six women. She says she's going to check them out; he warns her to be careful. She laughs, and tells him he's full of shit, and she'll call him from Denver...or maybe Seattle.In Seattle, Alex quickly finds Margaret and follows her, observing her, for several days. Posing as a reporter from the Post Intelligencer, she goes to the museum and talks to Irene, trying to get whatever information they have on her. Irene admits to not knowing much, and before Alex can stop her, she calls Margaret's office to see if she can come talk to Alex herself. William responds instead, says Margaret's not in today and asks if he can help. He catches Alex in her lie about being from the Post Intelligencer, and she explains sheepishly that she is a free-lance writer, doing an article on powerful women "on spec". Instead of being angry, he is sympathetic, admitting that he never had to prove himself that way. He asks where she is staying, and she replies, "At the Hilton." He warns that his wife is very private, but promises to ask her to contact Alex there. Alex thanks him, and starts to leave...then pauses, undecided, still looking at him. He looks back at her, a bit surprised, and asks if there's anything else. "No, I guess not," she says, and leaves him to his potsherds.Margaret has gone to the doctor for a physical. She tells him she has a case of recurring tonsillitis, and what with the Seattle weather... He grabs his prescription pad and asks what antibiotic usually works for her. "Penicillin," she replies.Alex goes to the Seattle Police Department, and puts her evidence in front of Detective Ricci (Leo Rossi). He ridicules her, refuses to cooperate with her, and tells her that if this is what the Justice Department calls evidence these days, that's the scariest part of the whole story. "The thing is," Alex tells him as she leaves, "I know I'm right."Later, William tells Margaret of the nice young woman he met that day, and of her interest in Margaret. Margaret hides her uneasiness from him...but she hurries to the Seattle Hilton, and asks about the young woman, only to learn she has checked out and moved to the Inn at the Market. She rushes over to the Inn, storms in, and storms back out again almost immediately. Alex is in a car, parked across the street, watching. Margaret is visibly disturbed and angry...she gets back into her car and slams the door, catching part of her coat in it...she rips at it to free it, getting more furious by the moment. Her behavior, normally so measured and controlled, is so atypical as to be frightening. At last, she screams in rage and frustration, and slams her forehead against the steering wheel. Afterward, calmer, she reaches into the glove compartment and takes out several travel brochures. Leafing through them, she settles on the one for Hawaii, and drives away.Next day, at the cabin, Margaret is in the bathroom opening a new tube of toothpaste. She squeezes a dollop onto the back of a hand mirror and empties one of the penicillin capsules onto it. As she is mixing the two substances, William enters, downstairs, and calls to her...she hastily finishes, stuffs as much of the blended paste back into the tube as she can, and puts the tube back in the drawer. The mirror goes into the basin, with water running over it to wash away all traces. She starts downstairs to join him, and William tells her of an upcoming meeting with his family on their shared business concerns. She tells him she doesn't think she should go...she'd feel like an intruder. "You're my wife," he says, simply, "I want you with me." She smiles sweetly, and replies, "I DO like the way you say that."Alex is back in Detective Ricci's office. She is angry, agitated. "Where did they find him?" she asks. "Look, Agatha Christie, there's been no homicide," he says, "He died of a heart attack--boom!--just like everybody else!" But Alex guesses he isn't feeling as confident as he sounds. "She's left town, hasn't she?" she says, "and you have no idea where she's gone. You're scared shitless, Ricci...they're going to find out about me, and they're going to wonder why you didn't check it out when you had the chance." But Ricci refuses to admit he was wrong or make any attempt to assist.Alex returns to Washington, and resigns from her job. Bruce tries to talk her out of it, telling her that she has six years on the job, which shouldn't just be thrown away. She tells him that she was in the same room with the victim...four feet away. "You couldn't tell him," he says, "he'd have gone straight to her, you'd be blown, and she'd disappear." "But maybe he'd be alive," she counters. "He didn't have a chance...I didn't give him a chance." As she's walking out of Bruce's office, Michael calls her over...he's already traced Margaret's escape route. Alex gives up her apartment, and sells her belongings. Bruce visits her the night before she leaves for Hawaii. As a parting gift he hands her an airline ticket. "I've already got my ticket," she says. "This is a ticket back to Washington," he tells her. She smiles and replies, "I'll be back with a tan."Margaret has now transformed herself into Rennie Walker: Athletic, outdoorsy, with a superb tan and a long, thick mane of tawny, blonde hair. She favors sexy Hawaiian print sarongs and halter tops, brightly colored swimsuits and sportswear. Her target this time is Paul Nuyten (Sami Frey), owner of half a dozen luxury hotels around the world--and younger and more attractive than the other men we've seen..Alex has hired a private detective to help her find Margaret in her latest incarnation, a seedy Asian man named Shin (James Hong). She confronts him in his office in a run-down building near the docks. He claims at first not to have found the woman, and tries to shake Alex down for more money. But Alex doesn't buy it...she demands the information for which she's already paid.Rennie is attending a women's scuba diving class at her hotel. The instructor tells the women to get into the pool and pair off, and a plump girl with an obnoxious cough immediately offers to be Rennie's partner..."I'm not really contagious," she assures Rennie, brightly. Another woman nearby turns around suddenly--we see it is Alex...and she says, "My friend promised to be MY partner," to the coughing girl, who leaves in something of a huff. Rennie introduces herself, and tells Alex she owes her a beer. Alex introduces herself as Jessica Bates, and says she'll take her up on it. After the class, they have a drink together on the hotel lanai. Alex jokes about how much better Rennie looks than she does, and Rennie invites her up to her room for what she calls "a real drink".Alex sees pictures of Paul Nuyten, on Rennie's table, and asks about him...Rennie tells her who he is and invites her to a party he's having at his home that night as her guest. She loans Alex a dress, even takes her to her hairdresser, and the two women show up together in style. Alex watches the interaction between Paul and Rennie...things don't quite seem to be going all her way, this time. Paul is quite a player in his own right. Rennie has sensed that if she has sex with him too soon, she will not be able to persuade him to marry her...she'll merely become another of his conquests. So her strategy is a waiting game for the present...putting him off, but still sending come-on signals...until she can think of another way.Alex and Rennie continue to hang out together...drives, hikes, picnics. They stop at the fish market one morning before an outing...they prowl through the aisles separately, looking for picnic fare. Mr. Shin happens to be there, and approaches Alex for another try at a shakedown. Aware that Rennie could be watching, she tells him in a low, furious voice that this a Federal DOJ operation. She tells him to offer her a cigarette. Confused, he does so, and she turns him down. "Now point at the fish", she orders...he does, and she shakes her head no, while telling him to go away and stay away, or she'll have him arrested for obstruction of justice.Rennie HAS been watching, and she isn't fooled by Alex's glib explanation of the incident. That night, she calls Sara, and asks if any young women claiming to be reporters have come around asking about her. Sara tells her that there was one, but that she had identified herself as a federal agent. Rennie hastily hangs up. Frightened and angry, she screams another of her primal screams, and slams her fist into her belly.Alex and Rennie go scuba diving, from a deserted beach with black sand. At first they stay together, as they were taught in their class. But then they move apart. Rennie stops at a rock outcropping, and waits, watching Alex. Alex is inspecting the corral and the shellfish... suddenly she grabs her mouthpiece...no air is coming through! Desperate, she makes a dash for the surface. But Rennie intervenes. They struggle briefly, and Rennie rips Alex's mouthpiece out of her mouth. Then she takes the mouthpiece from her own mouth, and pushes it at Alex. Alex takes a couple of ragged breaths, and Rennie takes the regulator back...she takes two breaths herself, and pushes it again toward Alex...as they were taught in class. In this way, they are able to ascend to the surface safely. On the beach, Alex is angry, suspicious. Rennie is conciliatory...and reminds Alex of how lucky she was that she (Rennie) hadn't had her back turned. But the incident seems intentional, and apparently accomplishes the goal of frightening Alex.At a picnic the next day, they discuss Rennie's multiple husbands...and Rennie admits openly that was how she got rich. She tells Alex she used to think of it as her job, finding out everything about them, making herself desirable to them. Alex asks why one wasn't enough. "Rich is hard," says Rennie, "You never really think you're quite there." She glances at Alex, and sees the troubled look on her face. "I loved every one of them," she tells her, "Deeply. Honestly." She delivers her next comment as a throw-away: "It wouldn't have worked any other way." Then she changes the subject. "You like him," she says, "Paul, I mean. Why don't you go for it?" Alex doesn't respond, either to deny or agree. Rennie tells Alex that she WANTS her to make a play for him...that at this point in her life, she (Rennie) needs someone who can commit.They've planned an afternoon out with Paul, but at the last minute Rennie backs out, pleading a headache. She tells them to go without her. They do so, and they have a lovely time...and during the afternoon, Paul indicates that he wants to be with the woman he knows as Jessica. Alex is also attracted to Paul...but is wary of getting involved, for obvious reasons...not the least of those being that she doesn't want to be compared with Rennie. She tells him that she wants to know that whatever they have will be honest, and just between them. He tells her to look him in the face, and decide. She does, and is apparently convinced by what she sees. And so they make love.Rennie, meanwhile, has picked the lock into Alex's apartment, and is searching for clues into her identity. She also goes to see Mr. Shin, walking unannounced into his office just as he's walking out of his bathroom, rolling down his sleeve...which rattles and angers him. She shows him a picture of Alex, and says that she suspects this woman has been seeing her fiance. She wants him to get the proof. He recognizes Alex, and at first he refuses, saying he doesn't do this kind of work. Rennie says to him, "Mr. Shin, I'll tell you two things about me: I'm very rich...(she takes an envelope stuffed with money out of her purse and tosses it down in front of him)...and I'm very wealthy." It's an offer he can't refuse.Later we see Mr. Shin taking photographs of Alex and Paul at her apartment. Paul spends the night, and when he leaves the next morning, Alex sees him out. She goes back inside and sits down at her vanity. She stares at herself in the mirror: she has a wistful, but vaguely happy expression on her face.Rennie is at Paul's home that night, has apparently come there to reproach him for the affair with Alex. He's sad, puzzled...he thought that's what she wanted. She asks him to make her a drink before she goes back to town...when he comes back with the drinks, he finds her in the pool, naked..."Why tonight?" he asks, "After all this time?" "I think we've waited long enough," she replies. And he joins her in the pool.Paul visits Alex to break the news to her that he and Rennie are together now, and plan to marry. In spite of herself, she is hurt...her feelings for him were genuine. She attends the wedding and arranges for a few minutes alone with Rennie. "Woman in love," she says, ironically. "Did you really doubt it?" replies Rennie, lightly. "I helped you get here, didn't I?" responds Alex. "When you put us together, it made him want you all the more. So I guess you could say that my gift to you was the groom." Rennie hesitates, then says, "I meant it as an exchange of gifts." Taking a small gift-wrapped package from her purse, Alex says, "In that case, I still owe you one," and she hands it to Rennie. It's revealed to be a pin, fashioned to look like a black widow spider. Rennie is slightly annoyed, but not shaken..."Such an intriguing gift," she tells Alex, "Makes me wish I had more to share with you. The truth is, I'm almost sorry it's over." "The truth is, it's not over," retorts Alex. Rennie smiles, and replies, "Until then..." Then she suddenly catches Alex, her hand on the back of her neck, draws her swiftly to her, kisses her hard on the mouth...and just as swiftly releases her and walks away.Rennie goes back to Mr. Shin's office, to get the pictures he has taken. He shows them to her, and they're as incriminating as she could have wanted. She pulls a gun on Mr. Shin, and tells him he can die...or he can die happy. He has five seconds to decide. She begins to count. Pleading for his life in Chinese, he takes a kit from his desk with a syringe, a rubber tube, and a stash of heroin. As he rolls up his sleeve, and injects himself with a fatal dose, Rennie moves closer to him, strokes his head, and continues to count. She leaves the pictures on his desk.HPD is investigating Shin's death. At first, they're convinced it's what it appears to be: an ordinary, garden-variety overdose. But Alex shows up at the scene and asks to speak to the detective in charge (Danny Kamekona).Rennie takes a trip to the mainland for a few days. Alex invites Paul over to her apartment, and tries to warn him of his danger. She tells him about Rennie's past, and even reveals her own identity and involvement. He is angry, hurt...but won't believe her. "She doesn't need my money," he says, "I've seen her portfolio...bank accounts..." "I've just told you how she got them," Alex replies. "Then how do you explain our wills?" he asks. "They leave everything to the Cancer Foundation, and nothing to each other. It was HER idea." But Alex has no answer for this, and he leaves.The HPD detective meets Rennie at the airport when she comes back from the mainland. He breaks the news to her of her husband's death, and tells her that there is a woman claiming to be a federal agent insinuating Rennie murdered him. He asks permission to search the home, and Rennie gives her consent. Then, with just the right tone and manner of a grieving, outraged widow, she tells him that the woman--Alex, or Jessica, or whoever she claims to be--was her husband's lover before and after their marriage...so as long as they're searching her home, they'd better search Alex's place as well.A bottle of poison is found in Alex's apartment. She is arrested and taken to jail. The HPD detective thanks Rennie for her cooperation...he tells her a little of the evidence implicating Alex, mentioning the poison, and the pictures they found in Shin's office. Rennie admits she was responsible for the pictures, that she'd hired Shin, and then been too ashamed to go back for them. The HPD detective thinks this over, and tells her that they'd figured Shin's death as an overdose...but perhaps Miss Barnes has that to answer for as well.Rennie is called to a meeting with two representatives from the Cancer Foundation. It seems that since Paul's legal residence was Florida, the Florida Mortmain Statute applies to his will: Any bequest to charity executed within six months of death can be invalidated by the spouse. "Of course, there's no requirement that you do so," says one of the representatives, hopefully. Rennie looks at him and replies evenly, "Shortly before my husband died, he expressed reservations about your organization. Profound reservations." So much for the altruistic wills.Alex calls Rennie and asks her to come to the jail to see her. Although she's making plans to leave the island, Rennie decides to do so. They meet in the visitor's room, sitting at a counter with a chain link fence between them. Rennie smiles, pleasantly...Alex doesn't...Rennie looks away, a little embarassed, and sits down. Alex also sits. Rennie asks if Alex is ok. Alex says she can't complain...mentions that there are a lot of psychological tests, which she finds strange for a crime of passion. Rennie explains that they no longer think Alex murdered Paul out of jealousy...that they now believe her obsession was with Rennie. They think she started out as an ambitious federal agent, who thought she'd found a cunning phantom..."and you chased her, and chased her, and when you thought you'd never be quite quick enough to catch her..." "I killed Paul," Alex finishes for her, "...to frame you." Rennie nods.The matron comes in, from the door behind Alex, and Alex goes to have a whispered conference with her. Thinking the interview is over, Rennie starts to leave. But Alex comes back. "How did you manage it," she asks. "Did you sneak back from the mainland? Did you use the bottle you planted in my apartment?" Rennie smiles. "You always did have a tendency to overthink things," she says. "The most important thing about figuring anything out is...knowing when to stop." Alex is silent. "Of all the relationships I'll look back on in fifty years' time," Rennie continues, "I'll always remember this one."A door opens behind Rennie, she turns to see who it is, and is startled to see her sister-in-law, Sara, standing there, with the HPD detective, an expression of disbelief tinged with dawning horror on her face. Rennie realizes the situation has just become very sticky...but it still might be possible to explain her way clear. "Hello, Sara," she manages to say, "Good to see you." She glances resentfully at Alex.Alex nods to the detective, he motions to someone outside the door, and approaching footsteps are heard. Something in Alex's expression warns Rennie that something important is about to happen. She turns to look, and stands up, shocked. She shudders violently as she tries desperately to get herself under control. The camera cuts to Paul Nuyten standing just inside the doorway, very much alive and well.Rennie turns quickly to Alex and says, "I want you to know I put the poison in his brandy...you mustn't let him..." "We know," interrupts Alex. "We found it before he did." Rennie turns back and walks slowly toward Paul. She tries to kiss him...but although he allows her lips to touch his mouth, he doesn't respond. She walks past him toward the door, with one last lingering look over her shoulder at Alex. Sara and the detective follow her out. Paul and Alex stare at each other gravely for a moment. Then they turn away from each other and leave by separate exits.The media is in the front office of the police station. Alex and the HPD detective come down the stairs...he runs interference for her, fending off aggressive photographers and reporters. She responds to no one, ignoring questions and congratulations alike. When she leaves through the front door, the HPD detective turns to them and says, "Now we'll give you a story," and leads them away. The camera stays fixed on Alex as she disappears in the distance.

Tags: mystery, neo noir, murder

Review:
Only Winger is convinced that this trail of murders is the work of one woman.Eventually she catches up with this black widow (Theresa Russell) and the two hang out together in Hawaii.
The Russell character likes the danger - she knows Winger is after her, and after trying to kill her during a scuba dive, saves her at the last minute.My favorite scene with Winger is the one in which she almost tells Nicol Williamson the truth about his bride.
The sinister plot trappings and black widow symbolism keep the film lively but only serve to heighten the intriguing subtext of two women obsessed with success and competition.
Debra Winger is great as always as the FBI backroom researcher allowed out for a change to pursue her theory that the widows of several millionaires who have all died of the same rare disease are in fact the same woman.She finds herself fascinated as well as repelled by Theresa Russell's glamour, lifestyle and ability to use men for her own ends.
Russell in her turn sees her as a worthy opponent (unlike all those men she takes in so easily).In fact all the men are just part of the background to the play between Winger and Russell.Its a terrific film all round and I may be alone in this, but I think the ending works..
Of course, we know that good will prevail and that evil-doers will be caught, but here is a really good surprise solution - well written, well directed and well acted.Theresa Russell as chick one, and Debra Winger as chick two are great.
This film is a guilty pleasure from the go, go 80's, when money was a balm for all things, and everything over the top was fun.Teresa Russell is very good as the elusive "Black Widow", a beautiful and mysterious chameleon who marries wealthy businessmen, somehow rids herself of them, and financially profits in the process.
She looks the role, and Debra Winger is very good as the frumpy FBI detective who must catch her.There are also some memorable cameo roles here, Lois Smith as a former sister-in-law, and Diane Ladd as the suspicious relative in Texas who is bought off with a substantial six-figure gift.The sets are believable, and the final set in Hawaii is also balmy and mysterious.
It's beautifully filmed, competently acted, and contains some of the most rousingly misguided plot twists known to this cinephile.No spoilers here, but the ending is a knee-slapper, as is the otherwise quite capable Theresa Russell's foray into a southern belle accent.
Kudos to Russell, of course, Winger, James Hong and Mary Woronov just for being Mary Woronov for at least one scene; it's just a shame that a movie which makes a stab at well-rounded female characters (at the very least by making the male characters so weak [truth is, I can scarcely remember the names of any of the male characters] that one cannot help but invest all subjectivity with the female characters) operates under the notion that the Debra Winger character discovers her womanhood vicariously through the exploits of the sensuous, if surprisingly (in context) asexual, man-killer Russell, which is not exactly the most progressive notion.
Debra Winger and Theresa Russell both give very good performances in this excellent suspense/mystery.Theresa Russell plays a woman who seduces older, RICH men, marries them, and then kills them by making the deaths look like a natural cause.
When the ambitious federal investigator Alexandra 'Alex' Barnes (Debra Winger) reads the cases of two wealthy men that have just died and left their fortunes to their younger and younger wives, she suspects that the woman might be the same.
She believes that the woman might be killing the millionaires without a trace to inherit their fortunes.Alex travels and tracks down the mysterious female inheritor Catharine Petersen (Theresa Russell) but she finds nothing about her identity.
"Black Widow" is an unforgettable neo-noir of the 80's, with the sexy and gorgeous Theresa Russell and Debra Winger playing a cat-and-mouse game in the lead roles.
Sleek and stylish thriller has federal investigator Debra Winger (in a feisty, sensual, fully thought-out performance) believing one enigmatic woman is responsible for the sudden deaths of three millionaires--the wife of each man, in different guises.
Great direction (minus the finale) by Bob Rafelson, beautiful cinematography by the esteemed Conrad Hall, gorgeous locations; also, very fine supporting performances by Terry O'Quinn, Sami Frey, Lois Smith, Diane Ladd, Leo Rossi, and terrific cameos from Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson as two of Russell's unfortunate husbands.
Now that I have viewed it about 1 million times on tape, I still think it's a terrific movie with great performances (actually Theresa Russell has rarely been better than here), and there are tons of stuff I love about it : the dialogue, the cinematography, the opening credits, the symbolic mini-scenes (think winger in the shower just before the wedding), Winger's looks.
The transformation of Winger's dowdy Justice Department Agent into a blossoming lady at Catherine Black Widow's (Russell super sexy and sensuous) side brings in the doppelgänger effect, a good old noir staple.
The murders come to the attention of Debra Winger, a Federal investigator, although the film doesn't explain why the government is interested in these cases.
Winger and Russell generated an undertow of erotic tension between them that the picture didn't explore but the movie remains a good mystery..
One female federal investigator (Debra Winger) starts to follow the trail of a rich young widow (Theresa Russel), of whom she suspects is killing off her older husbands to inherit their fortunes.
The film often takes giant leaps in time, which really gives the impression that a bit too much is happening too fast, yet the ride itself is very well worth it, even down to the numerous complications in the plot near the end....
Justice Department agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) is investigating on the mysterious "Black Widow" (Theresa Russell).
She does her best to seduced him but Alexandra goes undercover on Hawaii to track her down.Directed by Bob Rafelson (Blood and Wine, Five Easy Pieces, Stay Hungry) made an intriguing, watchable, suspense thriller with good performances by Winger and Russell.
Subtle Femme Fatale Suspense Thriller that Relies More on Character than Action--Hollywood Rarely Makes Films Like This.
Theresa Russell in the best role of her acting career plays the "Black Widow" with much understated deviousness coupled with seductive femininity.
The rest of the time she plays the role of the perfect female spouse to whomever she is either courting or married.The best feature of her portrayal is when she assumes a new identity for each of her potential victims to trap her men in a relationship that, as one of her victims put it, "seems too good to be true".
Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson each play victims of the "Black Widow" and I would have liked to see their segments extended just a bit longer.Debra Winger plays a federal data clerk at the Justice Department who, during the course of her inputting myriads of computer information, presumably of a criminal nature, starts to notice an unnerving trend of rich men dying shortly after having married younger women.
That great pool scene, with Mary Woronov as the scuba instructor, where Theresa Russell and Debra Winger first meet face to face.2.
Debra Winger and Theresa Russell give a couple of standout performances of the hunter and the hunted in Black Widow.
There are hints of a deep psychosis in Russell's performance, all the better that not too much is revealed so the audience can draw its own conclusions.The only way for Winger to catch her is in the act and when she does catch up with Russell and strikes up a friendship of sorts, the film becomes a real cat and mouse game, except were not quite sure of who is in what role.
He may have given his career role performance in Black Widow.This film will keep you guessing and on your seat until the end, don't miss it if broadcast..
I always have liked Debra Winger and thought she did a fine job here esp.Russell is a beaut, the scenary is great and I admire the attempt at bringing back a film noir to the mass audience.
This is a creepy and alluring crime thriller starring Debra Winger as Alexandra, a federal agent who is committed to tracking down Catharine (Theresa Russell), a serial killer who marries her husbands and then poisons them to get their fortune.The plot is well-paced and the acting is good - intriguing to see the beautiful but deadly Catharine do her husbands in one at a time while Alexandra struggles to make a case against her, even going as far as posing as her friend in order to obtain enough evidence to arrest her.
With Catharine's obsession with money and with Alexandra's obsession in catching the killer are two plot elements that compliment each other well and gives the movie good pacing and suspenseful elements that leaves little room for boring fillers.
Black Widow is a stylish thriller about two women on either side of the law: One a law enforcement officer and another a psychopathic criminal who marries rich men and kills them before moving onto the next victim.
Black Widow is a stylish thriller about two women on either side of the law: One a law enforcement officer and another a psychopathic criminal who marries rich men and kills them before moving onto the next victim.
Catharine Petersen has a nasty habit.She marries wealthy men and then kills them by poisoning.Justice Department agent Alex Barnes knows there's something fishy going on.She goes undercover to get near Catharine.Those two meet in Hawaii.There is also the last husband candidate Paul Nuytten.Both of the women find him desirable.Black Widow from 1987 is directed by the veteran director Bob Rafelson.There's a good cast in this film.Debra Winger as Alex and Theresa Russell as Catharine are fantastic.Sami Frey portrays Paul.Dennis Hopper, who sadly lost his battle with cancer in May at the age of 74, plays the toymaker husband Ben Dumers.Nicol Williamson is William McCrory.Terry O'Quinn plays Bruce, Alex's Boss.James Hong plays H.
Shin-Honolulu private investigator.Diane Ladd is Edda.Lois Smith is Sara.Christian Clemenson portrays Artie.David Mamet does a cameo as Herb, the lucky poker player.There's some great stuff in this film.There's that menacing feeling when those two women do some underwater activity.The movie gets above average giving you enough thrills..
Stylish but ultimately hollow and implausible thriller which sees Debra Winger's Justice Department investigator pursue Theresa Russell's kill 'em with love murdering newlywed of a wife.
Sad, then, that the potential is wasted with a narrative that stalls and ends up going nowhere.The idea of a serial killer who murders a string of husbands for their inheritance is a solid one, and BLACK WIDOW bolsters it with a decent cast: Theresa Russell's icy blonde bombshell is a forerunner to Sharon Stone's femme fatales, while Debra Winger's dogged cop is just quirky enough to be interesting.
Before "Spider-man", came the Black widow.Without joking, if you able to interpret the title, you know all the story of this 80s release.This movie is a psychological thriller, so action isn't of any concern here.Thus, the choice of the actors was crucial, because they had to support all the film on their acting skills.In that perspective, the duo Winger - Russel is brilliant, even thought each actress already acted this way in their previous filmography.Winger is a strong willed but naive inspector, whose obsession is to prove the crimes of Russel, who plays a deadly wife, but who is at the same time, strangely "attracted" to Winger.A interesting plot device set the action in Hawaii.
So, it's a good surprise and it gives a certain flavor to the atmosphere.The ending is Machiavellian, but it's a bit out of the characters.In conclusion, this movie is before all meant for fans of either Winger or Russel (or Hawaii), because hadn't they been here, no one will remember this movie now..
It was a huge disappointment.The story revolved around a woman (Theresa Russell) who makes a habit of marrying rich older men and killing them off for their inheritance - making sure that she does it in such a way that no one can pin anything on her or even suspect that the men were murdered.
Except for one lonely FBI agent played by Debra Winger, who develops an obsession with the deaths of these men and, realizing that they had all married the same woman (who had used different names,) set out to get her.
Released in early 1987 and directed by Bob Rafelson from Ronald Bass' screenplay, "Black Widow" stars Debra Winger as a federal investigator who goes after a gold-digging femme fatale (Theresa Russell) who moves from husband to husband, killing them and collecting the inheritance.
Love, passion, lust, lesbian overtones,murder, mystery and intrigue.Overall, a great suspense movie of the "femme fatale" variety that is currently an under-explored area of film storytelling.
A federal investigator (Debra Winger) tracks down a gold digging woman (Theresa Russell) who moves from husband to husband, kills them and collects the inheritance.What I loved most about this film is Terry O'Quinn's mustache.
Hasn't happened yet.Two things I still remember of 'Widow': (1) Serial killer Theresa Russell's self-hating meltdown in her car, just perfect; and (2) the filmmakers' taking advantage of an actual erupting volcano in a Hawaiian scene.
Debra Winger plays the nosy who dunnit sleuth who tracks down Theresa Russell (the black widow) a young woman whose older rich husbands mysteriously die leaving her richer and richer.I watched this movie when it first came out and I couldn't believe I was watching the same thing I don't remember it being so bad!
Determined against all odds, a federal agent named Alex (Debra Winger) tracks down an attractive young woman (played by Theresa Russell) who marries and then kills a succession of rich men, for their money.
It sounds like a good concept for a movie.But "Black Widow" doesn't quite work because the story is plotted as a procedural instead of a thriller.
The predatory insect of the film's title is seductress Theresa Russell, marrying a succession of rich and apparently very stupid men, killing them for their money, and changing her identity before moving on to her next victim.
The only thing that remains 100% fascinating throughout the movie is Theresa Russell's performance as Catherine.
Theresa Russell Steals the Show Showing some Depth to the Title Character but Ultimately the Movie is Brought Down by Some Sloppy Editing and Rushed Exposition.It has Sheen but is Short on Thrills as it Often Cuts from or Eliminates Scenes that Seem Essential and Adds Others that are Supremely Superfluous or Silly (like the shower part with Winger).
"Black Widow" is an entertaining thriller about a psychopathic killer called Catherine Paterson (Theresa Russell) whose modus operandi involves marrying and murdering wealthy men before inheriting their fortunes and disappearing without trace.
From beginning to end, Black Widow, is an unforgettable psychological thriller.Deborah Winger and Teresa Russell star in this.
Winger plays an FBI agent obsessed with with Russell's character who she suspects, marries and then murders her husbands.
Winger must prove it....SPOILERS:This is an excellent excellent movie, well acted, beautiful scenery, intriguing story, but MOST FASCINATING was the relationship between winger and Russell's characters.
To sum up: the intriguing plot, the lazy, unhurried but extremely tension building way the movie builds, the fascinating battle of wits between Winger and Russell and the beautiful scenery are a wonderful combination and make Black Widow an easy 10 of 10..
Debra Winger is a government agent who insinuates herself into the life of the much-married Theresa Russell, knowing full well that the gold digging Russell mates and kills her wealthy husbands.
At the end, she needs Debra Winger's character to know that she did put the poison in the bottle.I also think that Winger does a good job of showing a grudging respect for this woman, even though she knows she has to stop her from killing again.All in all, I would give this movie a 7/10.
I'm coming to this party a little late.Debra Winger and Theresa Russell are well matched as female leads.
Both are excellent with Theresa Russell as the polished, mysterious killer and Debra Winger as the ruffled FBI researcher in pursuit.There is an unlikely admiration and battle of wits between the two women as the cat and mouse game plays out across various locations.
Each woman has their own motivation which is never fully revealed.The films also has a great supporting cast including Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson as unfortunate husbands and James Hong as Shin the private detective.The film works very well and is well paced right up until the ending which I found a little disappointing.
Her character of Alex Barnes is the first of many in movies where the "protag" is operating mainly on obsession rather than just wanting the streets to be safer.Theresa Russell is perfect as the Black Widow.
And the two leading women are up to the challenge: Debra Winger is very good, but Theresa Russell is great - this is one of those happy occasions when an actor finds a role that is so perfectly suited to them that it seems as if they were born to play it.
Catharine (Theresa Russell) is a black widow marrying rich old men and then killing them off.
Black Widow is a somewhat entertaining but contrived story about a female serial killer (Theresa Russell) who seduces, marries, then murders, a succession of wealthy men.
The scene also provides the nadir of Russell's performance, which doesn't help matters at all.In short, this movie was not well made, well acted (excepting Winger and a few supporting roles), or well written.
I probably should have waited another thirty.Black Widow is about a woman who marries wealthy men, kills them, and then inherits all their money.