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The Web (1947 film)

The Web
The Web 1947 movie poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Gordon
Produced by Jerry Bresler
Screenplay by William Bowers
Bertram Millhauser
Story by Harry Kurnitz
Starring Ella Raines
Edmond O'Brien
William Bendix
Vincent Price
Music by Hans J. Salter
Cinematography Irving Glassberg
Edited by Russell F. Schoengarth
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • May 25, 1947 (1947-05-25) (United States)
Running time
87 minutes
Country United States
Language English

The Web is a 1947 American film noir crime film directed by Michael Gordon starring Ella Raines, Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix and Vincent Price.

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.

When the film was released The New York Times film critic gave the film a negative review, writing, "Ella Raines and Edmond O'Brien, as the lawyer, play their stock roles with competence, and William Bendix plays the lieutenant with a suggestion of, shall we say, retarded intellectual attainment. But he's not nearly as dumb as he makes out and, on the other hand. The Web is not nearly as good as it might have been."


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