The Man in the Net
| The Man in the Net | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Michael Curtiz |
| Produced by |
Walter Mirisch Alan Ladd |
| Screenplay by | Reginald Rose |
| Based on | novel by Patrick Quentin |
| Starring |
Alan Ladd Carolyn Jones |
| Music by | Hans J. Salter |
| Cinematography | John F. Seitz |
| Edited by | Richard V. Heermance |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Man in the Net is a 1959 American film noir starring Alan Ladd and Carolyn Jones. The taut drama was directed by Michael Curtiz.
Commercial artist John Hamilton (Alan Ladd) and wife Linda (Carolyn Jones) leave New York and move to Stoneville, Connecticut, in the New England countryside, to escape the bustle of the city and because of John's growing concern about Linda's alcoholism.
John quickly befriends the town's children, but he's treated like an outsider by many of the adults. Linda misses their social life in New York, as well as the salary John made there.
She insists they attend a party at the home of Brad (John Lupton) and Vickie Carey (Diane Brewster), where the guests include another married couple, Roz (Betty Lou Holland) and Gordon Moreland (Tom Helmore), the wealthy father of Brad Carey. A scene is created by an intoxicated Linda, who insults John and lies that he gave her a black eye, confessing to Vickie after the party that she actually fell while drunk. In anger, she tells John she's been having an extramarital affair with a local policeman, Steve Ritter (Charles McGraw).
John agrees to go to New York for a job interview arranged by his wife behind his back. When he returns, Linda is nowhere to be found. A suitcase belonging to her is spotted by a city dump. Unable to find John's wife, police and neighbors suspect him of murder. Villagers stone his house. Ritter arrives to arrest him. John flees and is given refuge by the children, who know of a secret cave.
Evidence is found linking Linda to another man. A tape recording is left as bait, and John, who suspects someone else, is surprised when Brad turns up looking for the tape. It reveals he's the one Linda had the affair with and the one who physically abused her, but John soon discovers that it was Mr. Carey who actually killed Linda to cover up for his cowardly son.
The film was based on a novel by "Patrick Quentin", a pseudonym for Hugh Wheeler and Richard Webb, which was published in 1956. Film rights were bought the following year by the Mirisch Company, who had a deal with United Artists.Alan Ladd was signed to star in January 1958.Reginald Rose, who had just written Man of the West for the Mirisches, signed to write the screenplay. Michael Curtiz directed.
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