THE SPIDER'S WEB
UK, 1960, 89 minutes, Colour.
Glynis Johns, John Justin, Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Ronald Howard, David Nixon, Wendy Turner, Basil Dignam, Ferdy Mayne, Peter Butterworth, Anton Rodgers.
Directed by Godfrey Grayson.
Based on a play by Agatha Christie. However, it is very slight, even lighthearted in comparison with The Mousetrap and, especially, Witness for the Prosecution.
The action all takes place in a mansion, over a couple of hours. The running time is brief – the remake in 1982 with Penelope Keith is 15 minutes longer.
The first 20 minutes or so establish the characters, especially Glynis Johns as the new wife of diplomat, John Justin, prone to speculating and imagination, influencing her stepdaughter in the same vein. There are mysterious servants. And there is a mysterious gardener, Mrs Peake, played by Cicely Courtney. The mansion was previously owned by an antiques dealer – and there is a secret object which the murder is after.
The action develops when a sinister visitor arrives, who has married John Justin’s ex-wife. He claims to come to get the daughter back. However, he returns, searches a mysterious desk, and is found murdered. While the stepdaughter has played with some voodoo dolls and is upset that she killed the visitor, her stepmother decides to take the blame, calls back her friends who are at the club to help her move the body.
Many will remember The Trouble with Harry or Weekend at Bernie’s and disappearing corpses. Fortunately, this old mansion has secret doors and a secret hiding place!
While there is the question of who done it, there is the big question of where to hide the body. Peter Butterworth, in unusual casting, is the police inspector. The friends of the family include a neighbour, a magistrate, a former member of the Secret Service.
The whole thing seems rather dated, 1960s style, rather stage bound, and a somewhat flighty performance, which many have found charming, from Glynis Johns.
Ronald Howard (son of celebrated actor Leslie Howard) with his glasses and build seems to be anticipating Colin Firth!
And, there is the satisfaction of finding out, eventually, whodunnit.
