20th Century Fox
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Black Widow
Someone will kill this girl tonight!
When a young stage hopeful is found dead, suspicion falls on her mentor, a successful Broadway producer.
- Original title
- Black Widow
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
John Chard
Jun 9, 2019 · via TMDB
The Black Widow, deadliest of all spiders, earned its dark title through its deplorable practice of devouring its mate. The Black Widow, deadliest of all spiders, earned its dark title through its deplorable practice of devouring its mate. Black Widow is written and directed by Nunally Johnson. It stars Ginger Rogers, Van Heflin, Gene Tierney, George Raft, Peggy Ann Garner and Reginald Gardiner. Music is by Leigh Harline and cinematograpgy by Charles G. Clarke. A young writer insinuates herself into the life of a Broadway producer – with dire consequences… A CinemaScope/De Luxe colour production out of 20th Century Fox, Black Widow flirts with the boundaries of colour film noir. Heflin is the Broadway producer who has his world turned upside by what at first we think is a femme fatale, only the pic isn’t as straight forward as that. In fact, the title is a bit of a bum steer for this is not about some male murdering femme fatale, quite the opposite in fact, so expectation of that will only cause disappointment. Essentially this ends up as a who and why done it? And for the most part the pic holds the attention as the narrative pitches Peter Denver (Heflin) as the Broadway producer frantically trying to prove himself innocent of a murder. Cards are kept close to the chest as Johnson’s screenplay drips suspicion into the play at various points. We the audience are forced into questioning the manoeuvres of the lead protagonists, which gains momentum once Raft’s Detective Bruce starts investigating the case. However, some have cried out that the revelation was too easy to spot, maybe so if one is so desperate to do so, but of course we do hear this a lot from folk not happy with the film they have watched. Personally, I didn’t see it coming, but conversely, I was personally disappointed with the reveal. So, there you go, roll the dice and take a chance with it really. Tech aspects are hit and miss. The CinemaScope format doesn’t quite work here, given that most of the play is performed in apartments. When it comes to the cityscapes of New York – and the framing of characters within them – it’s a treat, especially as Clarke’s colour lenses are splendid, but Johnson the director doesn’t appear to get a handle on the format. Acting is also an interesting parade. Heflin is great, draws you into his “on the run to clear my name” malarkey with conviction, while Rogers is having a blast as the waspish lead lady with delusions of grandeur. Raft is a one note let down in a “for the money” role, and Tierney (sadly getting closer to succumbing to her mental health problems) is poorly written and Gardiner likewise. Garner (stepping in when Maggie McNamara fell ill) is fine, slinky and suspiciously delicate, but the course of the story leaves us short of more from her. As a whole? it’s a mixed bag, but definitely it’s on the good side of good, particularly for Heflin and Rogers fans and for those of a noir persuasion. 7/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Van Heflin
Peter Denver
Reginald Gardiner
Brian Mullen
Gene Tierney
Iris Denver
Peggy Ann Garner
Nancy Ordway
Ginger Rogers
Carlotta Marin
George Raft
Detective Bruce
Virginia Leith
Claire Amberly
Otto Kruger
Gordon Ling
Cathleen Nesbitt
Lucia Colletti
Skip Homeier
John Amberly
Hilda Simms
Anne
Mabel Albertson
Sylvia (uncredited)
Bea Benaderet
Mrs. Franklin Walsh (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth
Police APB Man (uncredited)
Steve Carruthers
Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Carter
Sergeant Welch (uncredited)
Frances Curry
Maid (uncredited)
Richard H. Cutting
Sergeant Owens (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum
Party Guest (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Kruger
Policeman (uncredited)
Virginia Maples
Model (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Party Guest (uncredited)
Forbes Murray
Man in Hallway (uncredited)
Monty O'Grady
Party Guest (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Party Guest (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Photographer (uncredited)
Aaron Spelling
Mr. Oliver (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey
Party Guest (uncredited)
Michael Vallon
Coal Dealer (uncredited)
Geraldine Wall
Gwen Mills (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox
Zachary Paige (uncredited)
Charles G. Clarke
Director of Photography
Travilla
Costume Design
Nunnally Johnson
Director
Dorothy Spencer
Editor
Nunnally Johnson
Producer
Leigh Harline
Original Music Composer
Nunnally Johnson
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Oct 28, 1954
