Black Widow (1987) User Reviews

An Unforgettable Neo-Noir

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 18 August 2012]

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. Alex believes that the Catharine might have traveled to Hawai and she takes vacation to follow her instincts. Alex finds and befriends Catharine in the hotel and becomes close to her. When Alex meets Catherine's boyfriend Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey), she has a crush on him. Will her passion for Paul and her friendship with Catharine jeopardize her investigation?

"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. This film is one of my favorite from the 80's and slightly recalls "Body Heat" from the early 80's. In those years, Theresa Russell was one of the sexiest actress of the cinema industry and the role of Catharine Petersen is tailored for her. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD has no Extras. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Viúva Negra" ("The Mystery of the Black Widow")

Worth watching again and again.

[gwickliffe · 7/10 · 26 January 2001]

I first saw this movie on cable, (HBO) and liked it instantly. The plot and characters were well written I thought and fine acting jobs by all. I was in high school when it came out and really liked the scuba scenes so I bought the movie on video. Since then I have watched it many times and have become a bigger fan. The biggest thing is how well I could identify with the characters. It draws you into watching just to see what's going to happen. I think if you like "Chinatown", you'll like this movie too. I think the ending works too, could be better but works well here. Best performance of Debra Winger except "An Officer and a Gentleman" And truly Thersa Russell's best performance I've ever seen her in. A good movie to watch when you're in the mood to stay home and watch a good well rounded, interesting movie. I still never tire of seeing it again.

Guilty pleasure

[Shinwa · 6/10 · 27 November 1999]

Hilariously contrived and utterly compelling, Black Widow is always worth a re-viewing when the video shelves are dry. 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. It's all very slick, but in a good way, with the considerable lily gilded by attempts at intellectualizing a movie which could be refilmed with startlingly few changes for a Cinemax Late Night soft-core extravaganza. 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. Essential viewing nonetheless.

Stimulating film about obsession, nicely directed as a thriller by Bob Rafelson.

[TheVid · 29 January 2004]

Winger and Russell are sensational here, characteristically different yet essentially the same in nature. 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. Winger is exceptional as always, and while Russell is notably uneven as usual, they both succeed admirably. All the supporting parts are brilliantly played. This is one of the finest and most enjoyable femme fatale films around. A widescreen version is thankfully now available on DVD from Fox.

A fine thriller with moments of erotic tension

[NewEnglandPat · 6/10 · 12 July 2005]

This murder yarn details the career of a female killer who marries men for their money, dispatches them without leaving any clues, then lays claim to their wealthy estates and moves on in search of another goldmine. 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. Theresa Russell, the title character, is the attractive, intelligent woman who wins the confidence of the men she targets and uses her irresistible charm to disarm her suitors. Winger soon cultivates a friendship with Russell to get closer to her and anticipate her next moves but knows that she and her quarry are on a collision course. The women play subtle cat-and-mouse games with each other until the surprise ending, which proves that a black widow can spin one web too many. Winger and Russell generated an undertow of erotic tension between them that the picture didn't explore but the movie remains a good mystery.

A good psychological thriller

[wnterstar · 7/10 · 10 December 2004]

I will admit I saw this movie ONLY because my best friend loves it so much. I was prepared to hate it.

I was wrong and she was right.

This movie is a wonderful cat and mouse game between two women. They get to know one another, and even to respect one another knowing that only one of them can win.

Spoilers

I think the movie did a good job of showing how a sociopath can seem normal in polite society, but then have no conscience when it comes to the lives of other people to the point of being proud of the murders. 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. It's not the greatest movie out there, and feels a little dated now (gotta love the '80's hair!)but it was enjoyable.

The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 8 January 2016]

Black Widow is directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Ronald Bass. It stars Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. Music is by Michael Small and cinematography by Conrad L. Hall.

Two women. Catherine marries men for their money, then murders them. The other, Alexandra Barnes is on her tail, getting in close to hopefully expose her crimes...

Rafelson's neo-noir homages the film noir femme fatales of the 40s and 50s with a high degree of success. There's much potency in the screenplay that puts it firmly in the noir universe. Flip flopping the misogyny angles of yesteryear, picture pitches the ultimate femme fatale destroyer of men into a cat and mouse scenario with a sexually repressed opponent - or is she a jealous but secret admirer? 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 sexual tension is a constant, particularly when Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey) is brought into proceedings, something which shifts the piece still further into noirville.

There's also other characters straight out of film noir. Be it Alexandra's boss (the always reliable Terry O'Quinn), who's harbouring carnal desires for Alex, or sleazy Private Investigator H. Shin (James Hong) who has a needle habit, it's clear that Rafelson and Bass know their noir. Unfortunately most of the play is in daylight, meaning missed opportunities for some psychological shadow play is passed up. Though it should be noted that Hall's photography is slick and tonally in tune, especially when lighting scenes involving Russell as prime focus. It all builds to a splendid finale, the makers pulling us both ways as to where it will lead. Sure, some of the plot devices are weak, but in the main this is sexy, intriguing and tricky in narrative, whilst tech credits stay at the higher end of the scale. 7/10

How Cool Would THAT Have Been!

[poetcomic1 · 7/10 · 7 November 2020]

Ebert also noticed that there is an element of obsession bordering on eroticism between the detective and the black widow killer. They even have a very unsettling kiss. Ebert was right that THE cool ending would be that the two women fall in love and the detective let's the rich male victim die and the movie ends with the two on a beach, say, BUT then Winger has some twinge of fear that she might, alas, be in danger herself. Totally noir and for Bob Rafaelson a one time hip and experimental director to not 'go there' is INFURIATING. This COULD have been one of the great modern noirs. Acting quite good all around.

lots underneath the surface here

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 10 August 2005]

This is a terrific movie that reminds one what we lost when Debra Winger slowed down her movie-making. She gives an honest, heartfelt performance as an investigator chasing a woman who marries rich and whose husbands wind up dead every time. The widow then remakes her appearance, gets a new identity, and dupes another man. 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. She stands and stares at him - she knows he's going to die, she knows he won't believe her - you can see every thought in her head until, regretfully, she leaves.

Theresa Russell has the right detachment for this role. One suspects the character is a real man-hater and is, in fact, attracted to Winger. Winger is admiring of Russell's constant flirtation with danger. This is a complex relationship that the two play out. The finale is not up to the standard of the rest of the film, but I still highly recommend it.

Almost a classic

[fayann_simpson · 7/10 · 23 August 2017]

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. There is a twist but I think they had a much better ending staring them right in the face but I suppose that wouldn't have been in the Hollywood style. What can I say I like my endings with a little more grit and not so happy. Nonetheless enough great performances to make this movie worth the watch.

Get me to the funeral on time...

[Lejink · 5/10 · 17 February 2011]

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. It follows the format of a screed of contemporary 80's thrillers with attractive leads playing rich and beautiful people living fabulous lifestyles, with dangerous designs on their partners, a convoluted plot-line and of course a big twist at the conclusion. Where "Black Widow" falls down is in the sheer far-fetchedness of its story as we're expected to believe in Russell as a serial-killer with what must be a strange addiction to the wedding march and confetti.

She also has an unerring talent for seeking out rich bachelors and then not only charming them into marriage but also to will their fortunes to her in the short time available to them in between the "I do's" and his death rattle. Somehow, while investigating a mob-death, married-to-the-job agent Winger picks up Russell's scent and before you can count four has trailed her to her latest intended (victim) in Hawaii.

From there it's a duel between the two of them as to who can get the better of the other over latest squeeze Paul, which is left in doubt until the last reel. I just found the plot had more holes than a string vest, never buying into the Winger/ Russell friendship, even with its lesbian overtones, which only seemed to be inserted for shock value in any case. Did I believe in Russell as a femme-fatale with the looks and smarts to seduce and reduce the men in her life? No, again.

Director Rafaelson tries to keep us guessing throughout and also sexes things up when he can, but in the end it's all too ludicrous for words and collapses under the weight of its own pretensions.

First Rate Cast In Terrific, Gorgeously-Shot, Lady Fed Vs Lady Psycho Thriller

[ShootingShark · 8/10 · 12 February 2006]

Alex is a workaholic fed who becomes convinced a female serial killer is seducing, marrying and poisoning rich men. After failing to prevent the death of a museum curator in Seattle, she follows the femme-fatale to Hawaii and manages to befriend her. But when she starts to fall in love with the killer's next victim, a complex web of intrigue ensues ...

The script for this movie is a lot of fun but not very original - how then do the filmmakers hold our interest ? By simply making both the (usually male) cop and psycho interesting, intelligent women, and populating the supporting cast with offbeat, funny characters. The subtext is fascinating; is it a feminist piece with a plucky heroine emancipating herself, a sultry lesbian potboiler, or your standard obsessive cop/crook mirrored-existence caper ? The film wisely never takes itself too seriously (there's a great moment when Winger fobs O'Quinn off with a pat psychiatric diagnosis of Russell and then cracks up into hysterics) and it's so beautifully made that I can easily forgive it the odd cliché. It has a great old-fashioned style reminiscent of the big women's pictures of the thirties and forties, with elegance to spare; sumptuous costumes by Patricia Norris and exquisitely crystal-clear primary colour photography by Conrad Hall, with light bouncing off every surface possible and gorgeous locations (New York, Washington DC, Seattle and Hawaii). Best of all though are the cast - Winger is just sensational as the driven Alex, in equal parts meek and brash, and Russell as Catharine / Marielle / Margaret / Renee is the definitive thinking-man's homicidal crumpet - stunningly beautiful, devious, just a little bit nutty, alternately bewildered and cool as ice. Why can't we have more action/thriller movies with two lead actresses like this ? The supporting players are also superb; Williamson as a nervous anthropologist, O'Quinn as the concerned mother of a boss, a hilarious Hong as a seedy private-eye ("No knock !? Come into a person's office, no knock !!"), Hopper as a good-ol'-boy toy tycoon, Rossi as a doubting Thomas local cop, Woronov as scuba-diving instructor and playwright Mamet as a poker-player. There are lots of terrific moments in this movie (my favourite is the wedding gift scene) and thanks to Rafelson's polished, cool direction, it has a classy, seamless, elegant atmosphere.

It is good and an enjoyable watch with fine cinematography but there are problems

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 10 January 2021]

It is good and an enjoyable watch with fine cinematography but there are problems. We would have liked to see more of Dennis Hopper and a little less of Sami Frey. The former seems in fine and vibrant form but the latter diffident and uncomfortable which makes it difficult during later key scenes. Biggest problem of all though is that we become so bewitched, so mesmerised by the beauty, tenacity and manipulative skills of Theresa Russell she rather overshadows the good work of Debra Winger and we find ourselves on the wrong side. This may have been intentional but it is a difficult trick to pull off and when we have to further consider possible affection between the girls the very glue that has held the premise of hardworking and well meaning FBI investigator against the world, comes a little unstuck. Still a fine watch, however, and a super twist.

Please Squash This Spider

[Bolesroor · 4/10 · 26 November 2015]

It took me almost thirty years to see this movie. 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. Then some lady who works for the FBI tries to catch her. A wild premise, I know. I'll give you a few minutes to digest that outrageous plot line. But seriously: what could have been a dark character study or Hitchcockian-suspense masterpiece simply dies on screen with an underdeveloped script and plot holes too gaping to overlook.

Why does Catharine (Theresa Russell) repeatedly marry and bury wealthy older men when doing it just once would have left her enough cash to live the rest of her life in luxury? How could every law enforcement bureau miss Catharine's obvious poisoning of her victims and not even classify the deaths as homicides? Why does Alexandra (Debra Winger) become obsessed with nabbing Catharine only to launch the silliest, sloppiest investigation in law enforcement history? ("I don't really work for the newspaper- I freelance. Actually I'm trying to sell a piece to Cosmo") How does the detail-oriented Catharine not see Debra Winger's clueless federal agent a mile away? Why would she continue to marry and kill even AFTER she knows Alexandra's true identity? Are there really all-girl scuba classes in which women get to play lesbian by performing CPR on one another?

And a word here on the homosexual overtones in the movie: they're poorly-constructed and entirely half-ass. We know absolutely nothing about Alexandra as a person except that she refuses to date. Debra Winger is no help by playing Alex as a comatose shell: she doesn't seem attracted to men OR women. If a movie is going to imply lesbianism there has to be more than two throwaway lines and a make-believe kiss. I feel sorry for the reviewers who have patted themselves on the back for catching the "deep subtext" of the gay implications: there isn't more here than meets the eyes, my friends. There's less.

This brings us to the ending, which is so absurd as to be laughable: Alexandra is arrested and charged with the murder of Catharine's husband while Catharine struts like a peacock in front of attorneys and law enforcement officers, even going so far as to visit Alexandra in prison! Because, you know, doesn't everybody drop by the local jailhouse to say hey to their spouse's killer? The answer is no.

"Black Widow' is a sloppy potboiler-wannabe, a suspense-mystery with neither element to be found anywhere on screen. The film's only highlight is James Hong as a scuzzy heroin-addicted PI, a character dark and dirty enough to hold your interest. Otherwise this movie is two frozen-faced women doing things that the script tells them to. Feel free to miss it.

GRADE: C-

A decent but unremarkable potboiler

[brchthethird · 6/10 · 14 November 2014]

This is a rather ordinary mystery/potboiler in which a game of cat-and-mouse is played between two women. I said it's ordinary because there really isn't much to distinguish it from other similar movies except that the two leads are women. The acting is serviceable, and no one really gives a breakout performance. The film's greatest weakness is probably in the writing. The film starts out strong, but it's as if the writers ran out of ideas when it came to the final act. The pacing slows down a lot (and wasn't even perfect to begin with, given all of the time lapses) and the story begins to focus on a love triangle that really isn't compelling at all. Some lesbian/homoerotic tension is hinted at and, as if to give the perverts in the audience something to guffaw at, culminates in one of the quickest and most awkward kisses I've ever seen. They also don't treat the women in the film very kindly either, particularly the two leads. The only type of independent women they have are either manipulative bitches or hard-working women without much time for romantic endeavors, and both of them are presented as sex objects throughout the entire running time. Debra Winger's character is of the second type and is constantly subjected to crude comments and unwanted sexual advances, while Theresa Russell is the other type, who sees marriage as the pinnacle of her life even if she uses it to her own nefarious purpose. There are some glorified cameos by Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson which are entertaining. It's too bad that they weren't in the film more, but they do elevate the material somewhat in their limited screen time. Overall, I'd say this is about two thirds of a decent movie, despite the implausibility of it all.

Hallucinative desire

[chaos-rampant · 8 May 2016]

If you ever wondered how classic Hollywood would look in a modern guise or whatever happened to it, it's right here. Shots, actors, dialogue, the way sets are framed, the whole language is the very same, in color this time. It's very much a movie from the 40s.

It's film noir in fact, an interesting one in the way it reverses and makes desire erupt from beneath.

A woman as investigator, looking around the country for another woman. A woman who we understand has no experience with men and has led a boring office life, looking for adventure. She enters the world of this second woman who embodies all that she's missing in hers; unabashed experience with men, a life of intrigue.

The setting is Hawaii and suitably exotic as a matter of both sensual (meaning open to the senses) and artificial, mirroring the fiction the widow weaves around her. At one point we drive in view of a volcano erupting in the distance, a glimpse of heaving urges beneath the narrative ground.

Interesting is this confluence of identity that is a central tenet of noir. The woman who investigates enters the other's world by posing as a charmless, reserved girl, but which we understand is very much her own self, very thin boundaries. Through her she has an entry into a world of being wanted, a charming man takes her out on a trip, but as she succumbs to the role she begins to lose sight of the plot. On the other end we note all this as a narrative being authored by the femme fatale, using surrogate desire as the lure into a story. The story the widow was preparing is that the girl became so obsessed with a story where she killed romantic partners for money, she killed to create it, becoming who she came to catch.

This is all great to see, intricate in conception, and could have been potent as a primary text for Vertigo or Lady of Shanghai style annotation where obsessive desire takes over the controls. Lynch and Rivette were extrapolating noir in their own way at this time.

It has silly resolutions in the end that make movie sense only, and a less investigative camera than I'd like, more Preminger than Welles. But it's more worthwhile than many of so called neo noirs where the plot matches the edges of noir but they miss its real crux.

Noir Meter: 3/4 | Neo-noir or post noir? Neo

liked the two actresses

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 7 April 2015]

Catharine (Theresa Russell) is a black widow marrying rich old men and then killing them off. She changes her looks and identity after each kill. Her next victims are toy maker Ben (Dennis Hopper) and rich sociologist McCrory. Dept of Justice investigator Alexandra (Debra Winger) is examining the seemingly natural death of a mob-related guy. She notices that there are other similar deaths and the wives all look alike. Her boss Bruce (Terry O'Quinn) doesn't buy it but lets her investigate on her own. After McCrory dies, Alex follows Catharine to Hawaii with new adventurous man Paul Nuytten. Shin (James Hong) is the unhelpful weasel local P.I.

I really like the performances of the two actresses. I don't find Catharine's seductions that compelling and the movie doesn't need it. It's perfectly fine to keep that part mostly mysterious although Theresa Russell gets to show a little bit of skin. Alex's investigation is more fascinating with her trying to be one of the boys in an all-men's world. The investigation does lack tension since there is no mystery. The two women collide midway through the movie and the story changes into something else. The movie turns into a bit of mean girls drama and overwrought hardboiled tension. James Hong is funny. I'm not sure that it's dramatic enough but it seems to have fun with playing it over the top. It feels like style over substance at that point. Quite frankly, I'm not sure why there is the final sting or what it actually achieves other than a surprise twist for the movie.

The Beautiful Mask

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 26 July 2023]

Alexandra, a data analyst employed by the Justice Department in Washington, notices suspicious parallels between a number of cases in which wealthy middle-aged men have died suddenly and unexpectedly shortly after marrying a younger wife. Although her superiors dismiss these similarities as coincidence, and although all the deaths are officially due to natural causes, Alexandra begins to suspect that one woman, whom she nicknames the "Black Widow", has murdered all these men for their money. Determined to bring the Black Widow to justice, Alexandra tracks her down to Hawaii.

And, of course, she is proved right. It wouldn't be much of a film if it ended with a chastened Alexandra returning to Washington, forced to admit that her bosses were right and that the similarities between the cases were indeed mere coincidence. There is indeed a Black Widow, a woman referred to in the cast list as Catharine, although that is probably only one in a long list of false aliases she uses. (In the film she also goes by the names Marielle, Margaret and Renee). In Hawaii she has found her next intended victim, a hotel owner named Paul. Under the assumed name of Jessica, Alexandra pretends to befriend Catharine, hoping to expose her and to save Paul from the fate of his predecessors. There are, however, to be a couple more twists before the matter is resolved.

Apparently Debra Winger was offered the choice of playing either Alexandra or Catharine, and she chose Alexandra because she couldn't understand Catharine's motivation. I had a similar problem with the film in that I couldn't really fathom Catharine either. She is a serial killer, but serial killers do not normally commit their crimes for money. And if money was her motive, would it not have been easier and safer for her to have lived in wealth and luxury off the fortune left to her by her first husband rather than disappearing and trying to bring of the same trick elsewhere?

The film doesn't do much to help us fathom her. It simply suggests that human nature is unfathomable and that no human being will ever understand any other human being. Nor do we get much help from Theresa Russell, who took on the role after Winger turned it down. Russell's Catharine is a beautiful mask, a perfectly pleasant young woman on the surface who never gives much hint of emotion or of the underlying psychological turmoil which drives her to kill men who have done her no harm- indeed, who have never shown her anything other than love and kindness.

The nearest Catharine comes to any human feeling comes in the second half of the film when she and Alexandra meet in Hawaii. It is clear that Alexandra has become obsessed with her quarry, and Catharine, who is well aware of the real identity of the supposed "Jessica", seems to share this obsession. She even saves Alexandra's life during a diving expedition. There is a curious suggestion of a lesbian attraction between the two women, but nothing is ever made explicit.

This is one of of two thrillers which Winger made in the late eighties in which she played a government investigator who befriends the criminal whom she is investigating, the other being Costa-Gavras's "Betrayed". In that case, however, Winger's character quite clearly falls in love with her target, Gary, and even sleeps with him, before she realises that he is a vicious killer, not the clean-cut all-American boy she took him for.

I am not particularly familiar with the films of Bob Rafelson- indeed, I have only seen one of his other movies, "Five Easy Pieces". That film also contains a mystery about what motivates the central character, a former classical pianist who, for reasons that are never explained, has abandoned his musical career to live the life of a blue-collar worker. That film does, however, contain a commanding central performance from Jack Nicholson; "Black Widow" does not really have anything comparable, although Winger plays her role well. (I was less taken with Russell). It is not a bad film, with some reasonable acting and an ingenious, if not always credible, plot. It is, however, often a baffling one. 6/10.

Sort of Flat

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 26 August 2016]

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. O'Quinn always has a great performance, but he doesn't always have a mustache. So, for that, I thank whoever asked him to wear one.

This movie was directed by Bob Rafelson (who really peaked from 1968-1972), which explains the small Dennis Hopper cameo. If you were watching it for Hopper, you will be disappointed. And overall it is rather slow for a "thriller" with very little suspense. Some have called it a "film noir", but I think that's a stretch.

Hugely entertaining (feminist?) film

[nick_brown · 8/10 · 4 September 2000]

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.

Interesting although not totally successful thriller.

[hu675 · 7/10 · 22 September 2010]

Justice Department agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) is investigating on the mysterious "Black Widow" (Theresa Russell). Who marries wealthy older men by seducing them on marriage and killing them by mysterious means of poisoning. When the "Black Widow" has her eyes on a international hotel tycoon (Sami Frey). 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. But the movie is never as satisfying as you would like it to be. Although the movie does have an loyal cult following. Written by Ronald Bass (Gardens of Stone, Rain Man, What Dreams May Come). (***/*****).

Rafelson, whatever his other modest talents, was never a thriller director

[210west · 4/10 · 8 July 2023]

This lethargically paced, uninvolving movie is not -- repeat, NOT -- a thriller. It will not make your heart race or have you on the edge of your seat.

In fact, it doesn't even TRY to be plausible or to generate any suspense. It looks mildly promising in the beginning, but it wastes too much time on Deborah Winger socializing with various law-enforcement colleagues and dealing with others who are annoyingly obtuse. You can't help wondering where the story's going. Ultimately, all these early scenes count for nothing; the characters are simply abandoned and don't appear again.

One thing the movie does is give you a lot of time -- a LOT of time -- to study Theresa Russell's face. Although she isn't a terribly interesting actress, she's definitely a beauty. The camera loves her; so, obviously, does the director.

But what a silly, implausible story. Winger never behaves like a plausible federal agent in pursuit of a potential killer. Russell's string of successful murders never seem plausible, either. The movie doesn't even attempt to be convincing.

Weirdest of all, it runs out of steam midway through, at which point the story meanders, lapses into a romantic Hawaiian travelogue, and becomes quite dull. And yet, paradoxically, it skips over a number of plot points (including two murders), as if the film originally ran too long and some key scenes had to be cut. It wastes time on unimportant, uninteresting stuff and leaves out the drama.

P. S. Yes, that's David Mamet in an early (pointless) poker scene.

Now frequently on Fox Movie Channel...

[MarieGabrielle · 9/10 · 14 October 2008]

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 goes from NYC society matron, to Texas redhead, to Seattle museum doyenne, to Hawaiian princess. 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. Sami Frey portrays the final husband, and there is a twist at the end. 9/10. Recommended.

Sensual Seductress Theresa Russel vs. Obssessive Huntress Debra Winger

[Vomitron_G · 7/10 · 24 January 2010]

A fine thriller with a bit of an edge and a splendid cast. 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.... leaving, sadly, the very ending itself a tad bit underwhelming. One of the aspects of the plot that struck me most about this film, is the fact that it has two of the most determined ('obsessed' might be a better word for it) female characters up against one another I've ever seen in one film. And they're the two leading ladies, no less. This really does pay off well on several occasions, especially from the moment they meet up onward.

The film's screenplay might have been better developed if it had been turned into a mini-series of about 3 hours. I can actually see this concept work very well as a TV-series these days, but only if they make just one solid season and then wrap it up with a decent conclusion (something in the vein of "Kidnapped" from 2006, fast paced yet well plotted). In short, "Black Widow" has a good concept with a lot of potential - most of it used, even - and a decent cast to boot, but as a full feature it bit off a bit more than it could chew. Nevertheless, as it stands now, just give it a watch. Chances are you won't regret it.

Mind-numbingly dull

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 11 August 2013]

Style over substance. Mood over plot. A director in love with his lead actresses. You can level many accusations at BLACK WIDOW, but a good film it isn't. Sure, it has potential; a decent set-up for one, and a first half hour that looks like it's really going somewhere. 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. Kudos for getting all those notables in too: Terry O'Quinn as the superior, Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson as potential victims, a nicely sleazy role for James Hong.

But somewhere along the line the film loses its way. Instead of concentrating on building the suspense and developing a cat and mouse game between cop and killer, the writer and director become fixated on another kind of relationship between the two women, so much so that all the tension dissipates and it all becomes incredibly boring. There's no danger, no reason to keep watching. Even the twist ending does nothing to improve things. As a contrast, I recently watched the Hitchcock rip-off FINAL ANALYSIS, and despite the clichés it was ten times better than this because it remembered what it was throughout: a thriller, first and foremost.