The Spider's Web (1960) User Reviews

Always a Pleasure To See Miss Johns

[boblipton · 6/10 · 20 February 2020]

Glynis Johns is the sort of sweet but vague woman who calls everyone 'darling'. So when a dead man turns up behind the couch, she calls her houseguests and has them move the body into the secret passage in the house.

It's based on one of Agatha Christie's lesser known stage plays. Like most of her writing, it is marvelously plotted, but indifferently written. It relies on a fine cast to bring this murder mystery to life, including Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Ronald Howard, Ferdy Mayne, and Peter Butterworth as the befuddled inspector.

It's been opened up slightly from the stage play, resulting in a four-set movie.

Sometimes it seems as if makers of mystery movies have two choices: they can make a good mystery or they can make a good movie. This one is enlivened by a fine cast, but not enough to make it more than an indifferent programmer.

Quite entertaining, but a bit draggy toward the end

[GodeonWay · 5/10 · 25 April 2018]

Agatha Christie was a top-drawer playwright as well as a novelist, and this film is based on her successful comedy thriller 'Spider's Web' (there was no 'The' in the original title). It had a successful run in London in 1954-56 and starred the wonderful Margaret Lockwood, who also starred in a 1955 TV movie versiion (which I've never seen, alas).

In this very plush technicolor adaptation, Glynis Johns steps into Lockwood's shoes, and does a creditable job. It's a high-energy role, and she overplays her part just a bit. This was probably at the urging of director Godfrey Grayson, a competent director of crime movies who perhaps found himself in unfamiliar comedy territory. In fact, Godfrey's uninspired direction is probably why the film starts to plod about halfway through, and never really recovers.

For the complicated plot, Christie may have borrowed an idea or two from Jack Trevor Story's novel The Trouble With Harry, which of course was the foundation for Hitchcock's classic 1955 movie. The Spider's Web is no classic, however, and probably won't stick in your memory. But it makes for OK viewing, with some laughs and a few thrills. The acting all around is commendable, and, best of all, the sets are gorgeous and definitely worth a peek.

Outstanding performance form Glynis Johns,

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 6 September 2019]

The Quick Pitch: Having discovered a dead body in her drawing room, Clarissa Hailsham-Brown is more concerned with how it will look to a visiting diplomat than she is with who committed the murder. She convinces three friends to help her not only hide the body, but also hide the truth from the police.

Based on an Agatha Christie play, The Spider's Web is a light, airy, mystery/comedy that's less concerned with who-did-it and more concerned with how-do-we hide-it. The film succeeds thanks in large part to the efforts of Glynis Johns. She's bright, funny, quirky, and, above all else, supremely entertaining. Her character, Clarissa, is the energy behind the film. She's a non-stop whirlwind of plots and schemes that are a joy to watch unfold. Johns is joined by a strong supporting cast, including Cicely Courtneidge, Ferdy Mayne, and Peter Butterworth (so good as the befuddled police inspector). All of the performances are helped along by some cleverly written dialogue. I'm not sure, however, who to credit - Christie or screenwriters Eldon Howard and Albert G Miller - but it's a solid script. And the whole production benefits from an appropriately jazzy, bouncy score. It fits nicely with the action on screen. My only complaint is with the film's pacing. While I'll give director Godfrey Grayson a big chunk of credit for the overall finished product, the film dragged a bit for me in the first act. But once the dead body turns up, The Spider's Web becomes an incredibly enjoyable experience.

7/10

For diehard Agatha Christie fans only? Well, I am one!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 28 August 2019]

Once, long before I actually saw the film, I read a review which stated that "The Spider's Web" is so bad that only die-hard Agatha Christie fans would be able to somewhat enjoy it. Yeah, well, I happen to be a die-hard Christie fan and I didn't just "somewhat enjoyed" it; - I loved it! Besides, whoever wrote that dumb review must have been a real sourpuss, because even objectively speaking, I think that "The Spider's Web" is excellent entertainment for various types of audiences. It's a light-headed and comical murder mystery with spirited performances, nice scenery and decors (albeit limited because it's an adaptation of a stage play), ingenious plot twists and a memorable climax. In terms of atmosphere and narrative style, "The Spider's Web" is quite similar to the contemporary Miss Marple film series starring Margaret Rutherford ("Murder She Said", "Murder at the Gallop", "Murder Ahoy" and "Murder Most Foul"). If you liked those, there's a strong chance you will also very much love "The Spider's Web". Glynis Johns Gives a delightfully energetic performance as the hectic housewife Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, trying to cover up a murder in order to safeguard her household and even persuading three sophisticated gentlemen to sabotage the police investigation. Another woman, Cicily Courtneidge, is also outstanding as the intrusive and non-stop talkative gardener Mrs. Peake. True, I may be biased, because I worship Agatha Christie and firmly believe she was the greatest fiction writer in history, but regardless of that, "The Spider's Web" is a fun flick; - period!

The ace of spade was missing.

[ulicknormanowen · 25 February 2020]

I have always loved Dame Agatha Christie and it was a pleasure to watch this "spider's web" ,which was first a play (later novelized by Charles Osborne)

It's impossible to mention this play in the same breath as her stage masterpieces ("witness for the prosecution" and "the mousetrap") because the ending is not as mind-boggling as the poster reads ,but for a Christie buff ,it's still good value : the red herrings are present ,(black) humor too -we're sometimes closer to a comedy -,and the whole cast is up to scratch ;the dead body which appears and disappears may remind you of HItchcock's "trouble with Harry".

Lightweight slice of Agatha Christie

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 25 October 2020]

This comic adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's lesser-known (and just plain lesser) stories is a static piece of filmmaking (basically, it's just filmed theater), and suffers from an overbearingly incessant score, but Glynis Johns is a charming leading lady, and fans of the writer may want to take a peek anyway, for completion's sake. **1/2 out of 4.

Over acting Johns,intrusive music and leaden directinh

[malcolmgsw · 4/10 · 24 July 2020]

This being a Danziger film you don't have great expectations.Presumably most of the money was spent on buying the film rights and colour.So there is only one set and Johns only gets one frumpy dress.John's overreacting is matched by Courtneidge.The music will drive you round the bend.Almost continuous and very intrusive.The pace is leaden.So a disappointment.

A charming movie.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 18 April 2018]

It's one of Agatha Christie's lesser known stage plays, but it's quite an intriguing mystery, with some unexpected moments, and a rather surprise ending. Glynis Johns is utterly charming as Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, the whole film depends on her delivering, making the character insanely enthusiastic, energetic and hugely inquisitive, and that she does incredibly well. She is well supported and in good company, Cicely Courtneidge grabs my attention the most, with an excellent performance as Miss Peake. Peter Butterworth adds some wonderful humour as the bemused and baffled Inspector Lord.

It's definitely well acted, well produced, you can tell by the costumes and design that very early 1960's, as it has a wonderfully proper feel to it.

Previously made in the 50's with Margaret Lockwood, It would be remade by the BBC for Christmas in 1982, for what is my personal favourite adaptation, I adore Penelope Keith's interpretation of Clarissa.

Come on BBC this one could be remade rather easily :-)

Nice movie 8/10

Glynis Johns at a loss with a dead body and several parties at home

[clanciai · 9/10 · 27 February 2020]

As usual with Agatha Christie, this is a very intelligent thriller with towering complications all the way, all happening in the same house, where Glynis Johns' VIP husband is expecting some international celebrities for the night to not be disturbed, while before that a dead body is surprisingly found. Fortunately Glynis Johns' friends are at hand, and they fake a bridge party, but that does not fool the policemen a very long way, who unfortunately have been anonymously informed about something fishy going on at the manor and come looking there for a body. No one has any idea who or why that fellow has been murdered, he is a distant relative being married to Glynis Johns' husband's former wife, and they have a child, a daughter, who lives with Glynis Johns and her husband, and she is a good mother while the real mother apparently was not. Glynis assumes that it's the girl who has killed that intruding step-father, and so the mysery rolls on. It's delightful entertainment with witty dialog and a typical Agatha Christie jig-saw intrigue of many suprirses. Enjoy!

Many strands of many moods in this delightful mystery comedy.

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 25 March 2020]

A sensational comic performance by Glynis Johns will have you completely entranced, and she shares honors with veteran British music hall star Cicely Courtneidge in this version of a lesser known Agatha Christie mystery. Johns and husband John Justin (along with Justin's daughter from a previous marriage, Wendy Turner) have leased a large home where a mysterious intruder is found murdered leading towards all sorts of intrigue (often comical in nature) that has the local police baffled yet has the audience both in stitches and biting their nails.

Sliding panels, secret drawers in desks, choreographed direction (in the tradition of the best stage farce) and frantic performances add to the frazzled characterizations of everyone present. Johns, achieving world wide recognition after "Mary Poppins", was already a huge success on the British stage and in cinema, is letter perfect. She moves around the crowded sets with the grace of a veteran ballerina and doesn't give one false note in her perfect performance. Cicely Courtneidge steals every scene she's in as the caretaker, and it's impossible not to adore her.

Jack Hulbert, Ronald Howard and David Nixon (not Niven as I mistakingly read in the credits) add delightful comic support, and the sets, direction and photography (along with a comical musical score) aide immeasurably to the success of this nearly flawless British comic mystery. This is a gem of British cinema that after discovering that I will delightfully revisit over and over again.