writers_reign A road company rip-off of All About Eve with just enough changes to avoid a lawsuit from Mank - both were from the same stable, Fox, who weren't about to let Nunally Johnson bite the hand that fed him - that relies on a 'Murder, She Wrote' cast-list to sell a ho-hum plot. Wheeled out in any order you like are Van Heflin, Otto Kruger, Reginald Gardiner, George Raft, Gene Tierney, Ginger Rogers, Peggy Ann Gardner, Skip Homier, just for openers. Fox veteran Nunnally Johnson turned in the screenplay and shouted 'Action' and 'Cut' and a good time was had by all. There was nothing about the plot that even required let alone yelled out for Cinemascope but in 1954 that was still the new kid on the technical block so they threw that in, too. Can stand a look.

hwg1957-102-265704 A routine murder mystery perhaps but it is enhanced by the widescreen format, gorgeous technicolor, a fine music score by Leigh Harline and solid playing from long established actors like Ginger Rogers, Van Heflin, Gene Tierney, George Raft, Reginald Gardiner, Otto Kruger and Cathleen Nesbitt. Not to mention Cosmo Sardo who apparently has over 400 acting credits to his name. Among the younger actors is Peggy Ann Garner who unfortunately is only in at the beginning and the end but makes a fascinating figure about whom the mystery surrounds.Based on a story by Patrick Quentin (whose real name is Hugh Wheeler) and co-written by Hugh Wheeler (whose pen name is Patrick Quentin) and the director Nunnally Johnson the plot is unsurprising though there is some good dialogue along the way. The title 'Black Widow' is rather misleading and unhelpful as it obviously suggests that the murderer is female.Not a waste of time but not riveting.

hall895 Broadway producer Peter Denver's wife is out of town tending to her ailing mother. This means he has to attend a cocktail party all alone. The party is being thrown by Lottie Marin, the star actress of his show. Lottie is a rather shrill, rude, condescending woman who keeps her thoroughly whipped husband Brian on a very short leash. Peter is understandably not too fond of Lottie and wants to leave the party as soon as he can. His salvation comes in the form of Nancy Ordway, a mysterious young woman with whom he leaves the party to go out for dinner. It's all rather innocent, just dinner, the big shot theater producer taking pity on the poor Southern girl who's having trouble finding her way in the big city. But is Nancy really as innocent as she seems? A series of flashbacks reveals she's quite a schemer and very much a social climber. She's an aspiring writer who convinces Peter to let her use his apartment to work during the day. But still there is nothing more than friendship between Peter and Nancy. At least that's what Peter wants everyone to believe. Eventually Peter's wife returns to town. Soon after her arrival someone turns up dead and we've got a murder mystery on our hands.The police have one suspect, Peter Denver. The rest of the film involves Peter trying to prove his innocence. It's a decent murder mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and hold your interest. Even when you're certain you've got it all figured out the film has more surprises in store, it is a pretty smart story. Van Heflin does a fine job portraying the accused Peter. Ginger Rogers has a showier part as the haughty Lottie. Rogers is perhaps a bit too shrill and over-the-top but her performance does work as far as making Lottie into the unlikeable shrew she is meant to be. Peggy Ann Garner is very good as the mysterious Nancy. For the film to work we had to be truly intrigued by the character and Garner makes that happen. Reginald Gardiner plays Lottie's ever so meek husband, it is a solid portrayal of a man so trapped under his famous wife's thumb that he is invisible to the world. George Raft is somewhat disappointing, giving a rather stiff performance as the detective investigating the killing. Gene Tierney, playing Peter's wife, is woefully underused. The film definitely could have done more with her. The story isn't perfect. It tosses some obvious red herrings your way and does drag somewhat now and again. Black Widow spins a tangled web which, when finally unraveled, ultimately proves clever enough to more or less satisfy. It is a movie which has its failings but there is more good than bad. No all-time classic to be sure but a decent murder mystery to entertain you.

Uriah43 Van Heflin plays a Broadway producer named "Peter Denver" who tries to help a young writer named "Nancy Ordway" (Peggy Ann Garner) by allowing her to use his apartment while his wife, "Iris Denver" (Gene Tierney) is away for several weeks. This is complicated by the fact that a Broadway actress by the name of "Carlotta Marin" (Ginger Rogers) lives in the apartment right above Peter Denver and is a prolific gossip. Now, since the entire effect of the film depends on not knowing "who did what" I won't go any further. But I will say that all of the performers did a very good job and that I especially liked the performance of Reginald Gardiner as the submissive husband (of Carlotta Marin) named "Brian Mullen". While this wasn't exactly the type of movie I was expecting it was a splendid little film all the same and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.