Rent The Web (1947)
3.6 of 5 from 52 ratings
1h 27min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Attorney Bob Regan (Edmond O'Brien) is hired as a bodyguard to wealthy Andrew Colby (Vincent Price), who believes a former employee who just did a five-year bit for embezzlement is gunning for him. Forced to kill the ex-con when he attacks Colby at his home, Regan starts to wonder if the whole thing wasn't an elaborate set-up and begins his own investigation with the help of Colby's secretary (Ella Raines).
- Actors:
- Ella Raines, Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix, Vincent Price, Maria Palmer, John Abbott, Fritz Leiber, Howland Chamberlain, Tito Vuolo, Wilton Graff, Robin Raymond, Bob Allen, Patricia Alphin, Russ Conway, Gino Corrado, Alex Frazer, Jack Gargan, William Haade, Dick Johnstone, Joe Kirk
- Directors:
- Michael Gordon
- Producers:
- Jerry Bresler
- Writers:
- William Bowers, Bertram Millhauser, Harry Kurnitz
- Aka:
- Black Velvet / Jeopardy / The Dark Web
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 14/11/2022
- Run Time:
- 87 minutes
- Languages:
- English Mono
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentaries with David Del Valle on 'The Web'
- The John Player Lecture with Joan Fontaine (1978): archival audio recording of the much-loved star in conversation
- The Heel with Sex Appeal: Nick Pinkerton on Dan Duryea
- Return to Europe: Christina Newland on Robert Siodmak
- Absolute Magnetism: Lucy Bolton on Gloria Grahame
- Film Noir Festival Q&A with Victoria Price (2018): archival video recording of Vincent Price's daughter in conversation
- Lux Radio Theatre: The Web (1947): vintage radio adaptation
- United Action Means Victory (1939): documentary short written by Ben Maddow
- Skirmish on the Home Front (1944): short film starring William Bendix
- A Salute to France (1944): short film starring Claude Dauphin
- Easy to Get (1947): short campaign film directed by Joseph M Newman
- The Cinematographer (1951): documentary short directed by Jerry Hopper
- Image galleries
- UK premieres on Blu-ray
More like The Web
Reviews (1) of The Web
Forties Noir. - The Web review by Steve
Twisty but implausible golden age film noir which elevates an assembly of capable support actors to lead roles with some success. Vincent Price- in the period before he became a horror star- plays a reptilian corporate investor who intends to erase a witness to a major fraud, now just released from state prison.
So he incriminates a troublesome lawyer (Edmond O'Brien) for the murder. And then frames his own lissom personal assistant (Ella Raines) who arouses his jealousy. William Bendix plays the determined, procedural detective. Which is a fine cast, but maybe O'Brien isn't quite a good fit for the romantic lead with his eye on Ella's nylons.
Though he's a decent fall guy. As was typical of postwar film noir, the arena of business and finance is portrayed as corrupt, and the filthy rich as rapacious sociopaths... and Price makes a loathsome villain. His schemes are so reckless its amazing he even got out of college. His solution to every setback is murder!
The photography is commonplace and looks like it was shot quickly and cheaply on rudimentary sets. There's a decent hardboiled script with some penetrating wisecracks, but nothing quotable. It's worth seeing chiefly for that relishable cast. Raines could do Lauren Bacall even better than the real thing.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.