MonsterPerfect Good idea lost in the noise

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Alex da Silva Lawyer Edmond O'Brien (Regan) bursts into the office of business magnate Vincent Price (Colby) to serve him with a notice to pay his client for damages incurred in a road incident. Price is impressed by the determination and loyalty that O'Brien shows and hires him as a bodyguard. In his new role, O'Brien shoots and kills someone but begins to suspect that he has been manipulated into this killing. The story unfolds and Price ain't no good guy.The cast are all good in this offering and we watch as it dawns on O'Brien that things aren't what they seem. Credit to Police Lieutenant William Bendix (Damico) – he's on the right track and yet sort of wrong. The plot works out fine and it is easy to follow. We have two strong character actors in Price and Bendix. They own their characters just by speaking. That's their key identifier in any role that they play. The film is no great shakes but it's on the better side of OK.

Robbmonster Saw this film for the first time last night. Nice little noir, and I genuinely liked the character played by Vincent Price. I mean I actually liked the guy, and I'm usually someone who goes for the good guys.Good performances all around, actually. Ella Raines was effective as the femme anti-fatale, William Bendix was great in a performance that reminded me of the work James Gandolfini would be doing 50-60 years later, and Edmond O'Brien was always a solid noir lead, without ever truly setting the world on fire.Two things bothered me. One was the ending, with the gambit about the dead body. It just didn't quite work for me.The other was the trick of using the friend to impersonate the late Victor Bruno and then simply assuming Colby wouldn't be able to tell it wasn't him. I understand it was different times, but it did seem to have a racist and xenophobic quality to it, relying as it did on the basic conceit that all 'foreigners' sound the same. The idea of getting anyone with any accent to impersonate a 'foreigner' - who you never heard speak and haven't the faintest idea what his voice sounded like - , and then just assuming the baddie won't be able to tell the difference, well, stupid writing, stupid characters, maybe hoping for a stupid audience, or maybe all three.But in all, a cool little movie, certainly a bit far-fetched, but nice atmosphere, brisk pace, and wonderful performances.

mikequinlan61 Surprisingly good unknown noir, featuring fine work from noir regulars Ella Raines, William Bendix, Vincent Price and Edmund O'Brien. Taut, well-acted, although rather unsurprisingly plotted and photographed, this is quite a satisfying diversion.Ms. Raines, a competent actress, seems to have relied on her 'ironed' and particularly sleek tresses to carry her career forward. Price, always elevated because of his voice, poise and diction, carries another role both admirably and distastefully. Edmond O'Brien, oleaginous and plump, doesn't sweat as much as usual, although he is subjected to a hotter than usual roasting from... William Bendix, who many of my generation recall as the harmlessly bumbling Riley in 'The Life of Riley' TV series of the 1950's, once again reprises his role as a hard as nails, street-wise tough guy as the police detective.Great ensemble cast of noir regulars, good pacing and direction, mostly mediocre dialog and music and cinematography, yet still a joy to watch.

TheLittleSongbird Vincent Price was my main attraction to The Web, and thank goodness I checked it out because it was a very good movie. Edmond O'Brien for my tastes is rather bland and the exterior set for the rendezvous is on the tacky side. Aside from that, The Web is very well made, stylish, atmospheric and sumptuous. The script is taut and exceptionally well-written, the direction is spirited and never lags and while the story is somewhat run-of-the-mill the fact that the film continually makes it interesting and intricate makes you not mind so much. Ella Raines is appropriately smart and elegant, while John Abbott is very creepy and William Bendix is great fun as the crafty police lieutenant who is not as dumb as he looks. But the film belongs to Vincent Price, suave and subtly menacing it is a role that he is perfect for and one that he plays the heck out of. All in all, a very well-done thriller that deserves to be better known. 8/10 Bethany Cox