THE COBWEB

US, 1955, 124 Minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Charles Boyer, John Kerr, Lillian Gish, Gloria Grahame, Susan Strasberg, Oscar Levant, Tommy Rettig, Adele Jurgens, Paul Stewart.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.

The Cobweb is one of several lurid melodramas directed by Vincente Minnelli, more noted for his musicals like An American in Paris, Gigi, The Band Wagon. Using a star cast, the film explores the melodrama in a mental institution. Other melodramas by Minnelli include The Bad and the Beautiful, Home from the Hill and Two Weeks in Another Town. The star cast is effective in ways that are expected from them from other films. Charles Boyer has a heavier role than usual. Standing out is Lillian Gish who had been in films for 40 years by this time. Usually sweeter, she portrays a very hard-headed and spinsterish administrator of the hospital. The film introduced Susan Strasberg and John Kerr, the latter being in a number of films at this time including Tea and Sympathy and South Pacific but who did not pursue his career. This is the kind of film that appeals to a broad audience because melodrama is presented as so much larger than life.

1. The significance of the title? The metaphor of the cobweb for the themes of the film? Tangle, the nature of web. capacity to trap, made by a spider, for death? A structure with various strands - both attractive and deadly? As a metaphor for madness and sanity? For an institution for madness and sanity?

2. The production values and their contribution - the MGM style of the 50s, the direction of Vincente Minnelli, the aspects of melodrama, heightened melodrama? The appeal of soap opera characters and situations and conflicts? Melodrama as larger than life? The use of Cinemascope, colour, the decor of the institution? The special effects and moods? melodramatic score? Audience enjoyment of melodrama?

3. The attitude of the 50s towards mental institutions and madness, towards therapy and doctors? Boards and administration? The emotional tangles that underlie administration?

4. The plot and sub-plots and their intricacy, the web of the subplots and their being brought together satisfactorily?

5. The caption that the trouble begins and ends? The focus on Stevie and his run? His later re-run? Stevie as an inmate, madness and need of therapy? The encounter with Karen and the discussion with her? His self-revelation? Seeing him in therapy with Stuart? The question of the drapes and the drapes as a symbol of Stevie's success? The meeting, his creative capacity, the drawings and the work done on his designs? His capacity for going berserk? With drawing, self-preoccupation? Inviting the girl to the cinema? His hope, the work with Meg? The putting up of the alternate drapes and his going berserk, running, suicide attempt? How relieved was the audience that he was found? Stevie as a focus for The Cobweb? His being caught in it? How well delineated his character, the explanations of his need for therapy, especially to Stuart, Meg?

6. Stuart McIvor? as the hero? Richard Widmark's style and presence? Strengths and weaknesses? His therapy with Stevie? His decisions as regards administration? His holding the position in the institute? Relationship with Davenal? The clashes with Vicki? The work with Meg? The quality of his methods, especially the focus on self-government? His administrative details and decisions on how to help people? The focus on the drapes and the difficult questions that arose and the tangle of inter-personal relationships? The contrast with is inability to handle things while at home? His not talking to Karen, his criticisms of her? The relationship with the children? Explaining that people right? The attraction towards Meg, sharing work with her, discussions, the evening at home with her? His wanting an affair and breaking with Karen? Her refusing this? The Institute going to pieces, the breakdown of patient discipline? The tangle with Davenal? The clashes with Vickie? The search for Stevie? The report written by Vickie, the Board Meeting? How well did he learn to cope? The prospect of the future?

7. The relationship of patients and their troubles with the staff and their troubles? How well did the film parallel these and show inter-relationships and connections?

8. Charles Boyer's style as Davenal? His appearance in the institute, his past reputation? Ladies' man, drinking, a has-been? His encounters with his secretary? His refusal to face responsibilities and therapies? The outing with Karen, his sympathy, his coming back and reaction to her brush-off? The clashes with Vickie and his using her against McIvor? The devotion of his wife and her reaction to the report? His final resigning with dignity? A criticism of a man growing old in the job and refusing to face responsibility?

9. Lillian Gish and her harsh style as Vickie? Her traditions in the family, her hardness in administration, jealousy about her competency? Budgeting and money matters? The importance of the drapes to her? The attention to detail in her getting them organized? Her telephone calls, her continually putting the telephone down? The various confrontations, her making the report on Davenal? Her relenting at the meting?

10. How attractive a character was Karen? Gloria Grahame, presence and style? At the centre of the web? Glamorous, giving a lift to Stevie, her love for Stuart? Her fighting with him? The concert? The ringing of Regina and arranging about the drapes and what this meant to her as being involved? Ringing Vickie, trying to influence Davenal? The outing with him and keeping her husband waiting? Her breaking with him? Her jealousy of her husband with Meg? Her glamour, seeing her so often reflected in a mirror, so often talking on the telephone? Her explanation of the past, her hopes? Stuart's explanation of this? Her finally putting up the drapes and causing chaos? Her change of heart at the end and the possibility of a future? How well drawn the wife of a career man?

11. The picture of the patients in themselves, their complaints, way of life in the institute, meetings and self-government, criticisms, therapy? The importance of the drapes? The girl and her fear of going to the cinema and her eventually going? The cynical man and her fears and the shakes? Scenes of therapy? Dr. Wolf and his presence, Nurse O'Brien and her hard attitudes etc.?

12. Meg as heroine? Her presence in the institute, her being inside and yet observing from outside? Her life story, the drapes and getting the patients involved, her help, especially to Stevie? Seeing her at home? The sharing of experiences with Stuart? Her breaking off with him?

13. The presentation of the Board, its responsibilities, understanding of the problem?

14. The use of an institute as a microcosm of wider society? External administration, changes in rules and styles? Strengths and weaknesses? The need to heal? The mistakes, irresponsibilities? Guilt? Yet the institute managing to cope?