THE CROOKED WEB
US, 1955, 77 minutes, Black-and-white.
Frank Lovejoy, Mari Blanchard, Richard Denning.
Directed by Nathan Hertz Juran.
Not a bad supporting feature. It certainly is a crooked web, with several twists in the screenplay in the first 20 minutes.
Frank Lovejoy, a veteran from World War II, seems very earnest in Los Angeles running a diner. A blonde seductive type is played by Mari Blanchard and Richard Denning turns up as her brother. They clash, go to a nightclub, Richard Denning trying to interest Frank Lovejoy in an illegal money venture. Mari Blanchard is in love, urging him on.
Then we see that Richard Denning and Marie Blanchard are a couple, deceiving Frank Lovejoy, she pretending to love him and continuing to play on his attraction to her.
Then we see that Richard Denning and Mari Blanchard are in fact government agents, involved in a sting, with flashbacks indicating that Frank Lovejoy was involved in the black market after the war and had killed a fellow soldier. The case had been going on for 10 years.
With this change in perspective, the trio go to Chicago where an alleged murder is staged with a partner. Then they have a luxury cruise to Germany, with the danger of a past friend recognising Denning. They drive across Germany, go to a cemetery where they start to dig up gold, melt down one of the items, relying on the his one to make police badges for them. There are various difficulties, with the couple covering for each other in difficult situations, liaising with the local police. The plan even involves Denning being persuaded to reenlist in the air force so that he can have access to the new Air Force Base where the treasure is buried.
Some difficulties, but the two agents are able to improvise at short notice and perform their undercover work well – with the result that Lovejoy is arrested and the sting is over.
1. The title, the screenplay and the crooked characters, twists?
2. B-feature, good cast?
3. Los Angeles, German locations, authentic? The musical score? The introduction to Stan, his placing the bet, running the diner, Joan to work for him, flirtatious, Frank and his arrival, confrontation, the story of the family, brother and sister, going out, at the nightclub, Joan drinking, dancing, the bonding? Frank and his plan, Stan interested, Joan persuading him?
4. The twist, Joan and Frank and their work, a couple, the plot, going to Chicago, Joan persuading Stan, his hesitations? The partner in the car, the argument, his being shot, the body disposed of, the radio report of the death? The separating? Stan going to New York?
5. The truth, the police group, Joan and Frank as agents, the plan, 10 years in pursuit of Stan?
6. Looking at Joan as seductive, then seeing her as an agent, her relationship with Frank? Persuading Stan?
7. The flashbacks, Stan and his black-market deals, the attack, shooting the soldier? His escape? His being honoured? The investigations, the search for the bullet and identifying Stan? The officer and his grief?
8. On the boat, the drunken friend, insisting on identifying Frank? Frank and his being shrewd and fending him off? Leaving the boat, the friend being picked up by the police?
9. Germany, driving through the countryside, the role of the police, the cemetery, digging up the gold, getting one object, escaping, melting it down, as a spanner? The agent and his working with the gold? Making the police badges?
10. The holiday, on the beach, Joan and Frank covering the other, the plans, leading Stan on, his increasing urgency? The return to the cemetery, the police pursuit?
11. The escape, Frank having a shower, Stan in his room, seeing the badges, Frank’s plausible explanation? Going to the worker on the gold?
12. Meeting a friend in the restaurant, the issue of enlistment, Frank being jovial, deciding to enlist, as a cover to get into the cemetery area? Finding that there was a fence, an Air Force Base? Frank and his failure of the test? Urging Stan to reenlist?
13. Stan, the confronting Frank, telling the truth to Joan, the authorities hearing his confession? Arresting him? And then the happy ending…?
