SPIDER’S WEB

UK, 1982, 105 minutes, Colour.

Penelope Keith, Robert Fleming, Thorley Walters, Elizabeth Spriggs, David Yelland, John Barcroft, Holly Aird, Jonathan Newth.

Directed by Basil Coleman.

Spider’s Web was a very popular Agatha Christie play in the 1950s, popular in its time, but in retrospect, taking a lower place than The Mousetrap (and its playing continuously for decades in London’s West End) and the celebrated Witness for the Prosecution, filmed with a star cast in 1957.

This is a more modest story, taking place over one evening, all inside a home. There is a mysterious visitor, found dead, the daughter of the house imagining that she had killed him, her stepmother trying to protect her, calling in friends to get rid of the body (and there is a secret door and passage), the visit by the police and interrogations, fanciful stories told. There is also a mysterious lady working as a gardener, suspicious cook and his wife.

Spider’s Web was filmed in 1960 with Glynis Johns in the central role. This time it is Penelope Keith – this film made while she was starring in To The Manor Born and this performance in exactly the same vein.

Once again, Agatha Christie has ingenious twists the plot involving tenants living in a house at a very inexpensive rate, a mysterious desk and its contents, drug dealing, an international visitor flying in… And, the audience not anticipating the murderer but a full explanation of his actions and motivations.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie novels and plays? The screenplay close to the text of the play? The play and its success in the 1950s? The 1960 film version?
2. The setting, the country mansion, Clarissa, her marriage to Henry, his diplomatic job, and stepmother to Pippa? Sir Rowland and her being his ward? Hugo the magistrate? Jeremy the guest? The setting up of the characters? The action taking place within the house, the main rooms, the secret door and hiding place? The musical score?
3. The cheerful situation, the arrival of Oliver Costello, surprise to see Clarissa, the argument about Pippa, his marrying his mother? His later return? His death? In the background of his drug dealing and the link with the owner of the house and the antique shop?
4. The group going to the club, dinner, leaving Clarissa with Pippa? Pippa and her dislike of Oliver?
5. Henry, arriving, his having to go out, the diplomatic situation, the pressure on Clarissa to have everything ready, the later crisis, his return, the wrong plane, eventual arrival?
6. Clarissa, making sandwiches, discovering the body of Oliver, Pippa and her statement, her book on spells, saying that she had killed Oliver? Clarissa getting her to bed? Clarissa phoning the friends, the return from the club? The dilemma, to the police or not, Henry’s situation Clarissa not ringing the police?
7. The sudden arrival of the police, the anonymous phone call, the Inspector and his assistant, the interrogations, Clarissa and the variety of stories she told? Shielding Pippa? The reaction of the friends? An account of their whereabouts?
8. Decisions about putting the body in the woods, the police, hiding the body? The police eventually finding the body? Each interrogated separately, inconsistencies of stories, the bridge and the arranged results, finding the ace of spades on the floor, the unmasking the stories?
9. Sir Rowland urging Clarissa to tell the truth, the explanations of Oliver coming, the servants hearing the word blackmail?
10. Pippa coming down, her dream, thinking she had killed Oliver, but not?
11. The issue of the phone calls and hanging up, the issue of the owner of the house, Miss Peake as the gardener, clashes with the servants? The cheap renting of the house, the surname Brown? The revelation of who Miss Peake was, and moving the body from the hiding place? The issue of the valuable antique?
12. The desk, the searches, the finding of the autographs? Looking at them again? The early remarks about stamps? The realisation that this stamp was valuable, murder?
13. The revelation, audiences not suspecting Jeremy, his behaviour, menace?
14. The resolving of the mystery, Henry and his return, everything back to normal?