The Man in the Net (1959)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Reginald Rose (writer)
Hugh Wheeler (story)

Release Date:

29 May 1959 (Sweden)

Genre:

Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

The Most Suspense-Charged 97 Minutes in Motion Pictures!

Plot:

John Hamilton leaves a comfortable New York job to take up as an artist in a quiet Connecticut town...

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Murder

Cast

Alan Ladd	...	John Hamilton
Carolyn Jones	...	Linda Hamilton
Diane Brewster	...	Vicki Carey
John Lupton	...	Brad Carey
Charles McGraw	...	Sheriff Steve Ritter
Tom Helmore	...	Gordon Moreland
Betty Lou Holland	...	Roz Moreland
John Alexander	...	Mr. Carey, Brad's Father
Ed Binns	...	State Police Capt. Green
Kathryn Givney	...	Mrs. Carey, Brad's Mother
Barbara Beaird	...	Emily Jones
Susan Gordon	...	Angel Jones
Michael McGreevey	...	Buck Ritter
Charles Herbert	...	Timmie Moreland
Steven Perry	...	Leroy, Alonzo's Son (as Steve Perry)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

Jaguar Productions

Lynch Law In The 'Burbs

Alan Ladd gives up the city life and rat race for himself and also for dipsomaniac and nymphomaniac wife Carolyn Jones. They move out to quiet and peaceful Connecticut. Where Ladd paints out in the woods with his only true friends the town children. Jones on the other hand gets an affair going with one of the town movers and shakers.

Jones winds up very dead when Ladd makes an overnight trip to New York. Local cop Charles McGraw thinks Ladd did it as does most of the town, his only friends are the children and Diane Brewster, one of the suburban wives.

Alfred Hitchcock might have made the rest of this film seem plausible. In fact Man in the Net plays like an expanded version of one of his half hour TV stories.

There are some plot similarities to The Blue Dahlia made back during Ladd's Paramount hey day. In that one he's also a husband on the run after his wife has been killed. Back then though Ladd put a lot of passion into his role of John Morrison, returning war veteran. As John Hamilton though he seems just tired and bored.

One thing that doesn't ring true is the lynch law mentality that takes over this suburban town. That plays more like a western than a modern story. Again, maybe Alfred Hitchcock could have made it more believable.

It's kind of cute and fun to see the kids outsmart the grownups including the local law for a good deal of the film. But it only goes so far for Man in the Net.