This is one of the funnier of the Holmes/Rathbone movies. The premise itself defies belief, but we can still go along for the ride. The question for me is, "How do you train spiders to seek out and attack people?" You make up a spider that can do this. You also throw in a boy in a British school uniform who hops every three steps and goes around catching flies. He is the nephew of the spider woman. He is responsible for throwing something into the fireplace that almost asphyxiates our boys. This is about a series of suicides that are unexplainable, until we realize there is an insurance scam involved. How can suicide be murder. You find this out. There is the usual Holmes speechmaking and pontificating. Watson does everything he can to obstruct things. Gail Sondegaard is a pretty good villain, kind of an in-your-face threat, hiding in plain sight. Holmes is aware that she is on to him, but has to find evidence. Still, a delightful B-movie that I remember as a child.
Review of The Spider Woman
