The Cobweb (1955)

At an exclusive psychiatric clinic, the doctors and staff are about as crazy as the patients. The clinic head, Dr. Stewart McIver, thinks that it would be good therapy for his patients to ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

John Paxton (screenplay), William Gibson (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Charles Boyer

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Widmark	...	Dr. Stewart 'Mac' McIver
Lauren Bacall	...	Meg Faversen Rinehart
Charles Boyer	...	Dr. Douglas N. Devanal
Gloria Grahame	...	Karen McIver
Lillian Gish	...	Victoria Inch
John Kerr	...	Steven W. Holte
Susan Strasberg	...	Sue Brett
Oscar Levant	...	Mr. Capp
Paul Stewart	...	Dr. Otto Wolff
Jarma Lewis	...	Lois Y. Demuth
Adele Jergens	...	Miss Cobb
Edgar Stehli	...	Mr. Holcomb
Sandy Descher	...	Rosemary McIver
Bert Freed	...	Abe Irwin
Mabel Albertson	...	Regina Mitchell-Smyth

Storyline

At an exclusive psychiatric clinic, the doctors and staff are about as crazy as the patients. The clinic head, Dr. Stewart McIver, thinks that it would be good therapy for his patients to design and make new drapes for the library. Mrs. Karen McIver, who is neglected by her hardworking husband (and a bit unbalanced herself), wants to make her mark on the clinic, so she orders new drapes. Miss Inch, the business manager, who has been with the clinic longer than anyone, sees this as an intrusion into her territory, and she too orders drapes. All this puts everyone in a dither, as they fight over drapes and clinic politics.

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Plot Keywords:

swatch | drapes | male female relationship | dysfunctional marriage | abuse of power | 

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Taglines:

The Story of the Strange Mansion on the Hill

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 November 1955 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Die Verlorenen

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,976,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min 123 min (TCM print) 150 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In this film Charles Boyer portrays an esteemed French psychiatrist who had come to the States to head an exclusive mental hospital in the country some twenty years earlier, but is losing his grip. Exactly two decades earlier he had played superficially very similar role in Private Worlds (1935). There he portrays an esteemed French psychiatrist who comes to the States to head an exclusive mental hospital in the country.

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Goofs

When Dr. McIver goes to leave Inch's place after arguing with her, a shadow of the boom microphone is visible moving on the curtain to the right.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Karen McIver: Can I give you a ride?

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Connections

Referenced in Omnibus: Introduction to Modern Music (1957)

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Soundtracks

Presto, aus Sonate Nr. 9 A-dur, Op. 47 (Kreutzer)
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven (as L. v. Beethoven)

User Reviews

Fabric neurosis

Well what was that?! Cockamamie confection isn't even psychiatry lite just some nonsense that's all about the DRAPES!!!! Truly odd film is loaded with great actors and a ludicrous story.

How it ever got the green light from the studio is mystery number one, that Vincente Minnelli said okay to directing it is the second although that would explain why so many great actors allowed themselves to be involved.

Everybody gives overheated performances except Lauren Bacall who keeps a low-key dignity amongst the melodrama and Susan Strasberg offers a restrained quiet portrait of a shut-in who is making her first tentative steps towards reemerging into the world.

The rest of the players aim for the rafters to varying degrees from Richard Widmark's impassioned but distracted doctor who is merely agitated then there is Lillian Gish who chews a bit of scenery as a bitter spinster as well as many other respected actors who show little restraint.

The real standout though is Gloria Grahame as Richard's hot mess of a wife, she seems to realize how silly the whole thing is and pitches her performance to that tempo, she's jittery, flouncy and fun plus she looks great.

Laughable take on mental health but good for one fun viewing as a camp catastrophe.