Those familiar with "The Mysteries Of Edgar Wallace" will find the usual plot twists and turns associated with this underrated TV series, however this one has a more "modern" feel to it, with mention of discotheques, allusions to (for the time) somewhat controversial subjects such as wife-beating and bigamy as well as a rather offbeat script. The story itself is quite standard - woman is killed, her common-law husband is accused but all is not as it seems. It's well played (at times almost tongue-in-cheek) by a familiar cast but the real gem here is finding the final credited appearance on screen of Pauline Boty, who died later that year from cancer at the age of 27 and who would, 30 years later, be "discovered" as one of the great "forgotten" pop-art creators of the age. Her demise is a very tragic story, one of sacrifice for her unborn child and makes viewing this episode (where she plays Nell Pretty...a lively, giggly Twiggy-type character whose driving is as wayward as her dancing!) all the more poignant. This episode also features Britain's most prolific actress - Marianne Stone - in a small but quite touching role as a battered wife who can take no more. I've always felt that, given a chance, she could have handled much tougher roles than she was ever given. Here is a short example of what she could bring to the screen. All in all, an excellent episode in an excellent series.
3 Reviews
A fine addition to the long running and enduring Edgar Wallace franchise.
jamesraeburn20034 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
A former actress called Norma Brent is found strangled on Hampstead Heath and her partner, a penniless junkman called John Vichelski (Michael Balfour), was leaning over her body holding the strangulation cord making him the prime suspect. A brilliant but hard living defence barrister called Lewis Preston (John Stratton) is called in to defend Vichelski and he uncovers a web of fraud, bigamy and blackmail connected to the murdered woman's past life on the stage, her lover, an accountant called Amos Colfax (Maurice Hedley), a retired, reclusive former matinee idol called Jackson Delacorte (Grifith Jones) and his niece - or is she? - Melanie Anderson (Pauline Munro)...
A nifty little murder mystery from the long running and enduring Edgar Wallace series of second features. It works extremely well as a straightforward whodunit piling on the clues, red herrings and suspects leading to a logical and very satisfying solution. Quite remarkable for a film of its size - it runs for a mere 55 minutes - and praise must go to its screenwriter George Baxt for that. Inventive direction by John Moxey (who directed several Edgar Wallaces), excellent set design (in particular the interior of Jones' gothic Hampstead mansion) and James Wilson's first rate b/w lighting combine to create an unsettling atmosphere of the mysterious. Acting is excellent all round with Grifith Jones particularly noteworthy as the reclusive former stage star who invokes a real depth of feeling as a man whose promising career was ruined by the machinations of the murdered woman. John Stratton plays his part as the brilliant but dogged and hard living defence barrister Lewis Preston somewhat tongue in cheek, which adds to the fun, and his scenes with Pauline Boty as the Soho discotheque owner Nell Pretty to aids him in his investigation are a joy to watch.
Overall, Strangler's Web is a fine addition to the Edgar Wallace series, which was unseen for decades, but is now available on DVD for a new generation to discover. The quality of this film, and many others in the series, ridicules the notion that all British 'B' film production was terrible and could not produce pleasing results.
A nifty little murder mystery from the long running and enduring Edgar Wallace series of second features. It works extremely well as a straightforward whodunit piling on the clues, red herrings and suspects leading to a logical and very satisfying solution. Quite remarkable for a film of its size - it runs for a mere 55 minutes - and praise must go to its screenwriter George Baxt for that. Inventive direction by John Moxey (who directed several Edgar Wallaces), excellent set design (in particular the interior of Jones' gothic Hampstead mansion) and James Wilson's first rate b/w lighting combine to create an unsettling atmosphere of the mysterious. Acting is excellent all round with Grifith Jones particularly noteworthy as the reclusive former stage star who invokes a real depth of feeling as a man whose promising career was ruined by the machinations of the murdered woman. John Stratton plays his part as the brilliant but dogged and hard living defence barrister Lewis Preston somewhat tongue in cheek, which adds to the fun, and his scenes with Pauline Boty as the Soho discotheque owner Nell Pretty to aids him in his investigation are a joy to watch.
Overall, Strangler's Web is a fine addition to the Edgar Wallace series, which was unseen for decades, but is now available on DVD for a new generation to discover. The quality of this film, and many others in the series, ridicules the notion that all British 'B' film production was terrible and could not produce pleasing results.
Arguably one of the best.
Sleepin_Dragon3 February 2023
Former actress and showgirl Norma Brent is strangled on Clapham Common, arrested is her partner, John Vichelski, who vehemently denies involvement in her death.
As series five came to and series six got going, I think the show has reached something of a purple patch, and this is possibly the best of the lot.
I'm not sure about you, but I was put in mind of one of my favourite Agatha Christie novels, Nemesis, even the name Norma Brent, put me in mind of it, it's a very dark, bleak storyline.
There is so much going on here, so many twists and turns, so much content. I loved the scenes inside the nightclub, some of the extras really got into the swing of things, some perhaps not so.
You are made to wait to learn the identity of the killer, the pieces of the jigsaw fall so neatly into place, everything is of consequence.
Acting wise, everyone plays their part, I loved Gerald Harper's presence, brilliant actor, and I also loved Marianne Stone's small, but hugely effective role, I always think of her as one of the minor Carry on team, but she was so much more.
9/10.
As series five came to and series six got going, I think the show has reached something of a purple patch, and this is possibly the best of the lot.
I'm not sure about you, but I was put in mind of one of my favourite Agatha Christie novels, Nemesis, even the name Norma Brent, put me in mind of it, it's a very dark, bleak storyline.
There is so much going on here, so many twists and turns, so much content. I loved the scenes inside the nightclub, some of the extras really got into the swing of things, some perhaps not so.
You are made to wait to learn the identity of the killer, the pieces of the jigsaw fall so neatly into place, everything is of consequence.
Acting wise, everyone plays their part, I loved Gerald Harper's presence, brilliant actor, and I also loved Marianne Stone's small, but hugely effective role, I always think of her as one of the minor Carry on team, but she was so much more.
9/10.
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