THE COBWEB (1955)

A psychiatric clinic where you can’t tell the patients from the doctors? An old gag, but a good one; likely a true one. And certainly the case in Vincente Minnelli’s slightly unhinged ‘50s meller. (It seems even more so with Leonard Rosenman’s largely atonal underscoring making even simple acts (opening the ‘fridge; driving a car; hanging up drapes) come over with near lunatic edge. Speaking of drapes . . . Well, that’s the story engine, a new set of drapes for the sanatorium library. Shall it be cost-conscious burlap to please long time accounts manager Lillian Gish? Something chic from a top Manhattan designer to give Gloria Grahame, wife of clinic head Richard Widmark, a bit of purpose in an empty life? Or something of/by/for the patients as part of the on-going treatment for mixed-up John Kerr (in his film debut) under the guidance of widowed art therapist Lauren Bacall? Add in doctor Charles Boyer as a soused roué who ignores wife Fay Wray; addled Oscar Levant with a hardcore mother-fixation; and scared of the world Susan Strasberg. All of them prowling around a series of chic curated furnished rooms you’d either die to move into or panic to flee from. (Leave it to Minnelli to equate decor not only with character & plot, but to destiny, fate & kismet.*) Undoubtedly a faintly ridiculous dramatic smorgasbörd, yet pretty irresistible; with a swank sense of composition that just won’t quit and keeps this from simply becoming a mere ‘guilty pleasure.’ (Minnelli, scoring with regular lenser George Folsey.) In the theater, these OTT ‘50s melodramas could crash & burn on a single ‘bad laugh’ from some insensitive clod, but hold up (and fascinate) seen at home on the couch in spite of the loss in sheer scale & sensory overload.

DOUBLE-BILL: Minnelli was able to relax Bacall into showing more range (and more technique) than she often mustered on screen. Check out her comic chops in their follow up DESIGNING WOMAN/’57.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Speaking of kismet, it’s hard to believe the book leaves Bacall in as abrupt a fashion as the film does. No doubt a Breen Office Production Code imperative.

CONTEST: When Kerr & Strasberg go to the movies, the exit music tells you what they’ve just seen. Tell us the title to win a MAKSQUIBS Write-Up of your choice.