The white spider
Movie | |
---|---|
Original title | The white spider |
Country of production | Federal Republic of Germany |
original language | German |
Publishing year | 1963 |
length | 103 / TV 98 minutes |
Age rating | FSK 16 |
Rod | |
Director | Harald Reinl |
script | Egon Eis (as Albert Tanner) |
production |
Gero Wecker , Hans Oppenheimer |
music | Peter Thomas |
camera | Werner M. Lenz |
cut | Wolfgang Wehrum |
occupation | |
|
The White Spider is a German crime film from 1963 with Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor in the leading roles. It is based on the detective novel of the same name by Louis Weinert-Wilton . Directed by Harald Reinl .
action
A terrible gang of criminals kills unpleasant people for a fee. At the crime scene, Scotland Yard finds a small white glass spider after every murder. This is also the case with the passionate player Richard Irvine, who is killed in a mysterious car accident. His surviving wife Muriel is completely destitute. Her husband had gambled away the entire fortune in the "Club of 55". In addition, the insurance company does not believe in an accident and therefore does not pay. When Scotland Yard inspector Dawson followed a lead into the gambling club, he was murdered with a wire noose. Then the yard finally hires the first-class inspector Conway, whom no one has seen before. Meanwhile, Muriel meets lawyer Summerfield, who has found work for her in a charitable company. There she meets the morality criminal Kiddie Phelips and the likeable Ralph Hubbard. But this one also has a criminal record ...
Special
Only at the end of the film does Inspector Conway's true identity become clear. In order not to inform them too early, Conway always stands behind the desk in his office when he receives visitors. For this purpose, the visitor is illuminated by two lamps, so that Conway always remains in the background and cannot be seen. In addition, the voice of his actor cannot be heard during scenes in Conway's office. Conway speaks here with the voice of Heinz Petruo . Only when Conway reveals himself to Muriel Irvine in his office does he speak in his own voice.
Production notes
The film was produced by Arca-Winston Film Corporation and Hans-Oppenheimer-Film GmbH. The shooting lasted from January 21, 1963 to March 6, 1963. Outdoor shots were taken in London, Hamburg and West Berlin. You can see u. a. the church of St. Nikolai in Spandau. The nearby house at Fischerstrasse 26 served as Mrs. Falk's hotel, although at the time it looked a bit shabby. It still exists today. The premiere was on April 5, 1963 in Munich, Cologne and Saarbrücken at the same time. In the GDR, the film was only released in cinemas on October 15, 1971. The film was first seen on TV on June 18, 1970. The citizens of the GDR had to wait 4 years longer for the first broadcast.
Reviews
“Insurance fraud, accident or murder? Scotland Yard has yet to clarify these questions. The tracks lead to the "white spider", code name of the London underworld. Devil symbol also for a degenerate variety artist who ends up catching himself in his own network. His metamorphosis gives this crime thriller the punch line, but prematurely defuses the tension fueled by Harald Reinl. Optical and acoustic tricks are no longer of much use. The line-up [...] is tried and tested. A brilliant achievement: Dieter Eppler as a multifaceted villain. A mistake: Chris Howland as a stupid steward. "
"The absurd story with elements of horror is staged with some entertaining cinematic qualities within the conventions of the Edgar Wallace films of those years."
"Even crazier than the Wallace crime novels of those years."
literature
- Louis Weinert-Wilton : The White Spider. Detective novel . (= Masterpieces of crime literature ). Goldmann, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-442-06250-0 .
Web links
- The white spider in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The white spider at filmportal.de
- The white spider at prisma.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ The white spider. In: Abendblatt.de. Hamburger Abendblatt , May 18, 1963, accessed on May 27, 2018 .
- ↑ The white spider. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 27, 2018 .