CrimeThriller

The Spider and the Fly

- A New British Thriller of Crime, Detection and Suspense!

"The Spider and the Fly is set in Paris during the cloud-cuckoo days before WW I. The storyline intertwines the destinies of three people. Guy Rolfe plays Phillipe de Ledocq, a resourceful safecracker who always manages to elude arrest. Eric Portman is cast as police-chief Maubert, who will not rest until Ledocq is behind bars. And Nadia Gray is Madeleine, the woman beloved by both Ledocq and Maubert. Just as Maubert has managed to capture his man, Ledocq is released at the behest of the government, who wants him to steal secrets from the German embassy revealing the whereabouts of the Kaiser's secret agents. And just how does Madeleine figure into all of this? Spider and the Fly is a diverting precursor to the 1960s TV series It Takes a Thief." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Release Date : 1949-12-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : J. Arthur Rank OrganisationMayflower Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Fernand Maubert

Original Name : Eric Portman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Philippe Lodocq

Original Name : Guy Rolfe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madeleine Saincaize

Original Name : Nadia Gray

Gender : Female

Character Name : Marc, detective

Original Name : George Cole

Gender : Male

Character Name : Belfort, the pickpocket

Original Name : Harold Lang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minister for War

Original Name : Edward Chapman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel de la Roche

Original Name : Maurice Denham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jean Louis / Alfred Louis

Original Name : John Carol

Gender : Male

Character Name : Monique

Original Name : May Hallatt

Gender : Female

Character Name : Town Clerk

Original Name : Arthur Lowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prefect

Original Name : Sebastian Cabot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jacques

Original Name : Jeremy Spenser

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jacques' Grandmother

Original Name : Madge Brindley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Barmaid (uncredited)

Original Name : Hattie Jacques

Gender : Female

Character Name : Minister's Secretary

Original Name : John Salew

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mayor

Original Name : James Hayter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain le Maitre

Original Name : Patrick Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Father Pletsier

Original Name : Keith Pyott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nicole Porte

Original Name : Natasha Sokolova

Gender : Male

Character Name : Café Manager

Original Name : Philip Stainton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Swiss Taxi Driver

Original Name : Hal Osmond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Watchman at Legation

Original Name : Alastair Hunter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coding Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerald Andersen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bank Watchman (uncredited)

Original Name : Andreas Malandrinos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Café Schader Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Paton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blind Beggar (uncredited)

Original Name : Dido Plumb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cleaning Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Iris Vandeleur

Gender : Female

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-11-03

Were it not for the the totally wooden efforts of the very tall Guy Rolfe ("Lodocq") this could have been a really good little crime drama. As it is, though, it's still a good story with two distinct parts - the first sees police chief "Maubert" (Eric Portman) trying to apprehend a successful safe-cracker, the second sees him team up with his erstwhile nemesis to work together to thwart the Bosch in France during the early stages of the Great War. Good sharp writing, tensely directed with enjoyable contributions from Nadia Gray ("Madeleine"), Edward Chapman as the no nonsense Interior Minister and a young George Cole as Portman's sergeant sidekick "Marc". It is a little more than just a routine crime caper; it tries to demonstrate that all things being equal even a criminal and a policeman can work together when the fate of their nation is in jeopardy. Robert Hamer manages to keep a sense of fun and jeopardy prevailing for much of this characterful film. A shame Rolfe's talent couldn’t raise to the same heights as his head - but still, a good watch this.