Movielogr

Rating: 7.5 stars

Tags

stanford theatre double feature 35mm lauren bacall tribute mental institution power struggle infidelity

All movies seen on 10/30/2014

View on: IMDb | TMDb

The Cobweb (1955)

Directed by Vincente Minnelli

Melodrama

Overview

Patients and staff at a posh psychiatric clinic clash over who chooses the clinic’s new drapes - but drapes are the least of their problems.

Length 124 minutes

Actors

Richard Widmark | Lauren Bacall | Charles Boyer | Gloria Grahame | Lillian Gish | John Kerr | Susan Strasberg | Oscar Levant | Paul Stewart | Jarma Lewis | Adele Jergens | Edgar Stehli | Sandy Descher | Bert Freed | Mabel Albertson | Fay Wray | Oliver Blake | Olive Carey | Eve McVeagh | Tommy Rettig | Virginia Christine | Jan Arvan | Ruth Clifford | Myra Marsh | James Westerfield | Marjorie Bennett | Stuart Holmes | Roy Barcroft | Dayton Lummis | John Bennes | Harry Harvey Jr. | Ed Agresti | Harry Landers | John McKee | Norman Ollestad | Scott Seaton | Lomax Study | Lenore Kingston | Patricia Miller | Wilbur Mack | Leoda Richards | Murray Pollack | James Conaty | Henry Sylvester | Alvin Greenman | Kay E. Kuter | Moria Turner

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

So I trekked up to Palo Alto to the gorgeous art deco Stanford Theatre to catch a double feature as part of a three week tribute to Lauren Bacall they’ve been running. Ever since my friend Jay talked about the Stanford I’ve been wanting to visit it. SO glad I did! It’s a magical movie house in pristine shape, showing 35mm prints with original and repo one sheets on display as well.

I got to see the movie with a collection of mostly 70-80-year olds who obviously had a deep appreciation for seeing actual film in a historic theatre. Seriously, I was grinning from ear-to-ear the whole four plus hours I was there.

This was an ensemble cast-driven melodrama focused primarily on Richard Widmark, with Lauren Bacall in a smaller role as his secondary love interest, but Lillian Gish steals the show. She chews scenery like nobody’s business and it’s pure joy watching her work on screen.

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