Black Widow

Hilariously contrived and utterly compelling, Black Widow is always worth a re-viewing when the video shelves are dry. It's beautifully filmed, competently acted, and contains some of the most rousingly misguided plot twists known to this cinephile.

No spoilers here, but the ending is a knee-slapper, as is the otherwise quite capable Theresa Russell's foray into a southern belle accent. It's all very slick, but in a good way, with the considerable lily gilded by attempts at intellectualizing a movie which could be refilmed with startlingly few changes for a Cinemax Late Night soft-core extravaganza. Kudos to Russell, of course, Winger, James Hong and Mary Woronov just for being Mary Woronov for at least one scene; it's just a shame that a movie which makes a stab at well-rounded female characters (at the very least by making the male characters so weak [truth is, I can scarcely remember the names of any of the male characters] that one cannot help but invest all subjectivity with the female characters) operates under the notion that the Debra Winger character discovers her womanhood vicariously through the exploits of the sensuous, if surprisingly (in context) asexual, man-killer Russell, which is not exactly the most progressive notion. Essential viewing nonetheless.

This murder yarn details the career of a female killer who marries men for their money, dispatches them without leaving any clues, then lays claim to their wealthy estates and moves on in search of another goldmine. The murders come to the attention of Debra Winger, a Federal investigator, although the film doesn't explain why the government is interested in these cases. Theresa Russell, the title character, is the attractive, intelligent woman who wins the confidence of the men she targets and uses her irresistible charm to disarm her suitors. Winger soon cultivates a friendship with Russell to get closer to her and anticipate her next moves but knows that she and her quarry are on a collision course. The women play subtle cat-and-mouse games with each other until the surprise ending, which proves that a black widow can spin one web too many. Winger and Russell generated an undertow of erotic tension between them that the picture didn't explore but the movie remains a good mystery.

It is good and an enjoyable watch with fine cinematography but there are problems. We would have liked to see more of Dennis Hopper and a little less of Sami Frey. The former seems in fine and vibrant form but the latter diffident and uncomfortable which makes it difficult during later key scenes. Biggest problem of all though is that we become so bewitched, so mesmerised by the beauty, tenacity and manipulative skills of Theresa Russell she rather overshadows the good work of Debra Winger and we find ourselves on the wrong side. This may have been intentional but it is a difficult trick to pull off and when we have to further consider possible affection between the girls the very glue that has held the premise of hardworking and well meaning FBI investigator against the world, comes a little unstuck. Still a fine watch, however, and a super twist.

Winger and Russell are sensational here, characteristically different yet essentially the same in nature. The sinister plot trappings and black widow symbolism keep the film lively but only serve to heighten the intriguing subtext of two women obsessed with success and competition. Winger is exceptional as always, and while Russell is notably uneven as usual, they both succeed admirably. All the supporting parts are brilliantly played. This is one of the finest and most enjoyable femme fatale films around. A widescreen version is thankfully now available on DVD from Fox.

I first saw this movie on cable, (HBO) and liked it instantly. The plot and characters were well written I thought and fine acting jobs by all. I was in high school when it came out and really liked the scuba scenes so I bought the movie on video. Since then I have watched it many times and have become a bigger fan. The biggest thing is how well I could identify with the characters. It draws you into watching just to see what's going to happen. I think if you like "Chinatown", you'll like this movie too. I think the ending works too, could be better but works well here. Best performance of Debra Winger except "An Officer and a Gentleman" And truly Thersa Russell's best performance I've ever seen her in. A good movie to watch when you're in the mood to stay home and watch a good well rounded, interesting movie. I still never tire of seeing it again.