Watch The Spider Woman

The Spider Woman, released in 1943, was the seventh installment in the Sherlock Holmes series produced by Universal Studios. The movie starred Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, Nigel Bruce as Dr. John Watson, and Gale Sondergaard as Adrea Spedding, the titular spider woman. The movie opens with Holmes and Watson attending a meeting of The Good Comrades, an organization committed to ensuring the safety of the British Empire. At the meeting, they are approached by a woman named Adrea Spedding, who tells them that her family is being threatened by a group of spiders. She believes that her life is in danger and asks Holmes to investigate the matter. Holmes initially dismisses her as a hysterical woman, but his interest is piqued when he learns that her father, Sir Francis Spedding, was a prominent archeologist who vanished in South America several years ago.

As Holmes and Watson begin their investigation, they discover that Sir Francis may have uncovered a valuable treasure before his disappearance. His daughter, Adrea, is in possession of what appears to be the only map to the treasure's location. The plot thickens when several members of The Good Comrades are found dead, apparently killed by venomous spiders.

As the investigation progresses, Holmes begins to suspect that the real threat may come not from spiders, but from Adrea herself. He begins to unravel a web of deceit and betrayal that leads him ever closer to the truth.

The Spider Woman is a well-crafted and entertaining film that is true to the spirit of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories. Rathbone and Bruce deliver strong performances as always, and Sondergaard is the perfect choice for the enigmatic Adrea. The film has a suspenseful and engaging plot that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

One notable aspect of The Spider Woman is its atmosphere. The movie is set in London during the Blitz, and the filmmakers do an excellent job of evoking the sense of danger and uncertainty that pervaded the city at that time. The score, composed by Hans J. Salter, adds to the tense and foreboding mood.

There are a few moments in the film that are less successful. The scenes with the spiders come across as somewhat cheesy and cartoonish, and the climax of the film is somewhat anticlimactic. However, these flaws do not detract significantly from the overall quality of the movie.

Overall, The Spider Woman is a solid entry in the Sherlock Holmes canon and an enjoyable movie in its own right. It showcases the talents of Rathbone, Bruce, and Sondergaard and features a well-crafted plot and atmosphere that will keep viewers engaged. Fans of Holmes and classic mystery movies should definitely check it out.

The Spider Woman is a 1944 crime movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 3 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0.