MovieChat Forums > Black Widow (1954) Discussion > Avoid like the Plague!

Avoid like the Plague!

posted 15 years ago by topkapi56
20 replies | jump to latest

Where to begin with truly awful movie? Ginger Rogers is just terrible. Her performance was so bad I laughed out loud just about anytime she opened her mouth. Sometimes I laughed out loud even when she wasn't speaking. Her "work" in this movie would be justification alone for the Academy to demand the return of the Oscar they gave her for Kitty Foyle. That she won that Oscar over Joan Fontaine (Rebecca) and Katharine Hepburn (The Philadelphia Story) was crime enough, but this performance is just plain embarrassing. The movie looks like a filmed play with awkward stage movements and stilted dialogue that is cringe-worthy. Ginger takes the worst acting honors but George Raft tries his best to outdo her in that department.

[–] MrRobur 15 years ago

Myself, I think Ginger Rogers was always terrible.

But I liked her in this film, playing a bossy, bitchy egomaniac.

Which is exactly what she was.

"The morning papers are FULL OF IT!"

Jan Wiley, The She-Wolf of London (1946)

[–] freakyfelix 15 years ago

I saw this recently.

It sucks beyond belief.

[–] mtns_of_the_moon 11 years ago

Just finished it on TCM..as it droned on in the background......I gave it a go but it totally underwhelmed me.

[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

"It droned on in the background... I gave it a go".

You call having a movie "drone on in the background" "giving it a go"?

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 9 years ago

Myself, I think Ginger Rogers was always terrible.

But I liked her in this film, playing a bossy, bitchy egomaniac.

Which is exactly what she was.

I don't think I've ever read a negative story about Ginger from those outside the biz though. A lot of fans and folks who knew her say she was very warm and friendly. Where did you get the idea that she was "a bossy, bitchy egomaniac" in real-life?

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] NJCHoBITSlvr 14 years ago

This is about as close to film noir as The Ten Commandments, not even close. Maybe there's one scene, (when Van Heflin is getting info from that dark haired girl then needs to run from the detective) but come on, film noir it's not!

NJprogfan

[–] toshguy 14 years ago

It had quite a few unbelievable plot points and flat moments, but it was still entertaining enough if not for its twists, then at least for its nice cinematography and glossy settings. The cast was great too, although none of them seemed to be trying very hard.

I'm here, Mr. Man, I can not tell no lie and I'll be right here 'till the day I die

[–] adagioforstringsUSA 14 years ago

Was the implication that the girl van Heflin attacked & her brother supposed to be in some threeway relationship with the girl who got killed? Otherwise, why would she really care who her brother married?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] adagioforstringsUSA 14 years ago

On the dvd documentary they said that Rogers' role was originally offered to Tallulah Bankhead who turned it down. Rogers also initially turned the role down & had to be talked into playing against type by the then head of Fox.

[–] TinaKimo 14 years ago

I disagree with you. Ginger Rogers was a good actress. The last scene with her and Peggy Ann Garner was bad ass! The most moving scene of course, with her husband at the end. She made me feel sorry for her at that one moment.

[–] darogr 11 years ago

I agree. Ginger Rogers is always very good, even in this mess. She was wonderful in the last scene.

I don't get the hate of a long departed actress. People are so weird.

[–] DorianGray502 9 years ago

Some seem to bear some type of grudge towards Ginger, who was a fine actress, and a true star. She didn't have to smoke through a whole film, roll her eyes, or clip her words to turn in a sympathetic or tough performance. Her scenes at the party, then with the girl, and again with her husband at the end are all very different, dramatically so, but she carried them all off.

[–] adagioforstringsUSA 9 years ago

"She didn't have to smoke through a whole film, roll her eyes, or clip her words to turn in a sympathetic or tough performance"

Sounds like you're subtweeting (so to speak) Bette Davis w/this critique ;->

[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

She was supposed to be overbearing, insufferable and theatrical (after all, she played a diva putting on a bit of a show there). And George Raft didn't even have the time to make such a negative impact... plus his character was a very straight-forward one, no histrionics or much serious acting required. Nothing much wrong with the story, either; certainly kept me involved while it lasted (even though I would've probably wanted to see more of Heflin on the run). Solid entertainment.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] GoodSOVeryVeryGood 9 years ago

Great example of a typical B-Film. Very suited to the stage. Ginger Rogers at times was great (the scene) and times horrible (the party). She called it in …

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 9 years ago

Ginger Rogers at times was great (the scene) and times horrible (the party). She called it in …

I don't think it's so much the fact that she was horrible or that she phoned it in necessarily, I think it's more the fact that she's primarily a comic actress. So, even when she's playing a serious role or someone who supposed to be unlikable, she plays it almost like comic relief. Not because she's a bad actress, but because she's just funny, without even trying to be.

And you might be thinking to yourself, well, she's played other dramatic parts without being funny. But that's her being dramatic, and not her being dramatic AND unlikable. I think the way a comedian would play unlikable would be to play unlikable in a funny way that makes you want to laugh at them. And that's exactly what Ginger does.

If we look at it that way, she didn't necessarily mess up her role. She just played it in the way that someone like her would play it – even in real life. If you can imagine a naturally funny person in real life being also unlikable, they would probably come across quite like the person Ginger was playing. Or at least, that's what I've come to realize about her...

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] lookslikehowie 9 years ago

No, this movie wasn't bad at all. Ginger Rogers played her part fine.
Pretty good mystery. Good cast all around.I enjoyed it, and I'm sure a lot of other people enjoyed it as well.