The Cobweb (1955)

At an exclusive psychiatric clinic, both the patients and the staff suffer from unstable, neurotic behavior. When a new set of drapes are planned for the clinic's library, it unexpectedly sets off a chain of aggravating circumstances as the seemingly innocuous drapes become a symbol of power and hierarchy, of frustrated marital relationships and a source of pride. Based on a best selling novel by William Gibson (THE MIRACLE WORKER), director Vincente Minnelli manages to imbue just enough wit to make the whole overheated crazy atmosphere engrossing enough to hold your attention. No one gets off unscathed, not even the nominal hero Richard Widmark as the aggressive, hotshot psychiatrist with controversial "new" ideas. He devotes so much time to his patients that he doesn't even notice he's driving his wife (Gloria Grahame) crazy! By today's standards, the psychological insights seem rather banal but the film is compelling enough to overlook it. Minnelli and his cinematographer George Folsey make terrific use of the CinemaScope frame (to see it in a pan and scan format, is to not have seen it). The atonal score is by Leonard Rosenman. The impressive cast includes Lauren Bacall, Charles Boyer, Lillian Gish (who steals the film as a hostile, bitter accountant), Susan Strasberg, John Kerr, Oscar Levant, Fay Wray, Adele Jergens, Paul Stewart, Jarma Lewis, Virginia Christine, Edgar Stehli, Bert Freed, Mabel Albertson, Olive Carey, Marjorie Bennett, Tommy Rettig and Sandy Descher.