The Man in the Net

Last updated
The Man in the Net
Man in the net Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Screenplay by Reginald Rose
Based onnovel by Patrick Quentin
Produced by Walter Mirisch
Alan Ladd
Starring Alan Ladd
Carolyn Jones
Cinematography John F. Seitz
Edited byRichard V. Heermance
Music by Hans J. Salter
Production
companies
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates
  • May 29, 1959 (1959-05-29)(Sweden)
  • June 10, 1959 (1959-06-10)(United States)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Man in the Net is a 1959 American film noir mystery film starring Alan Ladd and Carolyn Jones, and directed by Michael Curtiz. [1] The supporting cast features Diane Brewster.

Contents

Plot

Ex-commercial artist John Hamilton (Alan Ladd) and wife Linda (Carolyn Jones) have left New York and moved to Stoneville, Connecticut, in the New England countryside. John spends his time sketching the town's children, for whom he is a close friend, but his ambitions to be a fine artist are at this point frustrated by a failed art show and bad reviews. Meanwhile Linda longs to return to the city, where John has been offered a lucrative job at his old firm. It transpires that John is against this idea, as the bustle of the city had exacerbated Linda's mental illness and fuelled her alcoholism.

John returns home after a day's sketching to find Steve Ritter (Charles McGraw), a local policeman, in his house with Linda upstairs changing clothes. John is cold towards Steve and after Linda appears, Steve leaves. The couple argue. Linda then insists they attend a birthday party at the home of Brad (John Lupton) and Vickie Carey (Diane Brewster), where the guests include another married couple, Roz (Betty Lou Holland) and Gordon Moreland (Tom Helmore), as well as the wealthy father of Brad Carey. At the last minute, Linda decides she doesn't wish to go, and pushes John to attend alone. John feels an outsider with most of the guests, but he attends, using the excuse Linda suggested to explain her absence, a migraine. Later a scene is created when Linda appears at the party with a black eye and claims John did this and invented the migraine excuse. At home, in anger, she tells John she's been having an extramarital affair with Steve Ritter.

John agrees to go to New York to have a drink with his old boss, a meeting arranged by his wife behind his back, but is resolute that he will decline the job offer. When he returns, Linda is nowhere to be found. A suitcase belonging to her is spotted by a city dump. Unable to find John's wife, police and neighbors suspect him of murder. Villagers stone his house. Ritter arrives to arrest him. John flees and is given refuge by the children, who know of a secret cave.

Evidence is found linking Linda to another man. A tape recording is left as bait, and John, who suspects someone else, is surprised when Brad turns up looking for the tape. It reveals he's the one Linda had the affair with, but John soon discovers that it was Mr. Carey who actually killed Linda to cover up for his cowardly son.

Cast

Production

Newspaper clipping about the artists who provided the paintings for the film, June 1958 Frank Stovall Man in the Net Newspaper Clipping, June 1958.jpg
Newspaper clipping about the artists who provided the paintings for the film, June 1958

The film was based on a 1956 novel by Hugh Wheeler, writing as Patrick Quentin (a pseudonym that Wheeler and three other authors also used in collaborative efforts). [2] Film rights were bought the following year by the Mirisch Company, who had a deal with United Artists. [3] Alan Ladd was signed to star in January 1958. [4] Reginald Rose, who had just written Man of the West for the Mirisches, signed to write the screenplay. [5] Michael Curtiz directed.

Filming started 23 June. [6] [7] The film was mostly shot in Hollywood at the Goldwyn Studios with some location shooting at Raceland in Framingham, Massachusetts. Many of the outdoor scenes were shot in Thompson, Connecticut, on the town common where a set was built (gas station) and at the Ballard Farm. Also, the exterior of "The Chimney House", a location that figures prominently in the story is Roseland Cottage in Woodstock, Connecticut. [8] [9]

The paintings done by Ladd's character were painted by Frank Stovall, as well as two of Carolyn Jones by Harold M. Kramer and others by Hilyard Brown. [10] [11] [12] [13]

Reception

When the film was released, Richard W. Neson, film critic for The New York Times, wrote "More interesting is the dialogue by Mr. Rose and his preoccupation with injustice. The lines show a keen love for kids and an honest regard for the need to interject reality into a yarn that is tediously familiar once it settles down into its melodramatic formula. Miss Jones plays the wife with controlled fanaticism. Mr. Ladd, on the other hand, performs in his usual, cool style, which under the hectic circumstances mutes his personality to the point of unreality." [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Curtiz</span> Hungarian-American director (1886–1962)

Michael Curtiz was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silent era and numerous others during Hollywood's Golden Age, when the studio system was prevalent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Ladd</span> American actor (1913–1964)

Alan Walbridge Ladd was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in films noir, such as This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Whispering Smith (1948) was his first Western and color film, and Shane (1953) was noted for its contributions to the genre. Ladd also appeared in ten films with William Bendix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Jagger</span> American actor (1903–1991)

Dean Jagger was an American film, stage, and television actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Henry King's Twelve O'Clock High (1949).

<i>King Creole</i> 1958 film by Michael V. Gazzo, Hal B. Wallis, Herbert Baker, Michael Curtiz

King Creole is a 1958 American musical drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and based on the 1952 novel A Stone for Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, the film stars Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau, Dolores Hart, Dean Jagger, Vic Morrow, Liliane Montevecchi and Paul Stewart, and it follows a nineteen-year-old (Presley) who gets mixed up with crooks and involved with two women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monogram Pictures</span> American film studio

Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios in the golden age of Hollywood, generally referred to collectively as Poverty Row. Lacking the financial resources to deliver the lavish sets, production values, and star power of the larger studios, Monogram sought to attract its audiences with the promise of action and adventure.

<i>This Gun for Hire</i> 1942 film by Frank Tuttle

This Gun for Hire is a 1942 American film noir crime film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, and Alan Ladd. It is based on the 1936 novel A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Trumbull Ladd</span> American philosopher, educator and psychologist

George Trumbull Ladd was an American philosopher, educator and psychologist.

<i>Two Rode Together</i> 1961 film by John Ford

Two Rode Together is a 1961 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring James Stewart, Richard Widmark, and Shirley Jones. The supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Andy Devine, and John McIntire. The film was based upon the 1959 novel Comanche Captives by Will Cook.

<i>Brewsters Millions</i> (1985 film) 1985 film by Walter Hill

Brewster's Millions is a 1985 American comedy film directed by Walter Hill. The film stars Richard Pryor, John Candy, Lonette McKee, Stephen Collins, and Hume Cronyn. The screenplay by Herschel Weingrod and Timothy Harris was based on the 1902 novel of the same name by George Barr McCutcheon. It is the seventh film based on the story, and focusing on a Minor League Baseball pitcher who accepts a challenge to spend $30 million in 30 days in order to inherit $300 million from his great-uncle.

<i>The Black Knight</i> (film) 1954 medieval adventure film by Tay Garnett

The Black Knight is a 1954 British-American Technicolor medieval adventure film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Alan Ladd as the title character and Peter Cushing and Patrick Troughton as two conspirators attempting to overthrow King Arthur. It is the last of Ladd's trilogy with Warwick Films, the others being The Red Beret and Hell Below Zero based on Hammond Innes' book The White South.

<i>John Paul Jones</i> (film) 1959 film by John Farrow

John Paul Jones is a 1959 biographical adventure film from Warner Bros. Pictures, filmed in the Technirama process, about the American Revolutionary War naval hero. The film, shot in Dénia, Spain, was produced by Samuel Bronston and directed by John Farrow, from a screenplay by John Farrow, Ben Hecht, and Jesse Lasky Jr. The film is based on the story Nor'wester by Clements Ripley. The music score was by Max Steiner and the cinematography was by Michel Kelber. It was the final film directed by Farrow.

<i>Too Much, Too Soon</i> 1958 film by Art Napoleon

Too Much, Too Soon is a 1958 American biographical film about Diana Barrymore produced by Warner Bros. It was directed by Art Napoleon and produced by Henry Blanke from a screenplay by Art Napoleon and Jo Napoleon, based on the autobiography by Diana Barrymore and Gerold Frank. The music score was by Ernest Gold and the cinematography by both Nicholas Musuraca and Carl E. Guthrie. Diana died in 1960, two years after the release of the film.

<i>The Deep Six</i> 1958 film

The Deep Six is a 1958 American World War II drama film directed by Rudolph Maté, loosely based on a novel of the same name by Martin Dibner. The film stars Alan Ladd, who co-produced it, William Bendix, Dianne Foster, Keenan Wynn, James Whitmore, Ross Bagdasarian and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. It also marked the film debut of Joey Bishop. It was distributed by Warner Bros.

<i>Guns of the Timberland</i> 1960 film by Robert D. Webb

Guns of the Timberland is a 1960 American Technicolor lumberjack Western film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland and Frankie Avalon. It is based on the 1955 book Guns of the Timberlands by Louis L'Amour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Alexander (actor)</span> American actor (1897–1982)

John Alexander was an American stage, film, and television actor.

<i>The Proud Rebel</i> 1958 film by Michael Curtiz

The Proud Rebel is a 1958 American Technicolor Western film directed by Michael Curtiz, with a screenplay by Joseph Petracca and Lillie Hayward that was based on a story by James Edward Grant. It is the story of a widowed Confederate veteran and his mute son who struggle to make a new life among sometimes hostile neighbors in the Midwest. Despite the implications of the title, the main character in "The Proud Rebel" does not dwell much on his Southern past, but finds his life complicated by sectional prejudice. Many of the Yankee male town folk refer to him disdainfully, however, as 'Reb', while noting his proud refusal to compromise his values for any price.

<i>Hell on Frisco Bay</i> 1956 film by Frank Tuttle

Hell on Frisco Bay is a 1956 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson and Joanne Dru. It was made for Ladd's own production company, Jaguar.

<i>Thunder in the East</i> (1951 film) 1951 film

Thunder in the East is a 1951 American war film released by Paramount Pictures in 1953, and directed by Charles Vidor. It was based on the 1948 novel The Rage of the Vulture by Alan Moorehead; the book title was the working title of the film.

<i>China</i> (1943 film) 1943 film by John Farrow

China is a 1943 film directed by John Farrow and starring Loretta Young, Alan Ladd and William Bendix. Ladd's character David Llewellyn Jones, wearing a fedora, a leather jacket, khakis and a beard stubble, was an inspiration for Indiana Jones. Aside from Tala Birell as one of Jones' paramours at the beginning of the film, the entire supporting cast is Asian, including Philip Ahn and Richard Loo.

Jaguar Productions was a short-lived production company established by actor Alan Ladd in the 1953. It produced several movies, most of them starring Ladd. The majority of the films were distributed through Warner Bros.

References

  1. ↑ The Man in the Net at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films .
  2. ↑ ANTHONY BOUCHER (Nov 18, 1956). "Reports on Criminals at Large". New York Times. p. 298.
  3. ↑ "MIRISCH TO FILM 'MAN IN THE NET': Firm Buys Mystery Novel for Production in 1958-- Zinnemann Signs Writer Actor Leaves Warners Of Local Origin". New York Times. Dec 21, 1957. p. 22.
  4. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR (Jan 25, 1958). "SCREEN DIRECTORS TO FIGHT TV SALE: Will Join Actors, Writers in Opposing Republic's Plans -- Shelley Winters Cast". New York Times. p. 14.
  5. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR (Feb 27, 1958). "ULLMAN WESTERN PLANNED AS FILM: Story Based on Masterson's Life Listed by Mirisch -- Rose Writing Script". New York Times. p. 23.
  6. ↑ "Hollywood Production Pulse". Variety. 6 August 1958. p. 20.
  7. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 3, 1958). "MATURE, U. A. PLAN FILM OF CIVIL WAR: Actor Will Produce and Star in Andersonville Drama -- Warners Buys Novei". New York Times. p. 11.
  8. ↑ Tremblay, Bob (February 9, 2009). "Mr. Know-It-All: Driving Mr. Macomber". Metrowest Daily News.
  9. ↑ HOWARD THOMPSON (June 29, 1958). "VIEW FROM A LOCAL VANTAGE POINT: Focus On New England -- Rumer Godden Book Sought -- Starlet". New York Times. p. X7.
  10. ↑ IMDB Profile, Frank Stovall "The Man in the Net" Art Department Credit
  11. ↑ ARTIST STOVALL UNDERGOES KNIFE.. Newspaper Clipping, June 1958
  12. ↑ Early California Antiques Online Shop Post, January 13, 2013 Studio Prop Portrait in Oils of Carolyn Jones credited to Frank Stovall c.1958
  13. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR (June 30, 1958). "CARY GRANT PLANS A BUSY SCHEDULE: Starring Role in Hitchcock Film Among 3 Projects -- Business Boosters to Meet". New York Times. p. 24.
  14. ↑ Neson, Richard W. The New York Times, film review, June 11, 1959. Last accessed: December 11, 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.