The Glass Web

One of the better results of the 3-D craze from the 1950s, The Glass Web is strong enough to stand on its own without the visual technical gimmick around which it was designed. Many 3-D films fall into two camps -- those that exist strictly to show off the technology and those on which the technology feels like it has been grafted, much against the film's will. Web finds a nice middle ground, and while the sequence following the discovery of the body clearly is being exploited for 3-D purposes, it still works. Credit goes to director Jack Arnold, who keeps the technical process in check so that he can deliver a taut, slick, and deftly paced thriller. It's true that some of the contrivances in the screenplay stretch credulity a bit, but that's often par for the course when dealing with this kind of "whodunit," and in general the script is lean, well-structured, and a bit quirky. Perhaps most importantly, it gives dependable Edward G. Robinson a chance to give yet another fine performance -- forceful yet effortless, powerful without becoming overpowering. The rest of the cast is quite good as well, helping to make Web a superior crime thriller. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide