User reviews

When the ambitious federal investigator Alexandra 'Alex' Barnes (Debra Winger) reads the cases of two wealthy men that have just died and left their fortunes to their younger and younger wives, she suspects that the woman might be the same. She believes that the woman might be killing the millionaires without a trace to inherit their fortunes.

Alex travels and tracks down the mysterious female inheritor Catharine Petersen (Theresa Russell) but she finds nothing about her identity. Alex believes that the Catharine might have traveled to Hawai and she takes vacation to follow her instincts. Alex finds and befriends Catharine in the hotel and becomes close to her. When Alex meets Catherine's boyfriend Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey), she has a crush on him. Will her passion for Paul and her friendship with Catharine jeopardize her investigation?

"Black Widow" is an unforgettable neo-noir of the 80's, with the sexy and gorgeous Theresa Russell and Debra Winger playing a cat-and-mouse game in the lead roles. This film is one of my favorite from the 80's and slightly recalls "Body Heat" from the early 80's. In those years, Theresa Russell was one of the sexiest actress of the cinema industry and the role of Catharine Petersen is tailored for her. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD has no Extras. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Viúva Negra" ("The Mystery of the Black Widow")

I first saw this movie on cable, (HBO) and liked it instantly. The plot and characters were well written I thought and fine acting jobs by all. I was in high school when it came out and really liked the scuba scenes so I bought the movie on video. Since then I have watched it many times and have become a bigger fan. The biggest thing is how well I could identify with the characters. It draws you into watching just to see what's going to happen. I think if you like "Chinatown", you'll like this movie too. I think the ending works too, could be better but works well here. Best performance of Debra Winger except "An Officer and a Gentleman" And truly Thersa Russell's best performance I've ever seen her in. A good movie to watch when you're in the mood to stay home and watch a good well rounded, interesting movie. I still never tire of seeing it again.

Hilariously contrived and utterly compelling, Black Widow is always worth a re-viewing when the video shelves are dry. It's beautifully filmed, competently acted, and contains some of the most rousingly misguided plot twists known to this cinephile.

No spoilers here, but the ending is a knee-slapper, as is the otherwise quite capable Theresa Russell's foray into a southern belle accent. It's all very slick, but in a good way, with the considerable lily gilded by attempts at intellectualizing a movie which could be refilmed with startlingly few changes for a Cinemax Late Night soft-core extravaganza. Kudos to Russell, of course, Winger, James Hong and Mary Woronov just for being Mary Woronov for at least one scene; it's just a shame that a movie which makes a stab at well-rounded female characters (at the very least by making the male characters so weak [truth is, I can scarcely remember the names of any of the male characters] that one cannot help but invest all subjectivity with the female characters) operates under the notion that the Debra Winger character discovers her womanhood vicariously through the exploits of the sensuous, if surprisingly (in context) asexual, man-killer Russell, which is not exactly the most progressive notion. Essential viewing nonetheless.

Winger and Russell are sensational here, characteristically different yet essentially the same in nature. The sinister plot trappings and black widow symbolism keep the film lively but only serve to heighten the intriguing subtext of two women obsessed with success and competition. Winger is exceptional as always, and while Russell is notably uneven as usual, they both succeed admirably. All the supporting parts are brilliantly played. This is one of the finest and most enjoyable femme fatale films around. A widescreen version is thankfully now available on DVD from Fox.

It is good and an enjoyable watch with fine cinematography but there are problems. We would have liked to see more of Dennis Hopper and a little less of Sami Frey. The former seems in fine and vibrant form but the latter diffident and uncomfortable which makes it difficult during later key scenes. Biggest problem of all though is that we become so bewitched, so mesmerised by the beauty, tenacity and manipulative skills of Theresa Russell she rather overshadows the good work of Debra Winger and we find ourselves on the wrong side. This may have been intentional but it is a difficult trick to pull off and when we have to further consider possible affection between the girls the very glue that has held the premise of hardworking and well meaning FBI investigator against the world, comes a little unstuck. Still a fine watch, however, and a super twist.

This murder yarn details the career of a female killer who marries men for their money, dispatches them without leaving any clues, then lays claim to their wealthy estates and moves on in search of another goldmine. The murders come to the attention of Debra Winger, a Federal investigator, although the film doesn't explain why the government is interested in these cases. Theresa Russell, the title character, is the attractive, intelligent woman who wins the confidence of the men she targets and uses her irresistible charm to disarm her suitors. Winger soon cultivates a friendship with Russell to get closer to her and anticipate her next moves but knows that she and her quarry are on a collision course. The women play subtle cat-and-mouse games with each other until the surprise ending, which proves that a black widow can spin one web too many. Winger and Russell generated an undertow of erotic tension between them that the picture didn't explore but the movie remains a good mystery.

Black Widow is directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Ronald Bass. It stars Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. Music is by Michael Small and cinematography by Conrad L. Hall.

Two women. Catherine marries men for their money, then murders them. The other, Alexandra Barnes is on her tail, getting in close to hopefully expose her crimes...

Rafelson's neo-noir homages the film noir femme fatales of the 40s and 50s with a high degree of success. There's much potency in the screenplay that puts it firmly in the noir universe. Flip flopping the misogyny angles of yesteryear, picture pitches the ultimate femme fatale destroyer of men into a cat and mouse scenario with a sexually repressed opponent - or is she a jealous but secret admirer? The transformation of Winger's dowdy Justice Department Agent into a blossoming lady at Catherine Black Widow's (Russell super sexy and sensuous) side brings in the doppelgänger effect, a good old noir staple. The sexual tension is a constant, particularly when Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey) is brought into proceedings, something which shifts the piece still further into noirville.

There's also other characters straight out of film noir. Be it Alexandra's boss (the always reliable Terry O'Quinn), who's harbouring carnal desires for Alex, or sleazy Private Investigator H. Shin (James Hong) who has a needle habit, it's clear that Rafelson and Bass know their noir. Unfortunately most of the play is in daylight, meaning missed opportunities for some psychological shadow play is passed up. Though it should be noted that Hall's photography is slick and tonally in tune, especially when lighting scenes involving Russell as prime focus. It all builds to a splendid finale, the makers pulling us both ways as to where it will lead. Sure, some of the plot devices are weak, but in the main this is sexy, intriguing and tricky in narrative, whilst tech credits stay at the higher end of the scale. 7/10

This is a terrific movie that reminds one what we lost when Debra Winger slowed down her movie-making. She gives an honest, heartfelt performance as an investigator chasing a woman who marries rich and whose husbands wind up dead every time. The widow then remakes her appearance, gets a new identity, and dupes another man. Only Winger is convinced that this trail of murders is the work of one woman.

Eventually she catches up with this black widow (Theresa Russell) and the two hang out together in Hawaii. The Russell character likes the danger - she knows Winger is after her, and after trying to kill her during a scuba dive, saves her at the last minute.

My favorite scene with Winger is the one in which she almost tells Nicol Williamson the truth about his bride. She stands and stares at him - she knows he's going to die, she knows he won't believe her - you can see every thought in her head until, regretfully, she leaves.

Theresa Russell has the right detachment for this role. One suspects the character is a real man-hater and is, in fact, attracted to Winger. Winger is admiring of Russell's constant flirtation with danger. This is a complex relationship that the two play out. The finale is not up to the standard of the rest of the film, but I still highly recommend it.

Stylish but ultimately hollow and implausible thriller which sees Debra Winger's Justice Department investigator pursue Theresa Russell's kill 'em with love murdering newlywed of a wife. It follows the format of a screed of contemporary 80's thrillers with attractive leads playing rich and beautiful people living fabulous lifestyles, with dangerous designs on their partners, a convoluted plot-line and of course a big twist at the conclusion. Where "Black Widow" falls down is in the sheer far-fetchedness of its story as we're expected to believe in Russell as a serial-killer with what must be a strange addiction to the wedding march and confetti.

She also has an unerring talent for seeking out rich bachelors and then not only charming them into marriage but also to will their fortunes to her in the short time available to them in between the "I do's" and his death rattle. Somehow, while investigating a mob-death, married-to-the-job agent Winger picks up Russell's scent and before you can count four has trailed her to her latest intended (victim) in Hawaii.

From there it's a duel between the two of them as to who can get the better of the other over latest squeeze Paul, which is left in doubt until the last reel. I just found the plot had more holes than a string vest, never buying into the Winger/ Russell friendship, even with its lesbian overtones, which only seemed to be inserted for shock value in any case. Did I believe in Russell as a femme-fatale with the looks and smarts to seduce and reduce the men in her life? No, again.

Director Rafaelson tries to keep us guessing throughout and also sexes things up when he can, but in the end it's all too ludicrous for words and collapses under the weight of its own pretensions.

This is a pretty considerable what I would call thriller with a femme fatale focus narrative. It makes for a quite intriguing film of a woman who can basically assume multiple identities and find a way to evade successfully. The movie makes some nteresting plot turns, and I would say it's one of debra winger and the antagonist, as the black widow has a strong portrayal of characters. The movie feels definitive for the time it came out and if not, ahead of its time as we got so many thrillers of the same ilk a few years later in the 90s. The film has given me a desire to rewatch just because of the execution of shots. But things really don't get interesting until the 3rd act, and even then the reveals and thrills can be anticipated up to the end.

Black Widow is a psychological thriller drama buoyed by a great performance by Theresa Russell. The story is about a woman who takes the meaning of gold-digger to a whole new level. She romances lonely millionaires before discarding them (killing them) and taking aspects of the men's characteristics and persona, to become a new person altogether. A detective(Winger) is assigned the case and perhaps the "only a woman knows the depths of another woman's heart" is the only way the "Black Widow" can be brought to justice. This is an intriguing concept and the film is well made and well-acted, especially by the ethereal Theresa Russell. There is a great amount of sexual tension here between Winger and Russell. This is a true 80s movie filled with everything you'd expect from a psychopathic thriller from that time era.

This is a rather ordinary mystery/potboiler in which a game of cat-and-mouse is played between two women. I said it's ordinary because there really isn't much to distinguish it from other similar movies except that the two leads are women. The acting is serviceable, and no one really gives a breakout performance. The film's greatest weakness is probably in the writing. The film starts out strong, but it's as if the writers ran out of ideas when it came to the final act. The pacing slows down a lot (and wasn't even perfect to begin with, given all of the time lapses) and the story begins to focus on a love triangle that really isn't compelling at all. Some lesbian/homoerotic tension is hinted at and, as if to give the perverts in the audience something to guffaw at, culminates in one of the quickest and most awkward kisses I've ever seen. They also don't treat the women in the film very kindly either, particularly the two leads. The only type of independent women they have are either manipulative bitches or hard-working women without much time for romantic endeavors, and both of them are presented as sex objects throughout the entire running time. Debra Winger's character is of the second type and is constantly subjected to crude comments and unwanted sexual advances, while Theresa Russell is the other type, who sees marriage as the pinnacle of her life even if she uses it to her own nefarious purpose. There are some glorified cameos by Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson which are entertaining. It's too bad that they weren't in the film more, but they do elevate the material somewhat in their limited screen time. Overall, I'd say this is about two thirds of a decent movie, despite the implausibility of it all.

A federal investigator (Debra Winger) tracks down a gold digging woman (Theresa Russell) who moves from husband to husband, kills them and collects the inheritance.

What I loved most about this film is Terry O'Quinn's mustache. O'Quinn always has a great performance, but he doesn't always have a mustache. So, for that, I thank whoever asked him to wear one.

This movie was directed by Bob Rafelson (who really peaked from 1968-1972), which explains the small Dennis Hopper cameo. If you were watching it for Hopper, you will be disappointed. And overall it is rather slow for a "thriller" with very little suspense. Some have called it a "film noir", but I think that's a stretch.

Debra Winger is great as always as the FBI backroom researcher allowed out for a change to pursue her theory that the widows of several millionaires who have all died of the same rare disease are in fact the same woman.

She finds herself fascinated as well as repelled by Theresa Russell's glamour, lifestyle and ability to use men for her own ends. Russell in her turn sees her as a worthy opponent (unlike all those men she takes in so easily).

In fact all the men are just part of the background to the play between Winger and Russell.

Its a terrific film all round and I may be alone in this, but I think the ending works.

"Black Widow" is the prime example of an average movie with a mediocre script that nevertheless gets uplifted to a higher standard thanks to its style and class. The plot is derivative and implausible, but the performances are sublime, the direction is surefooted and the cinematography is astounding. Weigh out these pro's and cons against each other and "Black Widow" will probably reach the verdict of being a good thriller. The set-up and sober narrative style of this film comes across as a direct tribute to the film-noirs of the 1940's, only in reverse with man-unfriendly characters instead of woman-unfriendly characters and an open sexual personality instead of oppressed sexuality. Catherine Petersen has a very interesting but demanding career. She professionally seduces various wealthy men into marriage and subtly kills them a couple of weeks later. For this modus operandi she undergoes a complete metamorphosis each time and travels to all opposites of the country, like from NY to Atlanta and from Seattle to Hawaii. Even though the murders appear completely natural and unrelated, they fetch the attention of workaholic of federal employee Alex Barnes. She craves a field job and, even though nobody reported any crime, she begs her superior to investigate this mysterious woman's life. They make friends in Hawaï, where Catherine has an eye set on a handsome hotel chain owner and Alex' interest in her slowly turns into dangerous obsession and even transformation.

The main issue with "Black Widow" – or at least MY main issue – is the unclear but nonetheless implausible time span between each new victim Catherine targets for action. She generates a whole new personality and background with each new man and plans her actions carefully and in great detail, but still in the film everything appears to happen in just a couple of days. How else could Alex justify her suspicions if only one murder occurred every 6-12 months? The last "chapter" in Catherine's black widow adventures is also one too many. The last half hour of the film is highly inconceivable, grotesque and even somewhat tedious. Perhaps director Bob Rafelson and writer Ronal Bass should have limited themselves to three victims instead of four. That way, the roles of veteran actors like Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson would have been more than just cameos. The only thing that remains 100% fascinating throughout the movie is Theresa Russell's performance as Catherine. She attempts to give more depth and personality to her character than necessary, but it's more than welcome. I like how Russell's character is a vulnerable perfectionist, who suffers from severe aggression attacks when even the slightest detail doesn't go as planned, and even claims at a certain point that she truly loved each and every one of the husbands she killed. Theresa Russell is also unquestionably one of the most ravishing actresses of the late 80's/early 90's, with an incredibly sex- appeal and a degree of sensuality that has yet to find an equal. This was the first film of cinematographer Conrad L. Hall in over ten years and he promptly illustrates what Hollywood missed out on during his absence. The film is truly beautiful to stare at in certain places.

Style over substance. Mood over plot. A director in love with his lead actresses. You can level many accusations at BLACK WIDOW, but a good film it isn't. Sure, it has potential; a decent set-up for one, and a first half hour that looks like it's really going somewhere. Sad, then, that the potential is wasted with a narrative that stalls and ends up going nowhere.

The idea of a serial killer who murders a string of husbands for their inheritance is a solid one, and BLACK WIDOW bolsters it with a decent cast: Theresa Russell's icy blonde bombshell is a forerunner to Sharon Stone's femme fatales, while Debra Winger's dogged cop is just quirky enough to be interesting. Kudos for getting all those notables in too: Terry O'Quinn as the superior, Dennis Hopper and Nicol Williamson as potential victims, a nicely sleazy role for James Hong.

But somewhere along the line the film loses its way. Instead of concentrating on building the suspense and developing a cat and mouse game between cop and killer, the writer and director become fixated on another kind of relationship between the two women, so much so that all the tension dissipates and it all becomes incredibly boring. There's no danger, no reason to keep watching. Even the twist ending does nothing to improve things. As a contrast, I recently watched the Hitchcock rip-off FINAL ANALYSIS, and despite the clichés it was ten times better than this because it remembered what it was throughout: a thriller, first and foremost.

This film is a guilty pleasure from the go, go 80's, when money was a balm for all things, and everything over the top was fun.

Teresa Russell is very good as the elusive "Black Widow", a beautiful and mysterious chameleon who marries wealthy businessmen, somehow rids herself of them, and financially profits in the process. She goes from NYC society matron, to Texas redhead, to Seattle museum doyenne, to Hawaiian princess. She looks the role, and Debra Winger is very good as the frumpy FBI detective who must catch her.

There are also some memorable cameo roles here, Lois Smith as a former sister-in-law, and Diane Ladd as the suspicious relative in Texas who is bought off with a substantial six-figure gift.

The sets are believable, and the final set in Hawaii is also balmy and mysterious. Sami Frey portrays the final husband, and there is a twist at the end. 9/10. Recommended.

Alexandra, a data analyst employed by the Justice Department in Washington, notices suspicious parallels between a number of cases in which wealthy middle-aged men have died suddenly and unexpectedly shortly after marrying a younger wife. Although her superiors dismiss these similarities as coincidence, and although all the deaths are officially due to natural causes, Alexandra begins to suspect that one woman, whom she nicknames the "Black Widow", has murdered all these men for their money. Determined to bring the Black Widow to justice, Alexandra tracks her down to Hawaii.

And, of course, she is proved right. It wouldn't be much of a film if it ended with a chastened Alexandra returning to Washington, forced to admit that her bosses were right and that the similarities between the cases were indeed mere coincidence. There is indeed a Black Widow, a woman referred to in the cast list as Catharine, although that is probably only one in a long list of false aliases she uses. (In the film she also goes by the names Marielle, Margaret and Renee). In Hawaii she has found her next intended victim, a hotel owner named Paul. Under the assumed name of Jessica, Alexandra pretends to befriend Catharine, hoping to expose her and to save Paul from the fate of his predecessors. There are, however, to be a couple more twists before the matter is resolved.

Apparently Debra Winger was offered the choice of playing either Alexandra or Catharine, and she chose Alexandra because she couldn't understand Catharine's motivation. I had a similar problem with the film in that I couldn't really fathom Catharine either. She is a serial killer, but serial killers do not normally commit their crimes for money. And if money was her motive, would it not have been easier and safer for her to have lived in wealth and luxury off the fortune left to her by her first husband rather than disappearing and trying to bring of the same trick elsewhere?

The film doesn't do much to help us fathom her. It simply suggests that human nature is unfathomable and that no human being will ever understand any other human being. Nor do we get much help from Theresa Russell, who took on the role after Winger turned it down. Russell's Catharine is a beautiful mask, a perfectly pleasant young woman on the surface who never gives much hint of emotion or of the underlying psychological turmoil which drives her to kill men who have done her no harm- indeed, who have never shown her anything other than love and kindness.

The nearest Catharine comes to any human feeling comes in the second half of the film when she and Alexandra meet in Hawaii. It is clear that Alexandra has become obsessed with her quarry, and Catharine, who is well aware of the real identity of the supposed "Jessica", seems to share this obsession. She even saves Alexandra's life during a diving expedition. There is a curious suggestion of a lesbian attraction between the two women, but nothing is ever made explicit.

This is one of of two thrillers which Winger made in the late eighties in which she played a government investigator who befriends the criminal whom she is investigating, the other being Costa-Gavras's "Betrayed". In that case, however, Winger's character quite clearly falls in love with her target, Gary, and even sleeps with him, before she realises that he is a vicious killer, not the clean-cut all-American boy she took him for.

I am not particularly familiar with the films of Bob Rafelson- indeed, I have only seen one of his other movies, "Five Easy Pieces". That film also contains a mystery about what motivates the central character, a former classical pianist who, for reasons that are never explained, has abandoned his musical career to live the life of a blue-collar worker. That film does, however, contain a commanding central performance from Jack Nicholson; "Black Widow" does not really have anything comparable, although Winger plays her role well. (I was less taken with Russell). It is not a bad film, with some reasonable acting and an ingenious, if not always credible, plot. It is, however, often a baffling one. 6/10.