Black Widow (1987)

 ☆ ☆ ☆

Black Widow (1987) – B. Rafelson

Debra Winger stars as the Department of Justice investigator who suspects Theresa Russell of marrying and then killing successive wealthy husbands across multiple states. No one believes her but her boss lets her take time off to pursue her theory, which leads her first to Seattle and then to Hawaii where she befriends Russell and tries to thwart her plot. There’s a twist ending, as befits a film noir.  However, as directed by Bob Rafelson, the result is a bit flat. I didn’t care for his earlier take on noir either, a remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1981, with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. Perhaps, in the hands of another director, the screenplay by Ron Bass might have worked – or perhaps if we had other actors in the leads? Winger is fine playing a bit of a schlub who blossoms when competing with Russell’s black widow for romantic attention but Russell herself seems dull and unconvincing in her part. Overall, it’s okay, especially because there are few films where the detective is female (and that adds a little frisson), but there are other much better ‘80s neonoirs out there (such as Body Heat, 1981, for example).