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The Cobweb

 The Cobweb
type
TVTItem
 The Cobweb
label
The Cobweb
 The Cobweb
page
TheCobweb
 The Cobweb
comment
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The Cobweb is a 1955 drama film directed by Vincente Minnelli.It is about the the dysfunctional relationships and power dynamics between the staff at a high-end mental health clinic devoted to nervous rich folk—the exact opposite of a Bedlam House, in other words. Dr. Stewart McIver (Richard Widmark) is the new director at the clinic, having supplanted long-time director Dr. Charles Devenal (Charles Boyer). Charles is not thrilled about this. Neither is Vicky Inch (Lillian Gish), a starchy, mean-spirited administrator at the clinic who doesn't like Stewart for bringing in his new style and new ideas and doesn't like Charles for having knuckled under to Stewart.The staff's personal lives are just as complicated as their professional ones. Stewart's wife Karen (Gloria Grahame) stews in frustration as Stewart gives more and more of his attention to his work and less and less to her. Stewart for his part is starting to develop feelings for Meg Rinehart (Lauren Bacall), a young widow who is a member of the staff. Charles is attracted to Karen. Vicky doesn't like anyone.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Conflicts are brought to a head by the order of new curtains for the library. The penny-pinching Miss Inch orders cheap, ugly curtains. Stewart and Meg, independently of Miss Inch, hit upon the idea of letting the patients design new curtains as part of their therapy, led by Stevie (John Kerr), a troubled young artist who had a breakdown after his mother died. And independently from any of them, a bored Karen, looking for something to do, orders fancy designer curtains.Besides all of the stars listed above, Fay Wray of King Kong fame appears as Dr. Devenal's wife Edna.
 The Cobweb
fetched
2021-09-09T20:39:32Z
 The Cobweb
parsed
2021-09-09T20:39:32Z
 The Cobweb
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Cobweb / int_15395adc
type
The Mistress
 The Cobweb / int_15395adc
comment
The Mistress: Dr. Devenal, who is married, is carrying on an affair with his Sexy Secretary Agnes.
 The Cobweb / int_15395adc
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_15395adc
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1.0
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_15395adc
 The Cobweb / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 The Cobweb / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: "Out of our needs and our passions here, we've spun a human cobweb, and this boy's been caught in it." So says Stewart at the board meeting when he admits what's happened with Stevie.
 The Cobweb / int_18d15922
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_18d15922
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1.0
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_18d15922
 The Cobweb / int_1f250372
type
I Need a Freaking Drink
 The Cobweb / int_1f250372
comment
I Need a Freaking Drink: Devenal hits the liquor cabinet after Vicky unloads on him with a "The Reason You Suck" Speech after finding out that he's signed away all control to McIver.
 The Cobweb / int_1f250372
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_1f250372
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 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_1f250372
 The Cobweb / int_269e82c1
type
Death of a Child
 The Cobweb / int_269e82c1
comment
Death of a Child: In the backstory, a car wreck killed Meg's husband and small son. She first came to the clinic as a patient after this but has stayed on as a member of the staff.
 The Cobweb / int_269e82c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_269e82c1
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1.0
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_269e82c1
 The Cobweb / int_28cd01ca
type
Disappeared Dad
 The Cobweb / int_28cd01ca
comment
Disappeared Dad: Stevie says that his father was "a louse" who ran away long ago. While that certainly didn't help matters it was the death of his mother that sent him into the hospital.
 The Cobweb / int_28cd01ca
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_28cd01ca
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_28cd01ca
 The Cobweb / int_31fa019d
type
All Psychology Is Freudian
 The Cobweb / int_31fa019d
comment
All Psychology Is Freudian: Stewart practices the old-school "talking cure". Possibly justified in this instance as the patients at the clinic don't seem to have anything really wrong with them like schizophrenia.
 The Cobweb / int_31fa019d
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_31fa019d
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_31fa019d
 The Cobweb / int_658854ee
type
I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder
 The Cobweb / int_658854ee
comment
I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder: Stewart is asked how he could let a depressive patient have the run of the place instead of keeping him in his room. He replies "Because I'm a doctor, not a jailer."
 The Cobweb / int_658854ee
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_658854ee
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_658854ee
 The Cobweb / int_6b35bdff
type
Serious Business
 The Cobweb / int_6b35bdff
comment
Serious Business: Curtains. This seemingly trivial conflict leads to an uproar as hidden resentments and frustrations burst forth.
 The Cobweb / int_6b35bdff
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_6b35bdff
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_6b35bdff
 The Cobweb / int_775a1af6
type
Married to the Job
 The Cobweb / int_775a1af6
comment
Married to the Job: The main source of conflict between Stewart and Karen, as Stewart's devotion to the patients causes Karen to feel more and more neglected.
 The Cobweb / int_775a1af6
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_775a1af6
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_775a1af6
 The Cobweb / int_7bd44eb9
type
Smart People Play Chess
 The Cobweb / int_7bd44eb9
comment
Smart People Play Chess: Karen and Stewart's son Mark plays in tournaments and beats his father routinely.
 The Cobweb / int_7bd44eb9
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_7bd44eb9
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 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_7bd44eb9
 The Cobweb / int_7eccbb3d
type
Shower Scene
 The Cobweb / int_7eccbb3d
comment
Shower Scene: A little Fanservice in a scene where Stewart confronts Karen as she's taking a shower.
 The Cobweb / int_7eccbb3d
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_7eccbb3d
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_7eccbb3d
 The Cobweb / int_7eebe99c
type
The Alcoholic
 The Cobweb / int_7eebe99c
comment
The Alcoholic: Dr. Devenal, who pounds drinks in his office in the daytime and at night goes to motels for binges.
 The Cobweb / int_7eebe99c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_7eebe99c
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 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_7eebe99c
 The Cobweb / int_7febc23b
type
Establishing Character Moment
 The Cobweb / int_7febc23b
comment
Establishing Character Moment: Vicky's introduction in which she is browbeating a fabric merchant over the phone about the price of the curtains establishes her as a hardass.
 The Cobweb / int_7febc23b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_7febc23b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_7febc23b
 The Cobweb / int_962ffef6
type
ISO-Standard Urban Groceries
 The Cobweb / int_962ffef6
comment
ISO-Standard Urban Groceries: Surprisingly, Meg's bag of groceries does not have a stick of French bread poking out of the top, but it does have lettuce.
 The Cobweb / int_962ffef6
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Cobweb / int_962ffef6
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1.0
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
The Cobweb / int_962ffef6
 The Cobweb / int_name
type
ItemName
 The Cobweb / int_name
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 The Cobweb / int_name
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1.0
 The Cobweb / int_name
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 The Cobweb
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The Cobweb / int_name
 The Cobweb / int_name
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The Cobweb

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Cobweb
hasFeature
All Psychology Is Freudian / int_1b4e8fb5
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
Definite Article Title / int_1b4e8fb5
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder / int_1b4e8fb5
 The Cobweb
hasFeature
Married to the Job / int_1b4e8fb5