Tonight's Movie: Black Widow (1954)

This week I finally caught up with a film which has long been on my "to watch" list, BLACK WIDOW (1954).BLACK WIDOW isn't the 2021 Marvel movie, which I saw and reviewed upon its release, but rather a '50s murder mystery with a terrific cast, including two top-drawer leading ladies.In a story which is at times rather reminiscent of ALL ABOUT EVE (1950), ambitious young Nancy Ordway (Peggy Ann Garner, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN) comes to New York and works her way into the circle of several prominent members of the Broadway theatrical community.Nancy has barely arrived in town when she finagles her way into using the empty apartment of producer Peter Denver (Van Heflin) and his actress wife Iris (Gene Tierney), ostensibly for "writing." Nancy also goes to lunch with Brian Mullen (Reginald Gardiner), the husband of famed stage actress Carlotta "Lottie" Marin (Ginger Rogers).Nancy's relationship with Peter is innocent on his end, if calculated on hers; he's just a nice, somewhat oblivious…