"The Crooked Web" is an enjoyable little Film Noire filled with twists and turns. It's hampered by it's "B" movie budget but the excellent leads make up for any deficiencies.

Stan Fabian (Frank Lovejoy) who loves to play the horses, runs a profitable little drive-in restaurant. One of his car hops is the brassy Joanie Daniel (Mari Blanchard) with whom Stan is romantically involved. One day her "brother" Frank (Richard Denning) drives up. The two "siblings" appear not to get along.

Frank it seems, has a plan to retrieve some WWII artifacts in Germany which attracts Stan's interest. Not to spoil the story, but it is necessary to know that Frank and Joanie are really working undercover to lure Stan into revealing his guilt over a murder ten years earlier at the end of the war.

Frank's partner Torres (Steven Rich) is dead set against Stan's involvement in their plan. Frank "gets rid of" Torres and the three (Stan, Joanie and Frank) proceed. Meanwhile we learn that Stan was responsible for the death of his cohort and an MP trying to arrest him for stealing army supplies ten years earlier. This whole elaborate plan is meant to trap Stan into revealing his guilt.

In Germany Frank leads the trio to a grave sight on an estate where a treasure of gold is buried but are driven off by guards. After another attempt fails and the estate where the grave is located is taken over by the U.S. Air Force. Drastic action is called for and...............................

Frank Lovejoy, Mari Blanchard and Richard Denning were recognizable and capable performers who spent many years just below the "A" list. Lovejoy and Denning play well off of each other as the viewer is left to wonder who is the good guy and who is the bad. Blanchard who appeared mostly in westerns, makes a formidable "femme fatale" as she draws the hapless Lovejoy into "The Crooked Web".

Watch for veteran comic Vince Barnett as Lovejoy's partner in the Drive-in. Roy Gordon plays Richard Atherton the father of the murdered soldier who is behind the undercover operation. John Mylong is the German police inspector, Lou Merril, Schmitt the metallurgist and Harry Lauter as the Air Force recruiter.