"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.

Frank Lovejoy runs a roadside cafe. He's in love with carhop Mari Blanchard, and wants to get married. She wants security. When her brother, Richard Denning, shows up, he's got a big deal in Chicago, which Mari drunkenly spills to Frank is about $200,000 in stolen and buried gold in Germany. Deming is willing to cut Frank in for operating expenses.... yet when Frank goes home, Denning and Miss Blanchard meet up and canoodle. When they meet Denning's partner in Chicago, he doesn't want any more partners, and says he'll do it all on his own, so Denning shoots him.

It's clearly a confidence scam at this point. The question is, what has Lovejoy got that they are willing to spend such time and effort to get him to Germany? The movie veers fast and furiously as it bumps along, with a great script. Nathan Juran's directon is adequate, but the performers are up to their roles for a movie that is a lot of fun for fans of con-game movies like me.

The plot for "The Crooked Web" is way too complicated--so complicated and nonsensical that you wonder why they didn't work out all these details better before they filmed the story. It's a shame...but it's a film I would just as soon never watched.

The story begins with a business run by Stan (Frank Lovejoy). He's assisted by his fiancée, Joanie (Mari Blanchard) and things look pretty normal. Then, her ne'er-do-well brother, Frank (Richard Denning) arrives and he's apparently got so get rich quick scheme but it entails going to Germany and digging up some grave. Also, along the way Frank ends up killing his partner right in front of Stan and Joanie!! Instead of going to the cops, Stan wants in with Frank and his scheme.

Soon, the viewer learns that Frank and Joanie are NOT brother and sister and in fact she's already engaged with Frank. What gives? Well it seems that the pair are government agents and they are trying to lure Stan back to Germany. Does it all sound too complicated? You haven't even begun to hear the entire story! But, unfortunately, the story doesn't make a lot of sense and there really was no reason to even lure Stan to Germany in the first place. Overall, a film with little payoff and a story that seems to have too many holes.