The Cobweb

It's literally curtains for credibility as this wondrous tosh, one of the last of Hollywood's postwar psychiatric cycle - directed by Vincente Minnelli, no less - concerns the choosing of new drapes for the library of a psychiatric clinic, which causes as many problems for the staff as it does for the patients. The adaptation of William Gibson's novel becomes too wordy, but when you have the benefit of stars such as Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Gloria Grahame, Lillian Gish and Charles Boyer, who cares? There's even a rare postwar movie appearance from fabled scream queen - and King Kong's main squeeze - Fay Wray.