The Spider (1931)
A pre-Code crime mystery where a stage magician turns detective after a murder strikes his own theater audience.
The Spider - Movie Information
- Release Year: 1931
- Directed by: Kenneth MacKenna, William Cameron Menzies
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Crime, Mystery
- Age Rating (US): NR
- Runtime: 59m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 23, 1931 (United Kingdom), September 27, 1931 (United States - NR)
- Production Companies: Fox Film Corporation
- Production Countries: United States of America
The Spider - Plot
Lowe plays Chatrand the Great, a magician with great hypnotic and magical powers. During his evening performance at an upscale theater, a murder occurs. A hand wearing a sinister spider ring raises a revolver, the lights go out, and a shot rings out! When the lights come on, the body of a patron is lying on the floor, dying. Who is the mysterious killer? What is the strange secret of Lowe's clairvoyant, amnesia-plagued assistant? After the police restrain the audience from leaving, Lowe uses his magical powers to help expose the killer. Watch for the terrific séance scene where weird ghost-like creatures float above the stage.
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The Spider - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Kenneth MacKenna
- William Cameron Menzies
Main Cast
- Edmund Lowe
- Lois Moran
- El Brendel
- John Arledge
- George E. Stone
- Earle Foxe
- Manya Roberti
- Howard Phillips
- Purnell Pratt
- Jesse De Vorska
Writers
- Barry Conners
- Philip Klein
The Spider - FAQs
What is The Spider (1931) about?
The Spider follows Chatrand the Great, a charismatic stage magician, whose evening performance turns deadly when a mysterious figure wearing a spider ring shoots a member of the audience. With police locking down the theater, Chatrand uses his hypnotic powers to unmask the killer in a thrilling séance sequence.
Is The Spider (1931) a pre-Code Hollywood film?
Yes, The Spider is a genuine pre-Code Hollywood production, released in 1931 before the strict enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934. That era allowed filmmakers to explore darker, more sensational material, and The Spider leans into that freedom with its murder mystery atmosphere and occult-tinged séance theatrics.
Who are the main actors in The Spider?
Edmund Lowe leads the cast as the magnetic Chatrand the Great, with Lois Moran playing his amnesia-stricken assistant Beverly Lane. The supporting cast includes El Brendel, George E. Stone, Purnell Pratt, and a very early uncredited appearance by a young Ward Bond.
What is the famous séance scene in The Spider?
The séance scene is widely considered the film's showpiece moment. Chatrand stages an eerie supernatural ritual on stage, complete with ghostly figures floating above the theater, designed to psychologically pressure the hidden killer into revealing themselves. It's a wonderfully atmospheric set piece that showcases the film's pre-Code daring.
Who directed The Spider (1931)?
The Spider was co-directed by Kenneth MacKenna and William Cameron Menzies. Menzies is particularly celebrated in film history as a pioneering production designer — he later won an honorary Academy Award for his visual work on Gone with the Wind — making his directorial contributions here a fascinating footnote.
Was The Spider shot by a notable cinematographer?
Absolutely. The Spider was lensed by James Wong Howe, one of Hollywood's most legendary cinematographers. Even at this early stage of his career, Howe's eye for shadow and atmosphere is evident throughout the film, lending the theater setting a genuinely menacing visual quality that elevates the mystery.
Is The Spider (1931) based on a stage play?
Yes, The Spider is adapted from a 1927 Broadway play of the same name by Fulton Oursler and Lowell Brentano. The stage origins are very much felt in the film's single-location, theater-set premise, where the action is largely confined to one dramatic evening of performance and investigation.
How long is The Spider (1931)?
The Spider runs just 59 minutes — a tight, brisk runtime that was common for early sound-era programmers. Far from feeling rushed, the film uses its compact length to maintain a tense, unrelenting pace from the opening curtain to the killer's unmasking.
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