Customer Reviews

The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have seen several adaptations of Nero Wolfe novels over the years, including the horrid failed TV series in the late 70s or early 80s. The movie GOLDEN SPIDERS comes very close to capturing the true nature of both Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. When I started watching the movie, I thought, here we go again, another failed attempt at putting these guys on the screen. Tim Hutton and M. Chaukyn really surpized me. They really had the characters down and even though I have read GOLDEN SPIDERS several times and knew the ending, I could not take my eyes off the screen. BRAVO. It is about time somebody did a good job adapting Nero Wolfe to the screen. Any screen. I especially liked the fact that the movie was set in the time frame of the original novel (late 50s I think). Excellent movie. MAKE MORE IN THE SERIES PLEASE!

A small boy comes to Nero Wolfe with a problem, then dies violently. Wolfe has a few dollars given him by the boy's mother. Archie Goodwin cajoles him into spend the money, but no more, seeking the boy's slayer. His efforts bring him another person in need, who gives Wolfe a check for $10,000.00 to help her in a certain matter. She refuses to elucidate exactly what she wants, but says she will explain after making a few inquiries on her own. She also dies violently.

Wolfe doesn't really know what the woman wanted him to do to earn his money, but he decides that she would not be displeased if he used it to solve her murder. He is immediately beset by lawyers seeking the return of the money to the woman's estate.

Wolfe fends off the lawyers and Inspector Cramer as he tries to solve the murders with almost nothing to go on. He does have a similarly executed third murder to consider, a pair of golden spider earrings, and a half-dozen or so suspects. He makes an assumption, acts on it, "stirs things up" a little, almost gets his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin arrested for blackmail, gets his ace operative Saul Panzer blackmailed, and gets his loyal-but-not-so-smart operative Fred Durkin tortured. Wolfe's brain can concoct the most Byzantine situations, but Archie's brawn must oftentimes carry them through to fruition. As Fred undergoes torture, Archie steps in and saves the day by delivering a performance worthy of Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry."

With Archie's help, Wolfe uncovers a scandal, hands a gang of thugs over to Inspector Cramer, and earns his fee by not only solving the woman's murder but also clearing up the matter she wanted him to handle in the first place. All good fun, and one of the more action-oriented of the Nero Wolfe stories.

I missed the original airing of this made-for-TV movie and had become comfortably familiar with Archie, Nero, Inspector Cramer, and the other regulars on the series before viewing this first effort. As the actors were just becoming familiar with their roles, the interplay among the characters wasn't quite as fluid as it became in later episodes. Saul Rubinek was slightly miscast as Saul Panzer, but the series corrected that error by moving him to the character of Lon Cohen.

TV drama seldom has the quality of the Nero Wolfe series. I mourn A&E's decision to cancel it.

Anyone who has read even one Nero Wolfe mystery, knows that the mystery is only the half of the story. The other half is the wonderful development of the Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin relationship, with it's mutual respect, understanding, and antagonism. Holmes has his Watson and Poirot has his Hastings. A hero is not a hero unless he has a witness to his heroism, and a genius is not a genius unless he has the same. But Goodwin is not as awestruck as Watson, or as befuddled as Hastings. He knows exactly how lazy, irritating, ethical, and brilliant Wolfe really is; and he knows what his own (unofficial and unspoken) job really is -- to goad Wolfe into working in order to pay the bills associated with his household and habits (ie. orchids and eating).

This movie did a masterful job of portraying not only an intriguing mystery, but in really delivering the complex Nero/Archie interaction in all it's verbal and nonverbal expressiveness. The casting of the other characters (notably Saul, Orrie, and Inspector Cramer) was perfect as well.

I had misgivings before watching it -- after all, most movies compare poorly with their print predecessors. I have read (and own) all 70-plus Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout, and a few of the (much inferior) attempts by other authors to carry the torch after Stout's death, so I have pretty strong views on what's important in dramatizing them.

Nero Wolfe fans, be assured -- this movie gets it. Write, call and email A&E and **BEG THEM** to make more. If you need to, also beg Maury and Timothy to agree to star in those roles again.

There have been numerous incarnations of a screen-Nero Wolfe, but A&E's production nailed it! For some reason, "The Golden Spiders" (one of 72 novels written by Rex Stout starring Nero Wolfe) has been done more than once, but this is the version fans will watch over and over again. As more than one reviewer has said, "Maury Chaykin IS Nero Wolfe". Fortunately for millions of Stout fans, there were 2 full seasons of the "Nero Wolfe" series produced and Season One is just now being released on DVD. Check any of the many Wolfe fan sites on-line for continuing info on Season Two's DVD release . These A&E productions are standards for the ages. Read the books, watch the videos, join in the fun!

"The Golden Spiders" is more than an average mystery. This film and the Nero Wolfe shows that followed were a tribute to Rex Stout's unique characters. Maury Chaykin plays the eccentric, brilliant Nero Wolfe to perfection. Timothy Hutton is outstanding as Wolfe's wise-cracking sidekick, Archie Goodwin. All of the actors make the viewer feel as if they are suddenly transported back to the stylish 1950's of New York City. The acting is only one of the reasons this is such a great film. High praise should be given to the set and costume designers for creating a warm, rich set and snazzy costumes. The wonderful music helps to recreate the times. Best of all, the script remains true to the novel. The production company has done a superb job bringing the characters from the Nero Wolfe stories to life. Fortunately, there is another episode on VHS to enjoy, "The Doorbell Rang", as well as the first season of the series on DVD. If you're looking for an intelligent show with character and style, "The Golden Spiders" delivers.

As a lifelong fan of Rext Stout's novels featuring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, I approached this adaptation with mixed feelings. Stout's characterizations were so vivid that I (along with every other devotee of the books) formed my own image of these characters, how they spoke, their body language et al. How could a TV movie (even one produced by admirers of the source material) compare with that?

Within the first few minutes, it becomes clear that, in actor Maury Cheykin, A & E Productions found a man who somehow captures the image of Nero Wolfe as it had existed in my mind's eye all these years. Brilliant! Still, Wolfe cannot exist in a vacuum; he needs a brilliant Archie Goodwin to complete the picture. After some initial misgivings, Timothy Hutton settles into the role and becomes a wonderful Archie. Not quite the Archie that I took from Stout's text, but a wonderful Goodwin nonetheless.

Some of the guest actors turn in...less than acceptable perfmormances, to say they least. However, the large supporting cast of much loved characters (Fritz Brenner, Purley Stebbins, etc) are well performed. Particular mention must be made of Bill Smitrovich (of the TV series Life Goes On) who is superb as the cigar chomping Lionel T. Cramer.

This was a good pilot for the two seasons of A & E Wolfe TV adaptations, and they would improve as time went on.

I enjoyed this athenic(to me anyways) step back in time to Nero Wolf's New York. Thought the characters were pretty close to the mark,especially Inspecter Cramer. Have read all the Nero Wolf books and if you enjoy them you will enjoy this video reproduction. Hope they come out with more.

I do not know if I like Hutton's directing and format but Maury Chaykin is arguably the best actor to ever play Wolfe. What an incredible performance. I shared this with some not familiar with Nero Wolfe books and I think they really liked it. Or were they just being polite?! As to Hutton. He and friends funded this risky TV series, again, and saved some great stories for posterity. Netflix or Amazon may have all the Hutton-Wolfe videos. Check them out. Thank you Tim and friends. Thank you very much Tim. You are a good man.

One of my favorite genres is murder mysteries, such as "Murder She Wrote," Quincy, M.E." and others. If you like the genre you should like these.

I've been a fan of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe since high school. I was actually introduced to the characters through Robert Goldsborough's renderings in recent years, but now I realize that was nothing more than a pastiche. Anyway, when I heard that they were making this film, no one was more excited than I was. I've often respected Timothy Hutton, and I didn't know Maury Chaykin's work, but I knew if anyone was going to do Nero Wolfe right, it would be A&E. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

First the good things. The set of Wolfe's office is wonderful. A bit busier visually than I had envisioned it, but still appropriate. And Maury Chaykin *is* Nero Wolfe! He was perfect. At times he reminded of the late Orson Welles in his voice and mannerisms, but it fit the character.

Now my complaints. Timothy Hutton is no Archie Goodwin. In the novels, Goodwin is a stylish, charismatic individual who has no trouble in the socializing department. Hutton is wooden with a smirk. Also, the plot dragged. I kept falling asleep! This would have been better served as an hour-long episode of a series.

In all, I wasn't able to like or dislike this; I merely found it disappointing, but A&E has a true discovery in Maury Chaykin! I hope they make more just to keep this wonderful actor employed.