The Spider and the Fly 1949 DVD - Eric Portman / Guy Rolfe

Set in 1913 Paris, Chief of Police Fernand Maubert (Eric Portman) relentlessly pursues the suave bank robber Philippe Lodocq (Guy Rolfe), whose string of thefts are always protected by carefully crafted alibis. After Maubert captures Lodocq's accomplice, Madeleine Saincaise (Nadia Gray), and warns her against continued association with Lodocq, he becomes captivated by her intelligence and charm. As Maubert and Lodocq engage in a battle of wits—intertwined with complicated feelings for Madeleine—a deadly heist results in tragedy. Lodocq escapes but remains the target of Maubert’s investigation. Betrayal by a former accomplice leads to Lodocq's imprisonment just as World War I erupts. In wartime, Maubert, now a major in French counterintelligence, needs Lodocq’s skills for a critical mission to retrieve a list of German spies. He offers Lodocq a pardon in exchange for help, luring him with the chance to see Madeleine. After a successful theft, a twist reveals Madeleine's name on the stolen list, leading to her arrest for treason. The story closes with Maubert watching Lodocq—a changed man—depart as a French soldier to the front lines at Verdun, with little hope of survival. Cast: - Eric Portman as Fernand Maubert - Guy Rolfe as Philippe Lodocq - Nadia Gray as Madeleine Saincaise - George Cole as Marc, Maubert's assistant - John Carol as Jean and Alfred Louis - Harold Lang as Belfort, an informant - Edward Chapman as Minister for War - Maurice Denham as Colonel de la Roche - John Salew as Minister's Secretary - May Hallatt as Monique - James Hayter as Mayor - Arthur Lowe as Town Clerk - Patrick Young as Captain le Maitre - Sebastian Cabot as Prefect at Amiens - Keith Pyott as Father Pletsier - Philip Stainton as Café Owner - Hal Osmond as Swiss Taxi Driver Runtime: 92 minutes.