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The Spider's Stratagem

Name: The Spider's Stratagem
Genre: Mystery, Drama
Released: 1970-09-17
Cast: Giulio Brogi, Alida Valli, Pippo Campanini, Franco Giovanelli, Tino Scotti

1970 | 100 min | Mystery, Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: One for anyone who likes to solve it before the characters do and fans of small-town stories. It plays fair with the clues, so you can play along. A place where gossip travels faster than the plot.
The mood: Tense.
The pace: Lets scenes breathe, at 1 hr 40 min.
What might put you off: It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1970: an older pace and style.
Not ideal if you just want to unwind.

A young man returns to his countryside hometown to investigate the unclear circumstances behind the death of his father, ostensibly killed by Fascists in 1936, before his birth. As he unravels a web of lies that seems to encompass the whole town, he finds himself entangled in the same web.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 10K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

Giulio BrogiAthos Magnani Jr. / Athos Magnani Sr.
Alida ValliDraifa
Pippo CampaniniGaibazzi
Franco GiovanelliRazori
Tino ScottiCosta
Allen MidgetteSailor (uncredited)