Black Widow (1987)
She mates and she kills.
Director: Bob Rafelson · Writer: Ronald Bass
Federal agent Alexandra Barnes believes that Catherine Petersen is a serial killer who marries rich men and then murders them for their money. But since Catherine is seemingly a master of disguise and has multiple identities, Alexandra can't prove anything with conventional detective work. With no other option, she goes undercover, pursuing the same man as Catherine, and hoping that Catherine will slip up and reveal her true identity.
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Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Trailer
Director
Bob Rafelson
Cast
Debra Winger
Alexandra 
Theresa Russell
Catharine 
Sami Frey
Paul 
Dennis Hopper
Ben 
Nicol Williamson
William 
Terry O'Quinn
Bruce 
James Hong
Shin 
Diane Ladd
Etta 
D.W. Moffett
Michael 
Lois Smith
Sara 
Leo Rossi
Ricci 
Danny Kamekona
Detective User Reviews (2)
The female of the species is more deadly than the male. Black Widow is directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Ronald Bass. It stars Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. Music is by Michael Small and cinematography by Conrad L. Hall. Two women. Catherine marries men for their money, then murders them. The other, Alexandra Barnes is on her tail, getting in close to hopefully expose her crimes... Rafelson's neo-noir homages the film noir femme fatales of the 40s and 50s with a high degree of success. There's much potency in the screenplay that puts it firmly in the noir universe. Flip flopping the misogyny angles of yesteryear, pic pitches the ultimate femme fatale destroyer of men into a cat and mouse scenario with a sexually repressed opponent - or is she a jealous but secret admirer? The transformation of Winger's dowdy Justice Department Agent into a blossoming lady at Catherine …
"Black Widow" belongs in the category which seems to be attempting to recapture and recreate the classic film noir of the 1940's (this impression is subtly reinforced here by Michael Small's suitably evocative musical score). We first had "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1981) and then this was followed by the explicit - and subsequently divisive - sexuality of "Body Heat" (1981), but it is "Black Widow" which successfully comes the closest to achieving the incomparable quality to be found in that glorious by-gone cinematic era. It is a wholly compelling and extremely well constructed film which features some beautiful locations (especially those in exqusite Hawaii) that are absolutely breathtaking (replete as they are with even an impressive volcano eruption at one point) and some gorgeously photographed underwater sequences which must surely be every travel agent's ultimate dream.
