The Cobweb

As the new head of the psychiatric institution, MacIver must balance patient needs with board expectations. He carries a heavy workload and a marriage strained by his responsibilities, and he begins to develop feelings for Meg Rinehart, complicating his professional duties. His leadership is put to the test as a patient crisis and intra-staff politics unfold.

The long-time medical director with a drinking problem, Devanal is depicted as morally compromised—having an affair with his secretary Miss Cobb and making passes at McIver’s wife. His misconduct becomes a potential scandal that the board may expose. Ultimately, his position is challenged and he resigns.

McIver’s wife—frustrated by neglect from her husband’s demanding job—takes matters into her own hands. She purchases more colorful drapes to improve the library, gaining the board’s approval, all while unaware of the broader consequences. Her actions reveal the strain and resourcefulness of a spouse navigating a high-pressure environment.

A member of the staff who becomes a romantic foil for MacIver. Her presence introduces ethical questions and professional tension as personal feelings intersect with institutional duties. She embodies independence and the complexities of desire within a clinical setting.

A sensitive, possibly suicidal artist whose inner life and artistic impulse drive much of the plot. He is upset when the new drapes—rather than his artwork—are chosen, prompting emotional distress and a crisis that tests the clinic’s care.

A stern board member who orders unattractive drapes and schemes to expose Devanal’s alleged misdeeds. She wields influence behind the scenes and embodies the confrontational politics of the hospital’s governance.

Chair of the board whose approval can change the clinic’s direction. Regina navigates power dynamics and supports practical improvements, shaping decisions that affect staff and patients alike.

Devanal’s secretary, involved in an affair that underscores the clinic’s fragile boundaries and the danger of blurred lines between personal and professional lives.