As the abused wife of a local pub owner, Googie Withers decides to take matters into her own hands when she discovers that a young patron is enamored of her and utilizes that as a way of framing someone else for the murder of her husband. Gordon Jackson is the young innocent man, the son of an abusive pharmacist (Mervyn Johns) and has learned a lot about the pharmacy business from his father who keeps the family under his thumb.
As Johns' quiet tempered wife, Mary Merrall is as equally abused by her husband as Withers, maybe not physically, but certainly psychologically. Sally Ann Howes is another member of the family, desiring a singing career, but refused to pursue that by her father. When Garry Marsh, Withers' husband, dies, she uses this opportunity to blackmail Johnsin order to protect his son, and for once in his life as the head of a family, Johns must face his own brutality in order to protect his family from a woman of ill repute.
Certainly, there is audience sympathy with Withers for being married to such a brute, but her actions as she becomes more desperate makes her an excellent femme fatale and much more despicable than when she started. Withers is mesmerizing, andit's fun to watch her build up to her crime and slowly fall apart as she realizes that the hangman maybe ahead for her.
Johns is very good as well, similar to the father in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", yet more strict because of his patriarchal pride than what is really inside his soul. Merrall's quiet dignity and support of her children behind her husband's back is very touching, and when she finally stands up to her husband, you really want to cheer her on. This film is practically perfect in every detail with an excellent script and terrific art direction. It truly is up there with the Gainsborough melodramas what, and Withers is a worthy counterpart to her.
As Johns' quiet tempered wife, Mary Merrall is as equally abused by her husband as Withers, maybe not physically, but certainly psychologically. Sally Ann Howes is another member of the family, desiring a singing career, but refused to pursue that by her father. When Garry Marsh, Withers' husband, dies, she uses this opportunity to blackmail Johnsin order to protect his son, and for once in his life as the head of a family, Johns must face his own brutality in order to protect his family from a woman of ill repute.
Certainly, there is audience sympathy with Withers for being married to such a brute, but her actions as she becomes more desperate makes her an excellent femme fatale and much more despicable than when she started. Withers is mesmerizing, andit's fun to watch her build up to her crime and slowly fall apart as she realizes that the hangman maybe ahead for her.
Johns is very good as well, similar to the father in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", yet more strict because of his patriarchal pride than what is really inside his soul. Merrall's quiet dignity and support of her children behind her husband's back is very touching, and when she finally stands up to her husband, you really want to cheer her on. This film is practically perfect in every detail with an excellent script and terrific art direction. It truly is up there with the Gainsborough melodramas what, and Withers is a worthy counterpart to her.