This tale of a handsome young man who marries older ladies for their money and then has no compunction about resorting to murder, is more than a modern Bluebeard story as it also hints that his conduct is, at least partly, attributable to the existence of a number of psychological disorders. One character in the story who researches his background, soon concludes that he's actually "an unbalanced mess" and issues relating to class, repressed homosexuality and a mother whose style of nurturing produced a weak, dependent man who avoids responsibility, are all suggested at various points in the action.
Although he doesn't work for a living or have any private source of income, Edward Bare (Dirk Bogarde) enjoys a comfortable lifestyle with his wealthy and considerably older wife Monica (Mona Washbourne). They live together in a large country house where their relationship resembles that of a mother and son as she habitually infantilizes him by calling him Teddy, regularly picks him up on his poor manners and makes remarks like "you clever boy" when he does things that meet with her approval. For Edward's part, he calls his "Mummy figure" "Mony" continually plies her with fine old brandy and is attentive to her every need.
Monica decides to make a change to her will because she wants to ensure that Teddy's well provided for if anything should happen to her. Her snooty solicitor, Phillip Mortimer (Robert Flemying), who regards Edward as a lower-class chancer, advises her against her proposed course of action and says that she should instead leave her fortune to her rich sister in Kingston, Jamaica, who she hasn't seen for 20 years. Monica, however, is adamant about what she wants to do and arranges for Phillip to call by on the following day for her to sign the necessary documents. Edward becomes concerned when he discovers what's going on and due to a misunderstanding, thinks that the change that Monica's planning will militate against his interests and so murders her before the change can be made.
As Edward had staged Monica's death to look like an accident and coached his gullible housekeeper, Emmie (Kathleen Harrison) to say the right things at the Coroner's Court, a verdict of "accidental death" is returned but Edward is left virtually penniless as he only inherits the house he lives in and a run-down beach property. After borrowing money from a friend, he visits a seaside resort where he meets up with another rich widow who he befriends and subsequently marries but soon finds himself faced with a major challenge if he is to profit financially from his marriage to Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood), as she's nowhere near as malleable as his previous wife.
Margaret Lockwood makes a huge impact as the self-assured, worldly-wise, publican's widow who was left well-off following the sale of her husband's business and is not the type to let anyone manipulate her. She's convincingly as hard as nails and straight-talking in her exchanges with her character's new husband and when a new woman called Charlotte Young (Kay Walsh) appears on the scene, expresses her character's jealousy very forcefully. There's more to Charlotte than meets the eye and because she's also rich, she also gets targeted by Edward. Kay Walsh is effectively enigmatic and cool in her interesting role as a woman who's very different to both Monica and Freda and ultimately has a strong influence on how the story plays out.
Robert Flemying is terrific as Monica's insufferably snobbish solicitor who holds Edward in utter contempt and on more then one occasion avoids kissing Freda's hand when it's offered. Dirk Bogarde also demonstrates his considerable acting skills by expressing the emotions that Edward's faking and the ones he's genuinely feeling at the same time and also judiciously using facial expressions that hint at his character's disturbed state of mind.
This Bluebeard story (which like the famous French folk tale, even features a "forbidden room") is thoroughly entertaining, very well acted and much better that its recognised status in the film noir canon would suggest.
Although he doesn't work for a living or have any private source of income, Edward Bare (Dirk Bogarde) enjoys a comfortable lifestyle with his wealthy and considerably older wife Monica (Mona Washbourne). They live together in a large country house where their relationship resembles that of a mother and son as she habitually infantilizes him by calling him Teddy, regularly picks him up on his poor manners and makes remarks like "you clever boy" when he does things that meet with her approval. For Edward's part, he calls his "Mummy figure" "Mony" continually plies her with fine old brandy and is attentive to her every need.
Monica decides to make a change to her will because she wants to ensure that Teddy's well provided for if anything should happen to her. Her snooty solicitor, Phillip Mortimer (Robert Flemying), who regards Edward as a lower-class chancer, advises her against her proposed course of action and says that she should instead leave her fortune to her rich sister in Kingston, Jamaica, who she hasn't seen for 20 years. Monica, however, is adamant about what she wants to do and arranges for Phillip to call by on the following day for her to sign the necessary documents. Edward becomes concerned when he discovers what's going on and due to a misunderstanding, thinks that the change that Monica's planning will militate against his interests and so murders her before the change can be made.
As Edward had staged Monica's death to look like an accident and coached his gullible housekeeper, Emmie (Kathleen Harrison) to say the right things at the Coroner's Court, a verdict of "accidental death" is returned but Edward is left virtually penniless as he only inherits the house he lives in and a run-down beach property. After borrowing money from a friend, he visits a seaside resort where he meets up with another rich widow who he befriends and subsequently marries but soon finds himself faced with a major challenge if he is to profit financially from his marriage to Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood), as she's nowhere near as malleable as his previous wife.
Margaret Lockwood makes a huge impact as the self-assured, worldly-wise, publican's widow who was left well-off following the sale of her husband's business and is not the type to let anyone manipulate her. She's convincingly as hard as nails and straight-talking in her exchanges with her character's new husband and when a new woman called Charlotte Young (Kay Walsh) appears on the scene, expresses her character's jealousy very forcefully. There's more to Charlotte than meets the eye and because she's also rich, she also gets targeted by Edward. Kay Walsh is effectively enigmatic and cool in her interesting role as a woman who's very different to both Monica and Freda and ultimately has a strong influence on how the story plays out.
Robert Flemying is terrific as Monica's insufferably snobbish solicitor who holds Edward in utter contempt and on more then one occasion avoids kissing Freda's hand when it's offered. Dirk Bogarde also demonstrates his considerable acting skills by expressing the emotions that Edward's faking and the ones he's genuinely feeling at the same time and also judiciously using facial expressions that hint at his character's disturbed state of mind.
This Bluebeard story (which like the famous French folk tale, even features a "forbidden room") is thoroughly entertaining, very well acted and much better that its recognised status in the film noir canon would suggest.