Two rather dark characters find each other, join forces in stealing an estate, and ultimately seal their fates and loose their souls. Good performances by Valarie Hobson and Stewart Granger aide this complex Gainsborough like melodrama, rather grim and occasionally messy, starting off amusing with Hobson telling off her ancient shrew of an employer before leaving. It's not as well done as the interaction of Joan Fontaine and Florence Bates in "Rebecca", and the character histories of both Granger and Hobson is left rather vague.
It's obvious that Hobson at least has some morals, refusing to let Granger murder her young stepdaughter, even though she stood by while Granger murdered her husband (Michael Gough) after they began an affair. She quickly betrays him, setting him up for the hangman's noose, and his revenge. The color photography makes this sparkling to look at, but I found it frequently messy as motivation and character didn't always gell in a way that fully worked. Still, it's dark and morbid and fascinating, even though other similar melodramas have covered the same territory and so much better.
It's obvious that Hobson at least has some morals, refusing to let Granger murder her young stepdaughter, even though she stood by while Granger murdered her husband (Michael Gough) after they began an affair. She quickly betrays him, setting him up for the hangman's noose, and his revenge. The color photography makes this sparkling to look at, but I found it frequently messy as motivation and character didn't always gell in a way that fully worked. Still, it's dark and morbid and fascinating, even though other similar melodramas have covered the same territory and so much better.