It's not too often that likable RAY MILLAND played a downright villain or rogue, but he uses his roguish charm quite as well here as he would eventually in Hitchcock's DIAL M FOR MURDER. He plays a hard on his luck artist who lures ANN TODD into a romance, while she's unaware that she's a mere pawn in his game to steal money from her friend's husband. GERALDINE FITZGERALD is the woman friend and she, as usual, shines in support.

But it's really a film carried by Milland and Todd and they play against each other very well. The only weakness is that it's difficult to see why a woman as intelligent as Todd would fall so easily for the scheming Milland and then agree to do some dirty work on her friend's husband.

It's a Victorian crime of passion that takes its time in setting up the characters and the situations, but once the plot gets under way the viewer becomes involved in the story, thanks to some good direction, script and photography which gives a realistic feel to the gritty story with a downbeat ending.

Atmospheric and well worth watching for the little nuances along the way.