Lean regarded this, his eighth film in less than a decade, as the least of his films, made largely as a wedding present to Todd, who had played the role of Madeline Smith on stage. Based on a true story, Smith was a Glasgow woman accused in 1857 of the murder of her French lover, Emile L’Angelier (Ivan Desny). While her father, unaware of this relationship, encourages her to marry a man of wealth and position, Madeline begins to question Emile’s motives. Lean’s characterisation of the film has seen it unfairly maligned; indeed, it is very much worthy of rediscovery.

Screening as part of The Films of David Lean season.