Anthony Asquith's 1950 murder mystery The Woman in Question is an intriguing little known British film that deserves more recognition and praise than it's received. The premise of the film is fairly unique in structure: after a widow is found murdered, those impacted on the crime share different perspectives (and theories) influenced by their relationship with the victim. Told mostly in flashbacks, more is revealed about Agnes Huston with the introduction of each character as they share with investigators who they think she really was, and more importantly, why they think she was killed - and by whom. The cast is an ensemble of exceptionally talented actors, with particular standout performances by Hermione Baddeley (as Mrs. Finch, a gossipy neighbor) and Susan Shaw (as Catherine, the dead woman's not-so-nice sister). Though the film's atmospheric style and aesthetic outweigh any cleverness of plot twists, the film delivers a sometimes suspenseful experience for an aud
From the intense and violent opening scene of a woman being gunned down on a city sidewalk by a gun-wielding blonde, J. Lee Thompson's cinematic masterpiece Yield to the Night grabs a hold of its audience and never lets go. Based on the novel of the same title by Joan Henry, the film offers an intimate look into the life of a woman driven to murder. Told partly in flashbacks, we feel sympathy for Mary Hilton, a woman who has been sentenced to hang and is waiting on death row for her execution. Yet, before we get to the dreaded final act, we're treated to outstanding performances from a mostly female cast, led by our leading lady Diana Dors. Playing against the blonde bombshell roles she was typically cast in, Dors gives a career-best award-worthy complex performance that is both powerful and haunting. Pushing past her stunning aesthetic seems like a lot to ask of the audience. Yet after the first few scenes, you realize that Dors is giving everything she has to tell this woman