The Suspect

Though Laughton's classic roles were past him by 1944, in THE SUSPECT the esteemed actor proved once more why his talents were highly respected in the film community. It is Victorian London at the turn of the century. Laughton is an amiable shopkeeper married to Ivan, a mean-spirited woman who constantly is complaining about something. After meeting Raines, a stenographer, Laughton falls in love and decides to kill his shrewish wife. He beats Ivan to death with a cane, then manages to convince the authorities that she died after severely injuring herself in a staircase fall. With Ivan out of the way, Laughton is free to marry the beautiful young stenographer. Ridge...