A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE

US, 1948, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Charles Boyer, Jessica Tandy, Ann Blyth, Cedric Hardwicke, Mildred Natwick.
Directed by Zoltan Korda.

A Woman's Vengeance is based on a short story by Aldous Huxley, The Giaconda Smile. La Gioconda is the name of Mona Lisa - with beholders interpreting what lies behind the smile. Huxley wrote the screenplay for the film - and had written screenplays for such films as Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre.

Direction is by Zoltan Korda who worked for his brother, Alexander, with such films as Four Feathers and who, at this time, made the film version of Hemingway's The Macomber Affair. The film has a very good cast led by Charles Boyer with his familiar-style. A very young Ann Blyth is his young wife. However, the film belongs to Jessica Tandy who made very few films until the '80s and, at this time, was creating the role of Blanche Dubois on stage in Streetcar Named Desire. Mildred Natwick appears as the nurse and Rachel Kempson as Boyer's wife. Cedric Hardwicke has a central role as a doctor.

The film, though made in Hollywood, is set in England and has an English atmosphere - especially for the court scenes (and the presence of John Williams as the prosecutor). Later critics noted the similarity in basic plot with Fatal Attraction. The film is also reticent in not dramatising the conclusion of the story but leaving it to audience imagination.

1. The impact of this melodrama? Love, hatred, violence?

2. Black and white photography, creating the atmosphere of England? The court and prison sequences? Musical score?

3. The title of the original short story and its meaning? The more explicit meaning of the film's title?

4. The focus on Henry, the French style and accent, his relationship with his wife, seemingly offhand, his bowing to her whims? waiting in the taxi? His reliance on Janet? The irony of the relationship with Doris, his having a meal with her and being caught by Robert, paying him off? The meal with Emily and Janet, the serving of coffee, giving of her medicine? The dislike of Emily, the dislike of the nurse? His not being able to be contacted at his wife's death, his immediate reaction? Reliance on Janet? His disappearance, marriage to Doris, hopes for the future? His return home, the storm, the encounter with Janet, his rejecting her? The suspicions, the coroner's court, the suspicions of his killing his wife? The court case, his behaviour, desperation, Doris thinking that he had done it? The discussions with the doctor? Janet's evidence, the nurse against him, Robert’s evidence? His being condemned, loss of the appeal? The reconciliation with Doris, her pregnancy? Janet's vindictive visit to him and the revelation of the truth? His being left in prison? His guilt hut being punished for the wrong sin?

5. Janet and her background, her devotion to her father? friendship with Emily? Her love for Henry, under the surface? Taking the hints from what he said and misreading them? Making peace with Emily, the decision to kill Emily, her smoothly doing it, the irony of her being called to her dying bedside? her seeing her die? Telling the doctor, telling Henry? Her being unable to sleep and the echoes of Macbeth? dreams? The doctor drawing her on? Her cover, her disdain of Doris? Her being hurt, during the storm, by Henry's dismissal? the nurse' suspicions? Hiring the nurse for her father? The evidence, the court case, her presence? The doctor's growing suspicions? His prescriptions, discussions, playing cards? Changing the clock? Breaking the glass so as not to be poisoned? His getting the confession from her? Her malice, her finally sleeping?

6. Emily and her complaints, whims, pettiness? nurse? The horror of her death? Collaboration with the nurse and her dislike of men, fomenting Emily's dislike? Her behaviour after the death? Vindictiveness, giving the evidence, suspicions? Working for Janet?

7. Doris, young and inexperienced, in admiration of Henry, willing to leave him? The affair? The encounter with Robert and its irony? The marriage, coming up to the house, the encounter with Janet, pregnancy? Her thinking that Henry had killed his wife? Thoughtlessness? Her reconciliation with Henry in prison, his warning her against Janet?

8. Robert, extravagance, the cheque from his sister, the blackmail of Henry? His evidence?

9. The doctor, his concern, interest in Henry, listening to Janet, prescriptions, her lack of sleep, psychology, suggesting she go to a psychiatrist, changing the clock, suspicious that she would try to kill him? Getting her confession? The film ending with his ringing the prison governor?

10. The gallery of smaller characters, especially Janet's father and his relationship with the nurse, with Henry, with Doris?

12. Plausible? Themes of love and hatred? Obsession? guilt and responsibility?