The Suspect is a 1944 film noir

Film noir

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...

 directed by Robert Siodmak

Robert Siodmak

Robert Siodmak was a German born American film director. He is best remembered as a thriller specialist and for the series of Hollywood film noirs he made in the 1940s.-Early life:...

, set in Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

 times. It is based on the novel This Way Out, by James Ronald. Released by Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...

, it tells the story of Philip Marshall (Charles Laughton

Charles Laughton

Charles Laughton was an English-American stage and film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.-Early life and career:...

), a kind but henpecked bank teller who strikes up an innocent friendship with a young stenographer (played by Ella Raines

Ella Raines

Ella Wallace Raines was an American film and television actress.-Life and career:Born Ella Wallace Raubes near Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, Raines studied drama at the University of Washington and was appearing in a play there when she was seen by Howard Hawks...

). He gradually finds himself falling in love with her, but keeps the relationship platonic. His wife Cora (Rosalind Ivan

Rosalind Ivan

Rosalind Ivan was a stage and film character actress. Ivan appeared in 14 US films from 1944 to 1954. She had a memorable role as the nagging wife of a bank teller in Fritz Lang's film Scarlet Street...

), who has also alieniated their son with her shrewish ways, suspects the worst and threatens a scandal, driving the exasperated Marshall to murder Cora and make the death appear to be an accident. However, a Scotland Yard inspector (Stanley Ridges

Stanley Ridges

Stanley Ridges was a British-born actor who made his mark in films by playing a wide assortment of character parts...

) shows up suspecting the truth, but is unable to prove anything. A neighbor (Henry Daniell

Henry Daniell

Henry Daniell was an English actor, best known for his villainous movie roles, but who had a long and prestigious career on stage as well as in films....

), also suspecting murder, blackmails Marshall, and is also killed by him for his efforts. When the Inspector hears of the second murder, he sets a trap, the success of which will depend on Marshall's innate decency, which, the inspector believes, he has never lost.

In 1955, The Suspect was dramatized for television on Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre, is a weekly television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1959. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays....

, and starred Robert Newton

Robert Newton

Robert Newton was an English stage and film actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the most popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys...

.