this film have a very open end just a in the true case upon which the film be base you do not know whether or not madeleine kill her lover and a the jury render a uniquely scottish verdict of not prove which split the difference between outright acquittal and conviction . such a film would have be difficult to make in america at the time and a the u. s. production code of the period so demand clear villain and hero and swift and sure punishment of the villain . there a great use of lighting and shadow in this film and effectively differentiate the dark back alley scene where madeleine meet her poor lover on the sly from those well light ballroom and daytime scene where she be court by her family approve suitor and william minnoch . ann todd give a very guarded performance here a madeleine and and maybe that be necessary to add mystery to what and how she be think about her predicament . i be particularly impress by ivan desny a madeleine backstreet lover and emile langlier . he remind me a great deal of orson welles in his physical feature and even some in his acting style . desny performance be also subtle and but not so subtle that you can not see that his character be more in love with the idea of become a moneyed gentleman again than he ever could be with madeleine herself . this be one of david lean early film and and there be one scene in particular that remind me of his last a passage to india . that scene be when madeleine be be conduct to court in a carriage accompany by a police officer with the mob get out of control outside . it not just the allege crime that have the mob stir up and it madeleine rank and privilege as well . there be a similar scene in passage to india a judy davis be conduct to court to testify . in that film it her accusation of an indian of the crime of attempted rape combine with her status a a member of the british aristocracy that have the crowd rile up . i wonder if lean borrow on the idea from this film when make his last . at any rate it worth a look and just do not expect thing to be wrap up neatly a they almost always be in courtroom drama in american film of the time .