This is a standard bearer for a lot of movies today. It's about reclaiming the soul after it has been tarnished by revenge. It's always a good movie when a totally guiltless man is thrust into a situation where he must prove himself innocent of false charges. Add to this that the man is willing to let his evil wife rot in jail, or even be executed, and the stakes really go up. Brian Donleavy is the man. A tough executive who escapes his murder through chance. He surfaces in a small town during the trial of his selfish wife. He makes a name for himself in the small town and becomes involved with a young woman who runs a gas station/auto repair shop. What he learns along the way is that revenge doesn't solve anything and to start fresh, you must take some risks. This is a nicely plotted little movie and works. My favorite character is Helen Walker as Irene Williams, the wife. She steals every scene she is in. She is beautiful but contaminated. Donleavy is full of pain and steel. The ending is a little pat but it works. Charles Coburn as the caring detective realizes that justice may not be done and takes some pretty big risks.
