THE ROSSITER CASE

UK, 1951, 75 minutes, Black and white.
Helen Shingler, Clement Mc Callin, Sheila Burrell, Frederick Leister, Ann Codrington.
Directed by Francis Searle.

The Rossiter Case is, eventually, a murder mystery. The first part of the film takes some time in establishing the characters.
Liz Rossiter (Helen Shingler) has been involved in a car accident and is paralysed, staying at the home of her mother-in-law. Doctors come to treat her and a specialist to diagnose her future – with the suggestion that there may be some hysteria causing the paralysis.

In the meantime, her husband, Peter (Clement Mc Callin) goes to the local pub, and it is clear that he is having an affair with his sister in law, a widow, Honor (Sheila Burrell in a very persuasive performance as a jealous and possessive woman). The specialist, asking directions to the house, sees Peter in the hotel.

In the meantime, at home, everybody is anxious for his return. He eventually arrives, professes his love. Honor also pays a visit. There are some background details about servants, illnesses, doctor’s treatments, and then going to work down the road at Honor’s house.

Liz wants to challenge Honor, suspecting her husband, goes to visit her. There are complications in so far as Honor says she is pregnant and wants Peter to divorce Liz. In their argument, a gun is produced, there is a struggle – and Liz aims the gun at her sister-in-law and shoots her. Overcoming her paralysis, she wheels her chair back to the house, offers a story to the police about her visit and Honor wheeling her back, and the possibility of suicide. However, it is Peter’s gun and his fingerprints on it. And Honor was not pregnant.

When it seems that all the evidence is against Peter, Liz confesses the truth to him and he is willing to go to jail for her – but, ultimately, she does the right thing.