| Director | J. Lee Thompson |
|---|---|
| Genre | drama film |
| Runtime | 105 min |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Shortly before the German invasion of France, Dr. Michele Wulf encounters the younger Stanislaus Pilgrin over a game of lightning chess, not being aware that Pilgrin is a chess master. She becomes intrigued with the fortune-hunting Pilgrin and the two begin a liaison. Upon the German invasion, in order to protect Michele, who is Jewish, Stan marries her. But the Gestapo arrests her and sends her to a concentration camp.
Sometime after the war, Michele returns, under the identity of Mme. Robert, and encounters her colleague, plastic surgeon Dr. Charles Bovard. He at first does not recognize her because her face was disfigured in the camp. She has Bovard perform plastic surgery to restore some of her looks.
By chance she encounters Stan, who believes her to have died during the war. Surprised at the resemblance, Stan tells her that Michele's step-daughter Fabi cannot inherit her step-mother's estate because no body was ever produced. He asks "Mme. Robert" to impersonate Michele and she agrees. Upon moving back into her own house, Michele quickly becomes aware that Fabi, now a beautiful woman, resents her for her former neglect. What is worse, the younger woman is now Stan's lover. Eventually, Michele reveals herself and insists on resuming her relationship with her husband.
While taking a bath after consuming alcohol and barbiturates, the jealous Fabi tells Stan her plan for killing her step-mother. Stan will go to another city on the pretext of attending a chess championship. He will set up a gun to go off when Michele opens her safe. After establishing his alibi, he will call her and tell her that he has put a gift for her in the safe. When he hears the shot, he will know she is dead, and he can return home to adjust the scene to make the death appear a suicide.
Though it is not clear if Fabi is serious, the amoral Stan drowns her in the bathtub in such a way that it looks like an accident related to an overdose. Then he carries out her plan in order to gain all the inheritance.
When he returns, he discovers what appears to be Michele's corpse, but is caught by the police in the act of manipulating the scene. Stan tries to flee but is surrounded by the police, Charles, and a very much alive Michele. By way of a flashback, Michele explains how she managed to avoid falling into Stan's trap.
Stan makes light of his situation as he's escorted away by the police officers. He makes a joke about how he's going to face the guillotine because of a simple act by Charles.