The Reckless Moment

California housewife Lucia Harper (Joan Bennett) attempts to cover up what she believes (erroneously) to be her daughter (Geraldine Brooks)'s accidental murder of an undesirable ex-lover (Shepperd Strudwick). Martin Donnelly (James Mason), a clean-shaven smooth-talker involved in organized crime, tries to blackmail Lucia by threatening to take Bea and Darby's correspondence to the police. Complications arise when he realizes his true feelings for Lucia and discovers the truth.