A woman is wrongly accused of murdering her husband in the early 1920s, in London.
Just before the outbreak of World War I, Edith Graydon married her boyfriend Percy Thomson. He survives the war but theirs is not a happy marriage. She doesn't really love him and he feels it every day. He's also possessive and their daily life is a constant battle. She meets and falls in love with Frederick Bywaters, her sister's one-time boyfriend. They have a long affair and her desperate attempts to get either a formal separation or divorce from her husband falls on deaf ears. They are at their wit's end and Bywaters decides to do something about it. On a dark evening when Edith is walking with her husband, Bywaters stabs him to death. Edith is charged with murder along with Bywaters and both are found guilty. She claims her innocence right up until the day they are both executed by hanging in 1923. Based on a true story.—garykmcd
Edie Thompson (Natasha Little) talks about a compact she made with her love. It has come back to haunt her, as in their search for happiness together, he has acted upon it. Her husband has been stabbed.
In England at Christmas 1913, the Graydon family prepare to celebrate Christmas and daughter Edie's birthday. Edith Graydon will be greeted by Percy Thompson (Nick Moran). Avis (Rachel Stirling), Edie's sister cannot see Edie's attraction to Percy. Edie is prone to romanticize her life and breaks with the customs of the day. She tells her sister that Avis cannot see him through her eyes where their life is full of grandeur. Avis believes she is not seeing him realistically.
Edie is a bookkeeper in a millinery and flirts with her boss, Mr. Carlton. (Tom Wilkinson). She endures a visit with Percy's family and judging mother (Elizabeth McKechnie). Percy asks Edie to join him on holiday. Avis wonders if Percy expects Edie to be fast and loose. Edie marries Percy, but meets the war wounded Archie (Gyuri Sarossy), a friend of her brother Newnie (Daniel Brocklebank) at the wedding showing her wandering eye. Later, Edie finds Percy in the military hospital waiting results for a test for his heart. Percy is relieved he will not likely have to go to war. Edie's father William Graydon (Michael Bertenshaw) is upset because his son is off fighting in the war and Percy jokes about it.
When the war ends, Edie continues to romanticize her life with Percy. Percy wants none of it, especially in bed where he is conventional. Frederick Bywaters (Ioan Gruffudd), a friend of her brother Newnie, visits the family. Avis is interested in him romantically. Freddy works in shipping and goes out to sea for such ports of call as India and Australia. He attempts to describe the aurora borealis to Edie which impresses her sense of adventure. Edie want to invite him to join Percy, Avis and herself on holiday that summer so Avis can continue her relationship with him. One night, Percy gets drunk, falls and is helped off to bed. Edie dances with Freddy and he flirts with her. He enjoys her colorful imagination. They wander out on to the beach a Freddy says he loves Edie and kisses her. Avis is disappointed at the end of the holiday that she did not get to spend more time with Freddie.
After holiday, Percy and Edie provide a room for Freddie until he returns to sea. Edie and Freddy become lovers and he proves a superior lover to Percy. Percy becomes annoyed how close Edie and Freddy seemed to becoming. One night, Edie and Percy have an argument where Percy strikes Edie. Freddy quickly jumps to Edie's defense and holds a letter opener to Percy's throat. Edie's boss, Mr. Carlton urges Edie to seek a divorce. Even though it may be scandalous, she would be the envy of many as the siren of suburbia. Edie and Freddy continue their affair at the millinery. One night, Mr. Carlton brings in a young red-haired whore (Barbara Wilshere). Finally, Edie takes Freddie to the train station, where they exchange declarations of love. When Edie returns home, Percy tells Edie he hopes Freddy's ship hits an iceberg.
Edie begins to write to Freddie while he is at sea. The fanciful love letters also fantasize about Edie killing her husband. Much later, Edie arrives home to find Freddy waiting for her at her doorstep. They go dancing. Mr. Carleton sees them from a balcony above. Edie tells Freddy she is pregnant. He gets very emotional. she suggests they end their lives in a lover leap he suggests killing Percy Thompson would allow them to be together. they make a secret pact.
Freddie puts out to sea again. He meets women all along the way. His letters become less frequent. The letters Edie writes detail her sickness with pregnancy, her seeking an abortion and how she tries to kill her husband by putting broken glass in his food. Eventually Edie settles in playing the role of the dutiful wife.
One afternoon at tea, Avis brings news of Freddy's return. He is handing out cigarettes spirited from the opium fields of India. Edie is uppity at her parents' anniversary picnic insulting her mother in law's hat and questioning her values. Later that day, Freddie corners Edie in an upstairs room and initially suggest they just be pals. They end up kissing. Freddy meets Edie at the train station and they go out dancing.
Avis is blue. She tells Edie she has no companion and pines for a man who doesn't love her and would rather run around with a married woman. Edie and Freddy discuss killing Percy while they make love. Percy is aware of Edie's affair and swears he will never let her go. When tempers calm, Edie begs for her release telling Percy it would be an act of friendship for people who just are not right for each other. He declines
Freddy keeps goading Edie to leave Percy and travel with him or kill her husband. Near midnight on October 3, 1922, as Edie and Percy walk home from the theater, Freddy rushes up from behind and pushes Edie down. After an altercation with Percy, Freddy stabs him with the knife. A doctor is summoned but Percy is dead.
Edie and Freddy are indicted together. Both are sentenced to death by hanging. Edie breaks down declaring herself innocent. Edie's mother Ethel (Imelda Staunton) is beside herself. The trial draws lots of press coverage. Much is made of Edie's love letters. Avis visits Edi and were in prison. She understands Edie's active imagination and that her stories of her adultery, abortion, and poisoning plans mostly just fantasies. She has forgiven Edie for stealing Freddy,
At dawn on January 9, 1823, is the day set for Edie's execution. She is hysterical. The prison staff sedate her and she is hung. She leaves a letter for her family philosophizing about her life. Freddy was executed at the same time. He always declared Edie's innocence. 6*
