Bedelia

Bedelia begins her honeymoon with Charlie in Monte Carlo during autumn 1938, passionately disliking being photographed by her husband. A young painter, Ben Chaney, sketches her in a sidewalk cafe, prompting Bedelia to turn her head away. When Charlie notices a pearl ring on her finger and she dismisses it as fake, Ben reveals he knows the ring's value and begins probing Bedelia's past, convinced she may have disposed of husbands for insurance money.

Back in England, Chaney is invited to begin a portrait of Charlie Carrington. Carrington falls ill and Dr. McAfee confines him to bed, appointing a private nurse, Nurse Harris. Bedelia is told to sleep in a separate room while the nurse oversees all of Charlie's meals and health, tightening the household's routines.

Ellen, Charlie's business partner, grows suspicious after seeing money pass to the nurse. She plans to warn Charlie, but Ben urges restraint, hinting that Captain McKelvey may visit soon. Bedelia's reactions to this information hint at a hidden truth behind her past and present situation.

Bedelia engineers a three-way argument over control of the household, resulting in the nurse's dismissal. She informs Ben of the developments and tightens her grip on the domestic staff, setting the stage for further manipulation and isolation.

Bedelia arranges for the housekeeper to have an extra day off and stay overnight with her cousin, ensuring Charlie and Bedelia are alone. She tries to persuade Charlie to leave and go abroad, but he cannot abandon the business at short notice. She warns him that Ben intends to harm her, implying she fears losing him if exposed.

Bedelia runs off in a snowstorm, and Charlie rescues her, bringing her back to safety. She confesses her fear of losing him but admits she does not feel worthy of him, revealing the depth of her insecurities and dependence on his presence.

Ben visits to check on Charlie and reluctantly recounts Bedelia's shadowy history, including a chemist in Edinburgh and a series of murdered husbands. He presents himself as an investigator who suspects Bedelia of killing for insurance money. Charlie is furious with Ben, who leaves after delivering his dire warning.

After an overnight period of reflection, Charlie confronts Bedelia in the morning and, despite the tension, there is an implication that he might forgive her. The possibility of reconciliation hangs in the air, though the truth remains unsettled.

The housekeeper returns with groceries, and the snow prevents buses from running, bringing Ben's groceries as well. Through the kitchen window, Charlie sees Bedelia feeding Topaz, the cat, who ends up eating salmon from Ben's bag. Bedelia's hysterical reaction and the discovery of a poison bottle in her hand finally convince Charlie that Ben's claims may be true.

Charlie confronts Bedelia with the evidence and insists she pack to leave, and that he will not accompany her. Bedelia offers to give him all her money, but he recoils; she then claims she is gravely ill and needs his help, and he concedes that she may be incurable before leaving the room.

Bedelia asks Mary to invite Ellen to lunch so that Charlie will not have to eat alone, signaling further isolation. She clutches a bottle of poison and stares at it, weighing her next move as the tension in the mansion deepens.

With Mary gone and the situation unresolved, Bedelia looks down at the bottle of poison in her hand, leaving the future of her fate and Charlie's suspicions in a tense, unresolved balance. The scene ends on a note of looming danger and unanswered questions.