Confession

In a church confessional, Alan admits to a killing: 'I have killed a man, Father.' He is a Roman Catholic, and the confession sets the moral stakes for the story. The priest receives the absolution, but the audience understands this confession will ripple through the family and events to come.

Mike Nelson arrives back at the countryside family home after years in the USA working in oil. His sister Louise welcomes him warmly, while their father is more reserved. Their childhood friend Alan greets Mike, hinting at old ties between them.

In private, Mike unlocks a suitcase in his old room and reveals a hidden compartment full of dollar bills and a gun. He quietly hides the suitcase again, indicating concealed danger or secrets that could explode later. The environment is tense as family dynamics unfold.

During dinner at the family home, Mike receives a troubling phone call informing him that someone has tracked him down. The call underscores that his past is catching up with him and raises stakes for the whole family.

At the bank, a man approaches Mike and demands his 'cut.' The tense exchange leads to a plan to meet near a railway shunting yard. The confrontation foreshadows the violence to come and tests Mike's nerve.

Mike goes to the planned meeting armed with a gun. A scuffle erupts when the other man is confronted, and Alan happens to be passing by. He disarms the moment and shoots the man dead to prevent Mike's likely murder. They drive away, debating whether to involve the police.

The police later discover that Alan had decided to confess his crime (as shown in the opening scene), but a second, unseen assailant shoots him during absolution. The priest refuses to cooperate with the police about confessions, complicating the investigation. The ripple effects begin to threaten Mike and Louise.

The police compare bullets and tyre tracks, mistakenly concluding that both victims were killed by the same man. They establish that Mike's alibi is false, but they cannot yet see his connection to the crime. The investigation widens the suspicion around the family.

The inspector takes Louise to dinner and hints about Mike's past with American police while probing her about Mike's whereabouts and alibi. Louise is unsettled, sensing a larger conspiracy and emotional danger. She becomes a key link between Mike and the investigation.

Louise finds Mike's secret stash and confronts him; he finally confesses the truth: Alan killed the man near the railway and Mike lied to protect Alan. He warns that the truth would devastate their father. The revelation shifts loyalties within the family.

The police scheme to trap Mike by falsely claiming the priest is about to make a Rome-approved statement. Louise leaves to visit an aunt to avoid Mike, while the inspector orders her to stay to participate in the trap. The father grows suspicious and confronts Mike as he prepares to flee.

Mike heads to the church, hoping to kill the priest, but the organ interrupts and throws off his aim. He flees to the bell tower, firing at the police, and is eventually deafened when the bell rings and falls to his death. Louise arrives to witness the climactic tragedy as the truth unravels.