The Mark of Cain

If for no other reason, I suggest checking this film out to watch Eric Portman do an excellent job of acting, as the diabolical Richard Howard. At the start, sympathies are with him, as he appears to be overshadowed by his brother John, who runs the family business and marries Sarah, the woman Richard wanted. That marriage is far from a paradise, and Richard appears to be the sympathetic friend, encouraging Sarah to be herself, not let John browbeat her, and pursue her own interests. John, for his part, comes across as domineering and overbearing, even abusive. Soon, Sarah's filing for divorce, but then has a change of heart. That's when all the trouble begins! (No need to go into detail, I'm sure you can tell from the title what's going to happen.)

The movie's based on the real-life story of Florence Maybrick, accused of murdering her husband, but in movieland, based on tends to mean little fact and lots of fiction, so I'm sure there are better sources for Ms. Maybrick's actual story.

What makes this movie especially worthwhile is the courtroom scene, where Mr. Portman puts on quite a performance, as he defies the judge and courtroom etiquette while attempting to clear his sister-in-law's name. By helping her, he's actually helping himself, and as his plans go awry, he begins to unravel.

As for the rest of the actors and the storyline itself, I'd say it's about average. You won't feel you've wasted your time, but if not for Mr. Portman, you could do without watching.