In director Newell's recounting of the crime that shook England, Ruth Ellis (Richardson) is a club hostess with the bad fortune to meet and fall for the wealthy, careless David Blakely (Everett), a young playboy whose attentions toward Ruth eventually start to wane. Ruth truly loves David, so his inconstancy wreaks havoc with her already delicate mental state. Ruth's loyal friend Desmond (Holm) tries to steer her off this destructive course, but fails. This tortured romance is bound to end in tragedy.

This beautifully rendered, superbly acted film recreates events leading up to one of England's most famous crimes of passion. Newell painstakingly revives the look and feel of 1950's London, using this sordid affair to examine the ingrained class differences that in effect doomed the couple from the start. Richardson, Everett, and Holm are marvels to watch, and the film's shattering climax is worth waiting for. Catch this chilling romantic thriller.