“Love from a Stranger” (or “A Night of Terror”) is a British film directed by Rowland V. Lee, released in 1937. The movie is based on the play “Enter Sir John” by Frank Vosper.
The story revolves around a woman named Cecily Harrington (played by Ann Harding), who wins a large sum of money in a sweepstakes. She decides to quit her job and take a long overdue vacation in Europe. While in Monte Carlo, she meets a charming and mysterious man named Bruce Lovell (played by Basil Rathbone) and falls deeply in love with him. After a whirlwind romance, the couple gets married and returns to London to start their new life together.
Once in London, Cecily begins to notice that her husband’s behavior is strange and his personality is different from what she had thought. Bruce becomes controlling and abusive towards Cecily, and she begins to fear for her life. Her suspicions about her husband’s true identity and intentions grow stronger when she discovers that several women who had been engaged to him before Cecily have died under suspicious circumstances.
With the help of her friends, Cecily investigates her husband’s past and uncovers a sinister plot. Bruce is not who he says he is, and he plans to kill Cecily and take her money. In a dramatic showdown, Cecily confronts her husband and narrowly escapes with her life.
The movie ends with Cecily leaving Bruce and starting anew, grateful for her friends’ support and the lesson she learned about trusting the wrong people.
Directors:
Rowland V. Lee
Writer:
Frank Vosper, Agatha Christie, Frances Marion
Stars:
Ann Harding, Basil Rathbone, Binnie Hale
