Plot
The plot is based on an actual homicide case from Victorian England. Blanche Fury (Valerie Hobson) is a beautiful and genteel woman, forced into menial domestic service after the death of her parents. After a succession of failed positions, she receives an invitation to become governess for the granddaughter of her rich uncle, whom she has never previously met due to an unspecified dispute between her uncle and her father. On arriving at the impressive country estate she first encounters Philip Thorn (Stewart Granger), whom she mistakes for her cousin Laurence. In fact, he is the illegitimate and only son of the former owner of the estate, Simon Fury. Thorn tells her the legend of the founder of the Fury family, killed in battle, his body defended by the ghost of his pet Barbary ape. The ape of the Furies is said to protect the family and wreak vengeance on anyone who crosses them.
Desiring position and security she marries her weak and insipid cousin Laurence. Dissatisfied with her marriage, she and Thorn begin a love affair. They conceive a plan for Thorn to murder her husband and uncle, leaving evidence to blame gypsies, whom her uncle had antagonised in the past. After the inquest Thorn becomes increasingly possessive, and she fears he will murder the child Lavinia, heir to the estate and final obstacle to his ambition, by encouraging the child to make a lethal jump with her pony. Blanche intervenes, and fearing for the child's life, goes to the police, implicating Thorn in the murder. She confesses to their love in court, and he is executed for the double murder. As the day of his execution arrives, Lavinia goes out alone to try the jump she'd been denied, and is killed. Months later Blanche gives birth to a son, whom she names Philip Fury, after his father, Thorn. She dies, leaving her infant son, a true-blooded Fury, as sole heir to the estate. So the curse of the Furies is fulfilled.
Shearing brought in many controversial items to the original story, particularly the stereotyped portrayal of gypsies as thieves and vagabonds. Gypsies were not involved in the original case.
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“The plot was most interesting. It belonged to no particular age, people, or country, and was perhaps the more delightful on that account, as nobody’s previous information could afford the remotest glimmering of what would ever come of it.”
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870)