Marcel Carne's (CHILDREN OF PARADISE) adaptation of Emile Zola's classic brought Simone Signoret (ROOM AT THE TOP, LES DIABOLIQUES) out of retirement to play the part of Therese. Ill-fated but passionate, Therese and her lover Laurent (Raf Vallone) plot the demise of her husband, who meets his end when he "accidentally" falls from a train. But the couple, now free to be together, are tormented by a mysterious blackmailer, as well as the silent accusation of the dead man's mother. A haunting tale, Carne's last great work is a masterful film noir, which stays true to Zola's ultimately pessimistic view of human nature and the possibility of redemption.