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Charlotte Bronn (Jean Simmons) walks out of a mental institution and back into the emotionally stunted life that sent her there, trapped in a chilly relationship with a husband (Dan O'Herlihy) who seems far more interested in Charlotte's stepsister Joan (Rhonda Fleming) than in his wife. Charlotte clings to the hope that she is improving. But on the night of an elegant party, dressed and coiffed in an unsettling attempt to resemble Joan, she loses her frail self-control and finally faces the truth about her marriage. Simmons is magnetic as Charlotte, her lovely, delicate face reflecting the inner turmoil of a woman battling for sanity. Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. costars as a professor who offers Charlotte the compassionate support she needs, if she has the courage to accept it. Veteran Mervyn LeRoy (Random Harvest, The Bad Seed) directs this poignant and penetrating tale of a mind and a marriage at a crossroads.

• drama