Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey and Geraldine Brooks give outstanding performances in a movie that is well ahead of its time. It's the story of what happens after a woman suffers from psychosis. However, it's not the portrayal of a yowling inmate but a normal-appearing woman whose insanity comes upon her slowly but inevitably.<br /><br />Miss Crawford portrays Louise Howell, nurse to the neurotic wife of oil tycoon (BEFORE we became dependent on Middle Eastern oil) Dean Graham. We never see Mrs. Graham but we hear her, constantly accusing her husband(played by Mr. Massey) of having an affair with Louise. <br /><br />Louise is having an affair alright but it's not with Mr. Graham. Instead, it's with architect David Sutton, played so well by Van Heflin. For David, his relationship with Louise is little more than a lark - a good time was had by all - but he isn't ready to settle down. He tries to explain that to Louise but she gets bent out of shape and becomes possessive about and obsessed with him. Finally, however, David accepts a job FAR AWAY,with Mr. Graham's oil firm. After David leaves and Mrs. Graham dies (is it murder or suicide? Louise, in the beginnings of her confusion, isn't sure which), Louise decides to marry the lonely widower even though she tells him she's not in love with him and even though his daughter Carol (played so well by Gerladine Brooks) dislikes her intensely. <br /><br />Later, in a cruel bit of irony, David comes home, meets Carol and the two fall in love. This time, David wants to get married but to Carol and not to Louise. Louise tries to talk her out of it but Carol becomes more determined than ever to marry the older, oafish architect. Things get pretty dicey after that and this is when Miss Crawford's performance goes from good to brilliant. If she wasn't nominated for an Academy Award, she should have been; in fact, she should have gotten it for her role in this movie. It's not easy playing a woman going slowly insane because it's not the obvious signs of insanity she has to convey; it's the slow insanity that results from years of inevitable tortures she must express. That's not easy but an actress of Miss Crawford's obvious brilliance was able to pull it off beautifully. This is a marvelous "woman's picture" and I highly recommend it. It's one of my all-time favorites and one of Miss Crawford's best pictures.