In 1920s London, has the beautiful outsider Mrs Paradine poisoned her invalid war hero husband? Or is Paradine’s obsessively loyal valet, Marsh, the killer? There isn’t much forensic evidence either way – but Mrs Paradine is Danish, not “one of us” and admits a chequered past. The scandal rumbles through fashionable society.
Defending Mrs Paradine falls to Sir Malcolm Keane, a charismatic defence lawyer – and his solicitor colleague Sir Simon Flaquer. Malcolm always comes to believe passionately in the innocence of those he defends. He is drawn to Mrs Paradine because she resembles his wife, Gay. As he prepares the defence, he falls more and more in love with Mrs Paradine. Gay knows – and it shakes her faith in her “perfect marriage.”
The Judge in the case, Horfield, is sociable and witty but secretly detests Malcolm. Horfield is predatory and – as his eccentric, alcoholic wife Sophie warns Malcolm – sadistic. He assaults Gay and when Gay rejects him, Horfield determines to make the case as hard as possible for her husband. Nor does Mrs Paradine ease Malcolm’s path – she has firm but controversial views on how her defence should be conducted.
