Forbidden 1949

In Blackpool, Jim Harding, a trained chemist, has been reduced to making a living by selling potions and medicines from a fairground stall, working alongside his former army comrade Dan Collins. He is trapped in a loveless marriage to Diana Harding, a vulgar, domineering woman with ambitions of breaking into showbusiness, while he finds himself drawn to the kinder, working-class Jane Thompson, who sells candyfloss and ice cream at a neighboring stall. Jim keeps his marriage a secret from Jane as the two begin an affair, even as Diana carries on a separate liaison with the older Jerry Burns, whom she believes can help her theatrical dreams along.

As the affair deepens, Jane remains unaware of Jim’s marital status, and Diana’s own scheming adds fuel to the tension. Jane’s loyalty is tested when Diana confronts her, revealing Jim’s marriage and accusing him of preying on young women, offering cash to end the relationship. Jane refuses to be bought off and challenges Jim to face the truth, while Jim protests that he is trapped in an intolerably unhappy marriage and that Diana’s selfishness has driven him to the edge. He pleads for a divorce, but Diana refuses, fearing what a break with her husband could do to her career.

Desperation pushes Jim toward a drastic plan. Using his chemical knowledge, he concocts pills containing a lethal dose and slips them into Diana’s regular supply. Yet, as he hurries home in a panic, he discovers Diana dead. Frantic, he buries her body beneath the floorboards in his workshop, only to learn later that the deadly pills remained unused in her system. Diana died of natural causes, making his attempt to dispose of the body both incriminating and unnecessary.

Diana’s sudden disappearance arouses the attention of the local authorities, and the investigation proceeds with the implication that Diana’s husband may have murdered her. Jim tries to flee, but the chase tightens through the streets of Blackpool, culminating in a tense confrontation at Blackpool Tower. The case hinges on the fragile line between a man’s desperate act and the unravelling truth of a woman’s illness and a marriage gone sour.

Throughout the ordeal, the film explores themes of marital dissatisfaction, the pressures of ambition, and the consequences of a dangerous plan gone awry. The atmosphere of Blackpool—the fairgrounds, the intimate stalls, and the looming tower—provides a moody backdrop as Jim’s carefully laid scheme collapses under the weight of circumstance, leaving him to confront the consequences of choices made in the shadow of desperation.