The Embezzler 1954

Henry Paulson, Charles Victor, a quiet, respectable, henpecked, elderly bank cashier, learns that he has only a couple of years left to live. He decides to embezzle money from the bank where he works and enjoy the rest of his days in South America. He books a train ticket at the travel agent and checks the itinerary of a ship, taking his suitcase to work on a quiet Friday afternoon, hoping not to be discovered until Monday.

Caught in the act by his boss returning unexpectedly, the embezzler locks his boss in his office and flees to a seaside hotel in Eastbourne run by Mrs. Larkin, Peggy Mount, booking in under the name of Mr Laughton. There, he joins a group of residents including Mrs. Forrest, Zena Marshall who has problems of her own as she is being blackmailed by a former lover, Mr Johnson, Alec Johnson, recently released from prison. Johnson has tracked her down and booked into the same hotel. He thinks, as her husband is a GP, she will wish to hide her past. Johnson also tries to take advantage of Miss Ackroyd, Avice Landone, tricking her into giving him her string of pearls after deliberately snapping their thread. Paulson hears Johnson threaten Mrs Forrest and follows her to investigate. He gives her the money she needs to give to Johnson in exchange for her love letters. After passing him the money Johnson demands a further £100 for the photostat copies he has made. Johnson returns Miss Ackroyd her pearls but then tricks her out of a valuable ring and into withdrawing her savings from the bank. He says they are engaged. Meanwhile the serial numbers of the missing notes start to appear in town. Johnson works out who Paulson is and blackmails him too, demanding half his stolen money. They chat in Paulson’s room and Johnson helps himself to whisky. Paulson poisons the whisky for Johnson’s next visit. Johnson works out what has happened and runs off. He meets Dr Foster on the stairs and they fight just as the police arrive downstairs.

The fight with Johnson brings on Paulson’s heart condition, and he dies. Dr Forrest tells his wife that he already knew about Johnson before they married.