What Is The Unfaithful About?
The premise of The Unfaithful in 280 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
On a quiet evening that should have been ordinary, Christine Hunter finds herself at the center of a crisis that will test everything she holds dear. Her husband Bob Hunter is away, leaving her to face a terrifying encounter that ends with a man dead and Christine insisting she acted in self-defense. What begins as a seemingly straightforward case of protection soon draws the attention of those closest to her, including the couple’s friend and attorney Larry Hannaford, who steps in to help navigate the legal and emotional fallout.
Set against the backdrop of post-war America, the film captures a society where appearances matter deeply and reputation can be shattered in an instant. The shadow of the war lingers in ways both obvious and subtle, affecting marriages and friendships in ways that are not immediately visible. Christine’s version of events seems credible, but questions soon arise from unexpected quarters, and what initially appeared to be a simple case grows increasingly murky.
As the legal process unfolds, the tension between public perception and private reality becomes impossible to ignore. Relationships are examined, loyalties are tested, and the foundation of what Christine and Bob have built together comes under strain. Each new revelation adds another layer of complexity to a story that refuses to stay simple, while those around the couple must decide where their allegiances truly lie.
The film weaves together themes of trust, reputation, and the gap between what people show the world and what they conceal. With its psychological depth and atmosphere of mounting suspicion, it invites viewers to consider how well anyone can truly know another person—and what remains hidden when the truth finally demands to be heard.
What Happens in The Unfaithful?
The complete story of The Unfaithful, from the first scene to the last, in 211 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On a quiet night at home, Christine Hunter stabs a man named Tanner in what she insists was self-defense, while her husband Bob Hunter is away.
Art shop owner, Martin Barrow, contacts Chris’s lawyer and his good friend Larry Hannaford to discuss the aftermath of the incident. Barrow shows Hannaford a bust of Hunter’s head, signed by Tanner, and it becomes clear that Hunter had known Tanner, even as Christine had maintained she never knew the man.
Barrow then takes the bust to Tanner’s wife, Mrs. Tanner, who believes Christine had an affair and wants to punish her for murder. Barrow persuades her to relay this information to Bob Hunter(/actor/zachary-scott), hoping that the wronged husband would pay to avoid scandal. When Bob learns about the affair and sees the bust, he confronts Christine at home.
After she admits to having an affair with Tanner while Bob was away during the war, he demands a divorce. Christine is charged with murder and goes on trial. Hannaford persuades the jury that while Christine’s actions were adulterous, the stabbing was in self-defense.
Hannaford then convinces Bob, who has softened after a long talk with his cousin, Paula, and Christine to at least consider trying to save their marriage, rather than rushing into a divorce.
The Unfaithful Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Stabbing at Chris's home” to “Bob softens on divorce after Paula's talk”. 12 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Stabbing at Chris's home
During a night, Chris Hunter stabs Tanner in her own home while her husband Bob is away. She claims self-defense and that Tanner posed a threat. The incident triggers police involvement and a murder investigation.
When:Night Where:Chris's home
- 2
Murder charge and looming trial
Following the incident, Chris is charged with murder and faces a trial. The accusation intensifies the strain on her marriage and reputation. The case becomes a test of her narrative of self-defense.
When:Soon after the stabbing Where:Police precinct / courthouse
- 3
Barrow blackmails with a bust
Art shop owner Barrow contacts Chris's lawyer Hannaford and shows him a bust of Chris's head signed by Tanner. He uses it to threaten exposure and pressure Chris. Hannaford begins to reassess Chris's claim of never knowing Tanner.
When:Shortly after stabbing Where:Hannaford's office
- 4
Tanner's occupation revealed
Hannaford learns that Tanner was a sculptor, making the connection stronger that Chris knew him. He realizes Chris's statement about never knowing Tanner is false. This undermines Chris's defense strategy.
When:Same meeting Where:Hannaford's office
- 5
Chris seeks the bust
Chris goes to Barrow to take possession of the bust, hoping to regain control of the narrative or the evidence. The move signals a desperate attempt to affect the case.
When:Following the bust's discovery Where:Barrow's shop
- 6
Bust delivered to Tanner's wife
Barrow has the bust taken to Tanner's wife, who suspects an affair and wants Chris punished for the murder. The new venue for the evidence deepens the potential scandal.
When:Soon after Where:Tanner's wife's home
- 7
Wife urged to tell Bob
Barrow convinces the wife to relay information to Bob, hoping the scandal will lead to payment or justice against Chris. This manipulation heightens the personal stakes for everyone involved.
When:Shortly after Where:Tanner's wife's home
- 8
Bob confronts Chris
Bob learns of the affair and sees the bust; he confronts Chris at home. The confrontation crystallizes the marital breakdown and the tension surrounding the case.
When:Shortly after the revelation Where:Chris's home
- 9
Admission and divorce demand
Chris admits to having an affair with Tanner during Bob's war-time absence, and Bob demands a divorce. The admission shifts the emotional stakes and complicates the path to reconciliation.
When:Immediately after confrontation Where:Chris's home
- 10
Trial continues with self-defense argument
During the murder trial, Hannaford persuades the jury that Chris's stabbing was in self-defense, even as adultery is acknowledged. The courtroom debate centers on intent and justifications.
When:During trial Where:Courtroom
- 11
Counselor advocates marriage preservation
Hannaford also urges Bob and Chris to consider saving their marriage rather than rushing into divorce. The counsel introduces the possibility of reconciliation amid the turmoil.
When:During/after the trial Where:Private discussion (courtroom/legal office)
- 12
Bob softens on divorce after Paula's talk
Bob, after a long talk with his cousin Paula, softens his stance on divorce and remains open to preserving the marriage. This shift keeps hope alive for a possible reconciliation.
When:After Paula's advice Where:Bob and Chris's home
Who Are the Main Characters in The Unfaithful?
8 characters, among them Christine Hunter (Ann Sheridan), Bob Hunter (Zachary Scott) and Larry Hannaford (Lew Ayres): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 7 of them link to the actor’s page.
- CH
Christine Hunter (Ann Sheridan)
Played by Ann Sheridan
A married woman whose acts of passion and a fatal confrontation pull her into a murder trial. She admits to an extramarital affair, then claims self-defense as the motive for the stabbing. Her sure exterior masks vulnerability and a fierce desire to protect her marriage and reputation.
- 💍 Infidelity
- 🧠 Moral complexity
- 🕊️ Reputation
- BH
Bob Hunter (Zachary Scott)
Played by Zachary Scott
Christine's husband, a man whose world is turned upside down by the affair. He contemplates divorce after learning the truth, yet is pulled by memories of love and the possibility of saving the marriage. His reactions reveal the strain of public scandal on personal relationships.
- 💍 Marriage
- 🕊️ Trust
- 🧭 Reputation
- LH
Larry Hannaford (Lew Ayres)
Played by Lew Ayres
Christine's lawyer and friend who argues that the stabbing was self-defense and fights to save her from ruin. He uses legal skill and emotional appeals to sway the jury and explores how friendship and justice intersect.
- ⚖️ Legal strategy
- 🧠 Persuasion
- 🕊️ Mercy
-
Martin Barrow (Steven Geray)
Played by Steven Geray
Art shop owner who becomes a blackmailer, using a bust signed by Tanner to manipulate Christine and Bob. His scheming highlights how wealth and vanity can corrupt judgment and trigger a dangerous chain of events.
- 🕵️ Blackmail
- 🎨 Art world
- 🕶️ Manipulation
- P(
Paula (Eve Arden)
Played by Eve Arden
Bob's cousin who counsels him to consider saving the marriage. She provides perspective and moral grounding, influencing how Bob processes the scandal and the possibility of reconciliation.
- 👩👧 Family guidance
- 🗣️ Advice
- 💬 Support
- JE
Judge Edward R. McVey (John Elliott)
Played by John Elliott
The presiding judge who oversees the trial, balancing legal procedure with the pressure of public opinion as the case unfolds.
- ⚖️ Judge
- 🧭 Authority
- 🕰️ Procedure
- PA
Prosecuting Attorney (Jerome Cowan)
Played by Jerome Cowan
Represents the prosecution, outlining the case against Christine and pressing for accountability within the courtroom setting.
- ⚖️ Prosecution
- 🗣️ Oratory
- 🧠 Strategy
- T
Tanner
The murdered sculptor whose bust becomes a crucial piece of evidence and motive in the case.
- 💀 Victim
- 🎨 Artist
Where and When Is The Unfaithful Set?
The Unfaithful is set in Christine Hunter's home, Martin Barrow's art shop and courtroom (1940s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1940s
The story unfolds in the World War II era, with a husband away at war and a marriage under strain upon his return. The era’s social pressures amplify judgments about fidelity and propriety, shaping how the characters respond to scandal and justice.
Where
Christine Hunter's home, Martin Barrow's art shop, courtroom
Christine Hunter's home is the intimate domestic space where a violent act fractures a marriage. Martin Barrow's art shop provides the setting for manipulation and blackmail, turning a sculptor's bust into a symbol of deceit. The courtroom becomes the public arena where truth, motive, and reputation are weighed as Christine stands trial.
- 🏠 Domestic setting
- 🖼️ Art world
- ⚖️ Legal drama
What Are the Themes of The Unfaithful?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Infidelity, Self-defense & Justice and Blackmail.
-
01
Infidelity
A central affair sets off the chain of deception and violence. The film explores how secrets and desire destabilize trust, forcing characters to confront the consequences of their choices. Fidelity is judged not only by law but by social norms and personal loyalties.
-
02
Self-defense & Justice
The defense hinges on whether Christine’s stabbing was truly in self-defense, challenging the jury to separate motive from action. The courtroom drama probes how truth can be shaped by rhetoric, evidence, and public perception. The outcome tests the limits of mercy within the legal system.
-
03
Blackmail
Martin Barrow uses a brutal bust and information as leverage to manipulate others. The plot reveals how greed and manipulation corrode trust and push characters toward ruin. The consequences of blackmail ripple through relationships and the pursuit of reputation.
What Kind of Film Is The Unfaithful?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A tense and morally complex noir that unfolds with a steady, anxious pace, trapping its characters in a web of deceit where a murder trial exposes the deeper crime of infidelity.
- tense
- deceitful
- claustrophobic
- anxious
- melancholic
- guilty
- infidelity
- murder trial
- blackmail
- marriage breakdown
Content notes: murder, infidelity, blackmail.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Unfaithful? Test yourself on the story.
