Tension (1949)

In the world of 1949's "Tension," Warren Quimby, a meek and mild-mannered drugstore manager, is driven to the brink of madness by the infidelity of his ravishing yet treacherous wife, Claire. Stung by the sting of betrayal, he is consumed by a chilling plan to murder her charming lover, Barney Deager. With meticulous precision, Quimby crafts an intricate web of deceit, forging an entirely new identity to slide under the radar of suspicion once the deadly deed is done. As part of his elaborate plan, he befriends Mary Chanler, a charismatic neighbor of Deager, to cement his new persona. However, Quimby's ice-cold resolve begins to thaw as he finds himself falling helplessly in love with the unsuspecting Mary. Stricken with guilt, he is horrified by the dark depths to which his jealousy had driven him. Just when he's grappling with his own conscience, a shocking twist ensnares him - Deager is murdered, and not by his hand. In a cruel twist of fate, Quimby, who was once the puppet master of his elaborate scheme, now finds himself tangled in the strings, becoming the prime suspect in the very crime he had planned but never committed. In the taut and thrilling narrative of "Tension," love, betrayal, and suspense weave together in a gripping dance of deception and unexpected revelations.

Tension is a crime movie featuring Richard Basehart.

Tension is currently streaming on TCM.