The Blind Goddess [1948] [DVD]

Lord Brasted is in charge of a postwar fund for displaced persons. His secretary, Derek Waterhouse, visits the Prime Minister to accuse Brasted of taking money from the fund. This results in a libel case made difficult for Waterhouse for several reasons: the man who uncovered the fraud has committed suicide - or been murdered - in Prague, Lady Brasted is a pretty devious old flame, and he has been seeing the prosecuting lawyer's daughter. ~ imdb

"The film is introduced in Prague with a spectacular murder, which is made to look like a suicide, which alerts the mind to what happened in Prague in 1948, when the film was released, as the communists took over the government by a coup involving the defenestration of Jan Masaryk and the death of Eduard Benes. However, this story happens entirely in London and involves corruption, as money intended for fugitives and displaced persons is channelled elsewhere, which alerts the always honest Michael Denison, who informs the prime minister, which leads to a libel case in court. The plot is complicated, it's difficult to follow all the meanderings, but the cast is outstanding all the way: Eric Portman as the advocate, Hugh Williams as the lord on trial, Claire Bloom in an early but shining performance and Anne Crawford as the spider in the web. The psychology of sensitive relationships is highly developed here. It's a great court-room drama with some political implications making it an interesting time document."