Continuing the shift from melodrama to noir begun with Caught, The Reckless Moment follows the desperate actions of a mother, played with terrific urgency by a superlative Joan Bennett, whose attempts to conceal the murder she believes her daughter has committed only draws the attention of a ruthless yet strangely sympathetic blackmailer. The mutual attraction that develops between the mother and the petty criminal provided James Mason with one of his best roles, and lays bare the emptiness of an American housewife’s existence. Featuring the dramatic light and shadow magic of master cinematographer Burnett Guffey, The Reckless Moment unleashes a spirited, roving camera to track the constant motion of Bennett’s daily routines as relentlessly as it follows Lola Montès or Lisa in Letter from an Unknown Woman.