Charlie (Joseph Cotten) is going back to California to spend some time with his family and to get away from it all. Charlie could
only be described as the black sheep of the Newman family; he has a
shady past, although no one can quite place their finger on it.
Despite his eccentricities, the Newmans welcome him back with open
arms, and are surprised with the expensive and lavish gifts that he
bestows upon them all. They find it delightful, and odd, but don't
give a second thought to it.
However, his niece (also named Charlie, played by Teresa Wright) notices that her uncle is acting strangely. If Charlie thought his behavior would discourage his niece, he thought wrong. Charlie (the niece) investigates an article in the library and puts together the horrible cache of secrets held by her uncle. If hiding a dark secret from her family isn't burdensome enough, some survey-takers ask a great deal of questions about the newcomer to town. These questions predominantly lean toward fi…
However, his niece (also named Charlie, played by Teresa Wright) notices that her uncle is acting strangely. If Charlie thought his behavior would discourage his niece, he thought wrong. Charlie (the niece) investigates an article in the library and puts together the horrible cache of secrets held by her uncle. If hiding a dark secret from her family isn't burdensome enough, some survey-takers ask a great deal of questions about the newcomer to town. These questions predominantly lean toward fi…