Yield to the Night (aka Blonde Sinner) (1956) Women's Noir

Directed by J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear). 

Written by Joan Henry and John Cresswell based on the book by Joan Henry. Excellent cinematography by Gilbert Taylor with music by Ray Martin.

The film stars Diana Dors as Mary Hilton. Michael Craig as Jim Lancaster a nightclub pianist that she falls for. The rest of the cast consists of Harry Locke as Fred Hilton, Yvonne Mitchell as Matron MacFarlane, Joan Miller as Matron Barker, Geoffrey Keen as Prison Chaplain, Liam Redmond as Prison Doctors, Dandy Nichols as Mary's mother Mrs. Price, John Charlesworth as Mary's brother Alan Price, and Mercia Shaw as Lucy.

Diana Dors as Mary Hilton

Geoffrey Keen as Prison Chaplain

Michael Craig as Jim Lancaster 

Dandy Nichols as Mary's mother Mrs. Price, John Charlesworth as Mary's brother Alan Price

Mary Hilton is an unhappily married perfume counter shop girl who falls for Jim Lancaster a slimey nightclub pianist who himself is in the dumps after being rejected by Lucy, the high society dame that he is hopelessly in love with. Lucy treats him like her toy poodle. Unluckily, Mary catches Jim when he is most vulnerable, and he strings her along treating Mary as his fall back squeeze. 

During the course of their relationship Jim continues to disappoint Mary with lapses that reveal his "still on the back burner" obsession with Lucy.  

Later Mary buys a new dress and preps herself for a New Years Eve party date with Jim. He fails to pick her up at the appointed time. Mary, stood up, calls Jim's boarding house. His landlady finds Jim's corpse. He has taken the gas pipe. When Mary arrives all distraught at Jim's rooms, the police give her his suicide note. After she reads it, she notices that it was in an envelope not addressed to her but to Lucy. That is the final straw that breaks the camel's back.

Mary finds out Lucy's flat address, figures out the times she's likely to return home and waits with the revolver she took away from Jim during his previous suicide attempt. When Lucy drives up she shoots her down and this is depicted at the onset during the credit sequence.

Noirsville

The film will remind American viewers of similar anti-death penalty films I Want To Live and Why Must I Die.

For me the stylish cinematography is the films best selling point, Dors shows her chops in a non bombshell role, but the story moves along at a snails pace. The prison stretches of Mary interacting with the matrons, the prison doctor and chaplain, her ex husband, her mother and brother for me got to be quite tedious. I would have preferred more flashbacks for a better balance. If you like womens and message Noirs this one's for you.  6/10