Child Susan Starrling (Gigi Perreau) is the sole witness to a killing, but the shock causes her to suffer amnesia about the event. Her father David (Zachary Scott) is convicted of first degree murder of his wife. However, psychiatrist Caroline Canford (Nancy Davis) is convinced she can cure the young girl and begins to suspect that another person is guilty.
That person is Dell Faring (Ann Sothern), who became incensed after brother-in-law David discovered that while he was away on a business trip, wife Celia (Kristine Miller) was having an affair with Dell's fiance, Crane Weymouth. A resentment already existed between the sisters because Dell felt this was not the first time Celia had selfishly taken something from her. Celia knocked David unconscious during a quarrel over her infidelity. Dell then arrived, picked up a gun David brought home from his trip and killed her sister with it. With no memory of what happened, David can only assume he was the one who shot Celia, so he accepts the jury's verdict and the judge's sentence that he be put to death.
Susan, who saw the murder from the door but repressed the memory, is haunted by the image of a shadow on the wall. A distraught Dell, realizing that Dr. Canford is trying to restore the girl's memory, attempts to murder the child. When she fails, she adopts Susan instead. Dell casts a shadow on the wall that triggers Susan's memory.
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