An Act of Murder

A principled but stubborn judge presides over a murder case, where a lawyer's client is unsuccessful in proving a mitigating factor. Fredric March plays Judge Calvin Cooke, a man who kills his terminally ill wife to prevent her further suffering, agreeing to keep her secret from her family, including his daughter Ellie (Geraldine Brooks). The film explores the themes of euthanasia, morality, and the law, as Cooke is later confronted with the consequences of his actions and grapples with his own philosophy on justice.