An Affair of Honour story
In the years of British-ruled India, the secret plans for the defense of a harbor have been copied. With only three people having access to the safe's key, General Sanderson tasks officers Bryce and Rolfe with convincing the apparent traitor, Fanshaw, to "save his honor" by committing suicide, rather than going through an embarrassing court martial. Complicating matters is that Bryce used to be in love with Fanshaw's wife, but promised her that this would not come between their friendship. Directed by: Alan Bromly. Story by: Carey Harrison, based on a story by F. Britten Austin.
11 total · 1 choice · 9 major · 1 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| honor | choice | The story turns, as the narrator explained, on an expectation that Major Fanshaw would feel compelled to commit suicide to "save his honor" rather than be dragged through an embarrassing court martial. |
| framing someone for a crime | major | In one interpretation of the story, General Sanderson that forged evidence incriminating set into motion a plan to frame Major Fanshaw for treason, gambling that so doing would lead to the real traitor being exposed. |
| husband and wife | major | Nina and Major Richard Fanshaw were happily married. Nina came to Richard's defense when he stood accused of having communicated to the enemy the contents of a secret military document. |
| love triangle | major | Bryce and Nina had had some sort romantic entanglement in the past although the details were not clearly delineated. |
| military related work | major | The story is set in a British military installation in India during the inter-war period. The viewer is shown an idea of what it might have been like there for British military officers. |
| old flames | major | Bryce used to be in love with Fanshaw's wife Nina, and perhaps still was. |
| suicide | major | The story turns on an expectation that Major Fanshaw would feel compelled to commit suicide to "save his honor" rather than be dragged through an embarrassing court martial. |
| the British Raj | major | The story is set in British-ruled India and concerns a British general's attempts to suss out a traitor. |
| treason | major | The viewer is led to believe that Major Fanshaw had committed treason by selling the contents of a secret harbor defense plan to the enemy. In a surprise twist, his fellow officer Major Rolfe was revealed as the traitor. |
| what if I was accused of a crime that I didn't commit | major | Major Fanshaw was shocked and appalled to find himself accused of having communicated the contents of a secret harbor defense plan to the enemy. |