Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)

San Francisco. Lois and Howard Frazer are planning on getting a divorce after three years of marriage, the proceedings which promise to be a bitter affair. There has been infidelity on both sides, she believes that he only married her for her money, and she believes she has discovered evidence that he plans to kill her to get all her money without needing that divorce. In a panic, Lois shoots Howard dead in their house in front of her boyfriend, Police Lt. Ed Cullen of Homicide, no one knowing of their relationship. On her pleads, Ed helps her not only hide the fact of she having killed him but disposes of the gun and the body for the latter to be discovered in a manner to throw any suspicion away from her. The body is discovered sooner than expected, with the lead investigator assigned being Ed's newly minted detective, his younger brother Andy Cullen. As they investigate, Ed, to protect himself and Lois, has to direct Andy away from certain facts, including Lois and Howard's troubled marriage and she being the mystery woman in his life. If it gets to that point of the truth coming to light, they individually may be forced to make a choice, Ed between Lois and Andy, Andy between Ed and his oath to uphold the law, and Lois between Ed and her own survival.