The Lie

A man who owns a diamond importing business goes out for a night on the town with his girlfriend, her brother and her brother’s fiancé. The group stops by a circus to see the act of a trapeze artist who’s a friend of the man’s girlfriend. The performer suggests that all the men go out for a few drinks, and the next thing the businessman knows, he’s waking up in his apartment with a terrible hangover and a dead body in his room.

Directed by Harold Young, The Lie leans on a strong ensemble — Lee Bowman, Ramsay Ames, Harald Maresch — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about tv movie titles of 1954.