The Velvet Touch

Broadway impresario Gordon Dunning discovered Valerie Stanton and made her a star in his drawing room comedies, in the process they embarking on a very public romance which has so far lasted ten years. However, Val now only has contempt for Gordon as he considers her his personal property and that she can't and/or shouldn't be able to do without him, especially problematic for her as she wants to prove herself as a dramatic actress, she who has been offered the lead in "Hedda Gabler" by rival producer Peter Gunther for the upcoming season. In addition, Val has fallen in love with British architect Michael Morrell - largely because he never treated her like a star - who she wants to marry. After the show on the closing night of their latest play with the theater near empty, Val confronts Gordon in his office, he in turn threatening to ruin her and make Michael hate her if she ever left him. In the ensuing argument, Val accidentally kills Gordon. Gordon's dead body is eventually discovered by Marian Webster, another one of his stock players. Marian was once "Val" in every sense in Gordon's life until Val came into the picture, Marian who still loves him. Beyond the issue of Gordon himself, Val and Marian have never liked each other. Val, however, asked Marian earlier that evening to convince Gordon that the two of them were meant for each other, which would have allowed Val the freedom to leave Gordon without any issue. Marian refused to do so solely because of the way Val has treated him. In the process of questioning by lead investigator Captain Danbury of all that would have had access to backstage that evening, it becomes clear to Val that who everyone believes killed Gordon is Marian. While Val does come to Marian's defense, she does not confess or implicate herself. As Val continues in her chosen path with Michael and with the role as Hedda, the questions become if anything will change to implicate her or to make her develop a conscience for what she did. Captain Danbury being a theater buff may factor into what happens.