Consequence

Originally Aired: May 19, 1949 Suspense #341, "Consequence," stars James Stewart as Dr. Phil Martin, a physician whose seemingly perfect life conceals deep unhappiness. When his old college friend Ted Wolf visits after ten years, Phil confesses a shocking truth: he despises his marriage to Gwen, who has forced him to abandon his dreams of meaningful medical work to maintain their wealthy lifestyle. What Ted doesn't know is that Phil is desperately in love with his nurse, Joe, whose father has discovered their affair and threatened to expose them to both the hospital trustees and Gwen. As Phil struggles between the two women in his life, the tension escalates. Joe announces she's leaving town for good, believing their impossible situation offers no solution. Phil begs her to run away with him, willing to abandon everything for a fresh start, but Joe knows Gwen would never grant him a divorce and would destroy his career if he tried to leave. With Ted waiting back at the house and Phil's carefully constructed world collapsing around him, a desperate decision looms that will have lasting consequences for everyone involved.