The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe

Plagued by debt, John and Anne Darwin face increased pressure from the bailiffs and banks. Anne encourages her husband to file for bankruptcy, but John decides to fake his death in a canoe accident and collect the life insurance payments.

As Anne tries to get the insurance money, she discovers that without a body and a death certificate, the insurers won't pay out. Meanwhile, John applies for a passport to create a new identity and forces Anne to demand an inquest into his death.

Through with pretending to be dead, John returns to England, reunites with his sons, and declares he is suffering from amnesia. In Panama, Anne's cover starts to unravel as journalists hunt her down.

The truth finally emerges when Anne and John are interviewed by the police and face a mountain of evidence against them. As the case goes to trial, Anne's lawyer tries for a defense of not guilty on the grounds of marital coercion.