Journal of a Crime is a 1934 American film, produced by First National Pictures, directed by William Keighley, and starring Ruth Chatterton, Adolphe Menjou, and Claire Dodd.
Francoise (Ruth Chatterton) is a jealous wife who spies on her playwright husband (Adolphe Menjou) one evening after a play and overhears him and his lover Odette (Claire Dodd), the star of the show, quarelling in the street about him leaving his wife.
Francoise is distressed at the news and pretends that she knows nothing of the affair. The next day she sees a lawyer to find out how she can keep him from divorcing her. She learns that there is nothing legally she can do to compel him to stay. She is distraught and returns to the theatre the next evening and shoots Odette. A bank robber who is hiding in the theatre is blamed for the shooting.
Francoise is now tortured about having murdered Odette and becomes sick. After months of being tormented by guilt, she decides to turn herself into the district attorney.