David Barrett (Lex Barker), the co-owner of a dog-track, discovers that his partner, Lou Belden (Tim Sullivan), has sold out to gangster Frankie Edare (Warren Stevens), who plans to get rid of Barrett and take sole control of the enterprise. Barrett confronts and threatens Lou at the Intermezzo Club.
An inebriated businesswoman named Jessica Warren (Merle Oberon) accidentally runs down an elderly man named Ferranti while driving. Extremely upset, she drives away from the scene and calls the police from a service station.
Barrett notices Jessica's car at the service station, jumps in it and drives away. Seeing this, Jessica tells police that her car has been stolen and does not report the hit-and-run incident.
At the Intermezzo, Lou is gunned down by Edare's men. Newspaper headlines scream Barrett is being sought for the murder. Barrett's friend detective Pete Carroll tells Barrett that the timing of the hit and run clears him of the murder.
Barrett recognizes he has been double-framed but understands that, while Ferranti is alive, the hit-and-run charge is preferable to that of murder. Jessica comes to the station to tell her story, rife with details seemingly cementing Barrett's guilt, and he is held for grand theft auto and told that, should Ferranti die, Barrett will be charged with manslaughter. Jessica does not admit her involvement. Out on bail, Barrett visits Jessica to tell her he that he knows that her story is untrue. The two begin a romantic relationship.
The district attorney charges Barrett with murder instead of the hit and run. Carroll tells Jessica that he is suspicious of her. Jessica worries that the police will then pursue her.
At her apartment, Jessica ostensibly receives flowers from Dave, but the box contains the shotgun used to kill Lou.
Barrett locates an address for McNab. When he calls to share this with Jessica, she insists she accompany him there to be of help
Ferranti's daughter, Nina, tells Barrett her father has died. She doesn't believe him when he says he can prove he did not do it, she declares she will see him punished.
When Barrett comes by and begins telling Jessica about having gone to McNab's place and finding him dead, she slips up, revealing that she already knew. She then tells Barrett about Edare's intimidation of her, although she exaggerates. Mrs. Rurth McNab (Mary Field) shows up, exposes Jessica's bribery, then establishes a bribe of her own by suggesting Jessica help fill the income gap that exists now that her husband is dead.
After the woman goes, Jessica tells Barrett she loves him. After a few moments, she admits what Barrett knows, that she is responsible for the hit and run. She asks him to stay with her, and they share a romantic interlude. However, when she refuses to go to the police with the truth, he says he will give her until noon the next day to turn herself in, and leaves. Nina Ferranti comes to Barrett's apartment to apologize. She offers to help him.
Jessica begs for a day more because she is leaving the country. She has written a full confession but cannot face the consequences. She gives Barrett details concerning the train she will be taking.
Barrett heads to the train station. Nina follows him there, then phones Carroll saying she is aware that Barrett and Jessica are "running away together". On board the moving train, Jessica shows Barrett her confession and seemingly agrees to get off at the first stop in order to go to the police. They decide to go to the club car for a drink, but Jessica misdirects Barrett and they end up in the baggage car, where Edare and Vince are waiting.
At the first stop, Vince unexpectedly must pretend to be the baggage man. During this distraction, Barrett overpowers Edare, but the two criminals quickly regain control, knocking Barrett out. Carroll manages to get on board and has the conductor help him search. A woman passenger comes along to complain she hears her dog continuously barking in the baggage car. The conductor calls the car, then tells Carroll that the voice was not that of the regular baggage man. As Edare and Vince are dragging Barrett toward the open door, he struggles free; Carroll enters and shoots Edare. Jessica throws herself in front of the southbound train.
A 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Abner Biberman, produced by Howard Christie, screenplay by Dick Irving Hyland, story by Robert Tallman, cinematography by Irving Glassberg, starring Merle Oberon and Lex Barker. Anna Karen makes her screen debut.
When there is an opportunity for wrongdoing to go unnoticed, people tend to make immoral decisions. This is true in the film noir.
A twisty and diverting damsel in distress minor noir film, that features no sympathetic characters and depends too much on coincidences to be easily swallowed whole. The powerful conclusion, resulting in the pursuit of justice through violent means, is unpredictable and chilling, giving the amoral noir film its darkness and cynicism.
Информация по комментариям в разработке