Bud Dolliver, a former WWII hero, and an ex-convict, returns to his home town in an effort to make a new life for himself but, even with the help of Lou Jellison, a cannery worker, he finds it hard to live down his reputation.

Bud Dolliver, a former WWII hero, and an ex-convict, returns to his home town in an effort to make a new life for himself but, even with the help of Lou Jellison, a cannery worker, he finds it hard to live down his reputation. He manages to get a job at Kelsey's Boat Yard because an accident caused by Kelsey Bunker's no-good son, Junior, endangered Bud's life and revealed his excellent war record. He does well at the job, but Joe Pettigrew (NOT PLAYED by Gig Young), personnel manager of the cannery, is jealous of Lou's feeling for Bud. He frames Bud for a robbery committed by himself and Junior Bunker. Bud's alibi is weak because he is trying to protect Lou's reputation as they were out of the state, on the robbery night, trying to get married.

When Major Roy Bell and his company are trapped by the advancing German army, Bell decides to embark on a dangerous mission to blow up a bridge which is of strategic importance to the enemy.

While visiting a small village, popular young artist Robert Williams meets innocent country girl Helen Sanderson and, enchanted by her beauty, induces the girl to pose for him. An attraction develops between them, but just as the portrait is completed, Robert is called back to the city. Helen fails to hear from him again and Robert's neglect draws her to the city, where she is sent to a reformatory on a false charge. Once released, she begs Judge Princeton for help and, feeling sorry for the unfortunate girl, he introduces her to playwright George Wendbourg, who adopts Helen and makes her a great actress. Seeing Helen on stage reawakens Robert's love for her and he begs her for forgiveness. After initially snubbing him, Helen relents and the two finally are reunited.

故事发生在20世纪30年代的美国，罗杰（罗伯特·斯塔克 Robert Stack 饰）曾经是一名非常优秀的飞行员，如今却沦落到了在巡回表演里进行飞行特技表演的境地。糟糕的工作令罗杰的经济状况捉襟见肘，但罗杰对这一切并不在意，因为对于他来说，人生中只有一件重要的东西，那就是飞机。 记者布克（洛克·哈德森 Rock Hudson 饰）得知了罗杰的现状，内心里感到十分难过，他想要帮助罗杰，因此决定对他进行一系列的采访报道，在接近和了解罗杰的过程中，布克结识了罗杰的妻子拉维尼（多罗茜·马龙 Dorothy Malone 饰），没想到，美丽的拉维尼对布克产生了致命的吸引力。