Screenwriter Dixon Steele, faced with the odious task of scripting a trashy bestseller, has hat-check girl Mildred Atkinson tell him the story in her own words. Later that night, Mildred is murdered and Steele is a prime suspect; his record of belligerence when angry and his macabre sense of humor tell against him. Fortunately, lovely neighbor Laurel Gray gives him an alibi. Laurel proves to be just what Steele needed, and their friendship ripens into love. Will suspicion, doubt, and Steele's inner demons come between them? 两个电话。恐惧吞噬灵魂。女性观众视角。一半天使一半魔鬼，这样的男人值得同情吗？。受伤的男人。因信而爱 还是因爱而信。暴躁老哥。Happily-ever-afters can't mitigate toxic masculinity。尼古拉斯·雷的无尽孤独。Two lonely people。 斯蒂尔（亨弗莱·鲍嘉 Humphrey Bogart 饰）是一名编剧，一次偶然中，他结识了名叫米尔德里德（玛莎·斯图尔特 Martha Stewart 饰）的女子，当晚，斯蒂尔邀请米尔德里德到家中研究剧本，没想到第二天早晨，米尔德里德却被发现死于非命，一时间，斯蒂尔成为了最大的嫌疑人。 幸运的是，邻居劳雷尔（格洛丽亚·格雷厄姆 Gloria Grahame 饰）用自己的目击证词证明了斯蒂尔的清白，两人以此为契机走到了一起，开始了交往。然而，社会中针对斯蒂尔的风言风语从未停歇，斯蒂尔和劳雷尔之间的感情因此而变得岌岌可危，斯蒂尔日渐暴躁，甚至差一点就失手杀了劳雷尔。最终，杀害米尔德里德的凶手被捉拿归案，但斯蒂尔和劳雷尔的关系却再也回不到过去了。
