Just when hotheaded Hollywood screenwriter Dixon Steele (Humphrey Bogart) begins a romance with his neighbor Laurel (Gloria Graham), the police begin to suspect him of murdering a woman he once dated. Laurel believes in Dixon's innocence; however, his alibi doesn't wash with the police. As the cops continue to pressure Dixon, the lovebirds' relationship begins to crumble. Nor does Dixon's increasing hot-tempered behavior help matters. Soon, Laurel begins to suspect that the police may be right after all. Nichols Ray's classic, tense romantic thriller showcases an uncharacteristically vulnerable Bogart and delivers a sharp surprise ending.