Summaries

Synopsis

Nick Ferraro (Raymond Burr), a gangster mastermind, has been deported back to his native Naples, Italy. He wants to return to the U.S. and has a nefarious plan to do so.

Don Milner (Robert Mitchum), a professional gambler of the same height, build, and coloring as Ferraro, goes to home after having a glass of milk at a bar. He has just spent 30 days in jail in Palm Springs. Three thugs are playing cards in his room. They claim he's made a bet and has to pay off. He informs them he was in jail at the time, but they beat him up anyway. One of the thugs makes a phone call and the man he's calling reminds him not to mess up Milner's face.

The person the thug was calling turns out to be Orley Chester, an acquaintance of Milner's. Orley and another man offer to pay Milner a total of $50,000 to go to Mexico, making it clear he has no choice. He is not told why he's being sent there. They start with a stake of $5000. He heads to a small airfield. As he waits for his chili and beans, he hears Lenore Brent (Jane Russell) singing "San Berdoo" (San Bernardino) with a guitarist and pianist in a small backroom. He buys her a bottle of champagne, but claiming to be a spoiled little rich girl, she gets up to go to her chartered plane before he can open it. His plane arrives to take him to Morro's Lodge, a ritzy resort in Mexico. She's seated on the plane.

José Morro (Philip Van Zandt) greets him in the lodge. Milner offers a $1000 retainer for information, especially about Liz. Meanwhile, nearby, a hired musician greets Lenore as "Liz"; she responds "wrong name" and walks away. Myron Winton (Jim Backus) starts a conversation with Milner. They see a pretty young blonde who looks frightened. Milner speaks with the blonde offering his help, but she claims she's all right and leaves. Lenore asks him to dance but he puts her off. He runs into Mark Cardigan (Vincent Price), an actor famous for his swashbuckling films, who is also an avid hunter.

Milner see Martin Krafft (John Mylong), a supposed writer Cardigan has pointed out, who spends the day playing chess by himself. Krafft is talking secretly with Mr. Thompson (Charles McGraw), a man Milner didn't know before he called Morro get some information on him. Milner threatens Krafft to find out what's going on, but Krafft says he knows no more than Milner. Thompson comes in with a gun, but Milner stays cool, asking about the mystery. Thompson gives him $10,000 but tells him only that he was chosen because he'd never been in trouble with the Feds.

Thompson contacts Ferraro on the radio, telling him Milner is getting antsy and might leave. Ferraro, who has been delayed by inclement weather, orders Thompson to keep Milner at the resort.

A movie is being shown that night at the lodge, and Cardigan watches the film in which he is starring. Afterward, he plays the crowd, luxuriating in the compliments.

In the midst of a burgeoning hurricane, a young man, daringly flies his small plane into the lodge. As they watch the landing, Milner and Lenore kiss. The next day, the newcomer, who appears to be drunk, is trying to do cartwheels for the young blonde who is worried because her newlywed husband has lost all their money to Winton.

Lenore meets her old friend, the musician, and apologizes for snubbing him the day before. He knew her when she as Liz Barnes, a "nice kid" singing with a USO tour of Europe. She says "Liz" went to Europe and never came back. It becomes clear she has been faking her wealth. She's trying to seduce Cardigan, who is married, but planning a divorce, for his money. The next day, she and Milner decide to forget the kiss. Mrs. Cardigan suddenly arrives and goes straight up to Lenore commenting on how many women her husband meets. She hasn't told Cardigan she was coming. Cardigan's agent, Hobson, who has accompanied Mrs. Cardigan, demands he come back to the States and be reconciled with his wife so that he will get more film contracts. Cardigan reminds them both that his wife is the one who wanted the divorce.

The "drunk"turns out to be Lusk, a Federal agent who wants Milner's cooperation. He's chasing Ferraro. He tells Milner that Krafft is a plastic surgeon who has been deported, implying that Ferraro plans to get surgery and take Milner's identity. Milner pretends he doesn't get the message and returns to his bungalow. Lenore is there. They kiss again. To protect her, he makes sure Thompson isn't watching as she leaves the bungalow.

Thompson catches Lusk snooping. Lusk overhears a radio communiqué, tells Thompson what he suspects, then takes him by surprise. They fight. Milner and Lenore find Lusk's body on the beach. He tries to convince her to leave, but she resists.

When he returns to his bungalow, alone, he is met by two of Ferraro's men. Surprising them, he pulls a gun but there's a third man behind him. Lenore, realizing he's in trouble, tries to bring him a gun, but he says "take it to Cardigan." Cardigan takes the gun and his hunting rifle and goes to the beach to rescue Milner, who has gotten away from the men who are taking him by force to Ferraro's yacht. After he overturns the small boat they were using, he swims to shore. He and Cardigan consult; Cardigan keeps the thugs busy with rifle fire while Milner goes to get Ferraro off the yacht. When he gets there he is chased by three thugs. Cornered, he shoots two steam pipes, that burn and blind the thugs, and crawls away, but they capture him.

Back on the shore, the three thugs on land spread out, hoping to surround Cardigan, who uses his skills to shoot one of them, then the second. He taunts the last one, giving himself time to set up a trap. He shoots and captures the final one.

On the ship, two thugs hold Milner while Ferraro and the others beat him. He periodically breaks away and hits them, but they overpower him, tie him to a mast and flog him with a leather belt. It becomes clear that Ferraro is insane. He has Milner tossed into the lower part of the ship where the steam pipes are broken. Ferraro tries to decide what to do. Krafft wants to drug Milner, but Ferraro crazily keeps banging Milner's head on a wooden beam, trying to wake him up. But he is interrupted before he can shoot. He agrees to Krafft's injection.

Cardigan conscripts tourists and Mexican police to rescue Milner, treating it like a big adventure, spouting bits from films and plays. In a comic moment, the police warn him that the boat is too full but he stands at aft as the boat sinks. They find a bigger boat and set off. Cardigan shoots out the floodlight on the yacht so Ferraro's men turn all the lights out, so nobody becomes a target. Krafft can't do the injection in the dark. Cardigan boards the ship and the shooting begins. Milner gets away from Krafft. Cardigan sights Ferraro and follows him, but as Cardigan is distracted, getting the drop on the men who are preparing a getaway boat, Ferraro tries to sneak up on Cardigan. Milner sneaks up on Ferraro but hasn't yet finished reloading his gun. After a chase, Milner shoots Ferraro.

Back on land, Cardigan's wife fusses over him, bandaging his wounds as he regales the press with his victorious adventure. In the final scene, Lenore admits to Milner that her father is a barber, not a millionaire, and they kiss.