A Broadway star unintentionally kills her impresario but keeps mum about it after the police investigator targets a rival actress.
While trying to break up with her producer/lover Gordon Dunning, Broadway star Valerie Stanton unintentionally kills him. In flashback, she recalls meeting new flame Michael Morrell, and Dunning's machinations leading to the fatal argument. The next day, it appears that Valerie's former rival Marian Webster is the prime suspect. Or is suave police Captain Danbury just playing cat-and-mouse with her? Nicely catty dialogue.—Rod Crawford <[email protected]>
Broadway impresario Gordon Dunning discovered Valerie Stanton and made her a star in his drawing-room comedies; in the process they have been carrying on a very public romance which has so far lasted 10 years. However, Val now only has contempt for Gordon; he considers her his personal property and believes that she cannot and/or should not be able to do without him, which is especially problematic for he because she wants to prove herself as a dramatic actress; rival producer Peter Gunther has offered her the lead in "Hedda Gabler" for the upcoming season. Val has also fallen in love with British architect Michael Morrell--largely because he never treated her like a star--and she wants to marry him. After the show on the closing night of their latest play with the theater nearly empty, Val confronts Gordon in his office, and he threatens to ruin her and make Michael hate her if she ever leaves him. In the ensuing argument, Val accidentally kills Gordon. His dead body is eventually discovered by Marian Webster, another of his stock players. Marian was once "Val" in every sense in Gordon's life until Val came into the picture, and she still loves him. Beyond the issue of Gordon himself, Val and Marian have never liked each other, but earlier that evening Val had asked Marian to convince Gordon that the two of them were meant for each other, which would have allowed Val the freedom to leave Gordon with no issue. Marian refused to do so solely because of the way Val has treated him. In the process of questioning by lead investigator Captain Danbury of all that would have had access to backstage that evening, it becomes clear to Val that who everyone believes killed Gordon is Marian. While Val does come to Marian's defense, she does not confess or implicate herself. As Val continues in her chosen path with Michael and with the role as Hedda, the questions become if anything will change to implicate her or to make her develop a conscience for what she did. Captain Danbury being a theater buff could factor into what happens.—Huggo
In the upstairs offices of the Dunning Theatre, Broadway star Valerie Stanton (Rosalind Russell) argues bitterly with her longtime producer and former lover, Gordon Dunning (Leon Ames). Valerie declares her intention to marry architect Michael Morrell (Leo Genn) and end both her personal and professional relationship with Gordon, but the domineering producer refuses to part with her. When Gordon threatens to tell Michael ugly lies about her past and then grabs her, Valerie becomes frightened and hits him over the head with a statuette. Realizing that she has killed him, Valerie slips downstairs without being noticed. While Valerie says goodbye to the cast and crew of her latest hit comedy, co-star Marian Webster (Claire Trevor) finds Gordon's dead body.
Later, in her apartment, Valerie recalls the events leading up to Gordon's demise: On the way to an opening night party at Gordon's, Valerie and Gordon argue about her desire to star in a production of Hedda Gabler. Although Valerie, who has made her name in comedies, is confident that she can play the dramatic part, Gordon belittles her ambition.
At the party, Valerie meets Michael, a witty Englishman, and feels instantly attracted to him. Later that night, Valerie resumes her quarrel with Gordon about Hedda Gabler. Then, over Gordon's objections, Valerie lunches with Michael the next day and soon falls in love with him. Determined to sever all ties with Gordon, Valerie asks Marian, who loves the producer despite having been dumped by him ten years before, for help. Although Marian despises Valerie, she agrees to use whatever influence she has on Gordon to distract him from the star.
In a theater restaurant, Marian tries to rekindle Gordon's feelings for her, but he is too preoccupied with Valerie to respond. When Valerie comes to his table and invites him to her home the next evening for a "business" talk, he assumes that she is returning to him. Gordon then tells Broadway reporter Jeff Trent (Dan Tobin) that Valerie is going to star in his next show, and the item appears in the newspaper the next morning. When Valerie sees the announcement, she storms into Gordon's office and demands that he issue a retraction. Gordon refuses, and the fatal argument begins.
Back in her apartment, Valerie is informed of Gordon's death and is summoned to the theater. There Captain Danbury (Sydney Greenstreet), a theater-loving police detective, questions the cast and crew about their activities the previous night. During the interrogation, Marian, who is in a shock-induced coma at the hospital, is implicated in the crime, while Valerie is barely questioned. Later, Danbury shows Valerie a love letter that Gordon had written to her just before his death, as well as a letter of rejection addressed to Marian. When Valerie then learns that Danbury has Gordon's diary, she becomes concerned, but the detective only uncovers more damning information about Marian.
While Danbury is visiting her one day, Valerie insists that Marian is innocent and, describing her actual movements at the murder scene, playfully suggests that she is the killer. Danbury, however, dismisses her "confession" because she has offered no motive for the crime. Marian then regains consciousness and, guessing Valerie's guilt, denounces her as a heartless killer.
Marian's harsh condemnation moves Valerie to seek out Danbury, but as she is about to confess, the detective receives a call informing him that Marian has committed suicide. Completely undone by the news, Valerie is unable to concentrate during rehearsals for Hedda Gabler and appears headed for a breakdown.
On opening night, Danbury informs her that he is closing the case, but Valerie cannot let go of her guilt, especially after the devoted Michael tells her that he has known the truth about the murder all along. Just before the curtain rises, Valerie scribbles a confessional note to Danbury and places it in the velvet gloves she wore while striking Gordon. Relieved of her burden, Valerie gives a stunning performance, then, after taking her curtain calls, gives herself up to Danbury.
