SPOILER ALERT: After you've seen it, read on and see if my summary doesn't fit the bill. Our story opens with a letter being found by Charles Laughton's character. The letter was written to Cary Grant's character by Laughton's wife, played by Tallulah Bankhead. Laughton laughs it off and claims he's not one of those jealous husbands... later at their club Laughton tells bad jokes and Bankhead is bored having heard them all more than once. Grant feels sorry for Bankhead but their posh set read the signals as they are having an affair and it is her fault.
Later at home Laughton shows his truer side and jealously taunts and verbally tortures his wife, trying to get a confession. She distraught as his accusations gives in to his wanting a demonstration of their fidelity. He wants Bankhead to invite Grant over for a private conversation while Laughton eavesdrops seeking the truth. She's at her wits end as he gets even more crazy with jealousy. It seems Laughton not only got Grant (his second in command on board a submarine) fired but also implicated that he was incompetent (seeking to ruin his career.) Grant, innocently enough comes to the house later that night to see if he can help Bankhead. Laughton hides and listens in. Bankhead on pins and needles gives away nothing and Grant proceeds to tell her he only wanted to see if he could help her in some way. He confesses he does not love her or anything like that, it's just seems she was in distress and that people talked about her without knowing anything about her. He compares her to a mistreated puppy dog or a puzzle and then he leaves.
Laughton not hearing the evidence of an affair is angry and claims she must have warned Grant before Laughton could hear. Laughton accuses her of thinking he's insane, and that she is driving him to it. Laughton threatens to ruin them both or kill her!
Bankhead goes out into the night, giving up, but knowing she has to get away. In the dark she falls into the crowded street festival and the crowd carries her along finally reaching whirling dervishes of all things symbolic. Cornered and exhausted a strangers hand pulls her into a shop, it is Gary Cooper wanting now to save her from the crush of the crowd. Cooper wants to know more about her, anything to help her. She does not divulge any secrets but end up walking out into the desert at night. Star gazing they fall for each other amid the calm.
EVEN MORE SPOILERS: Laughton hires the store keeper where they met to later be a witness to try and frame her even more. And it turns out Laughton's new second in command is to be Cooper who of all things is replacing Grant! Bankhead knowing Laughton is nutz goes on board the submarine to warn Cooper. Laughton finds out she is on board demands the set sail ASAP trapping her on board. Once at sea and underwater Laughton guides the sub into the pathway of a large cruise ship he alone sees using the periscope and just before it hits turns the periscope 180 degrees and tells Cooper to look thru it. As the seconds tick by he does not turn it around until it's too late and they are rammed and their ship starts to sink.
Laughton calmly orders the men to do this and that while he stealthily sabotages the radio before a distress signal can be sent, but Bankhead sees him do it. Cooper is then told by Laughton in front of the men the crash was Coopers fault and he is to stand down. Bankhead has heard too much and speaks up, shocking all the men who did not know she was on board. Laughton tries again to get the men to open doors that would lead not only to more flooding but would kill all those on board. Bankhead speaks up explain to the men, her husband is crazy, maybe she cares for Cooper while married to Laughton, it is Laughton who she saw scuttle the radio and how he did it. The men realize Laughton in his jealous state is trying to kill them all! Cooper takes charge and carefully organizes the men to slowly leave the sub using portable air tanks. In the first group he send Bankhead to the surface, and after almost all have been evacuated he tries to get Laughton to safety, but Laughton dashes behind a door, locks himself in and starts letting more water in... Later at a trial Cooper is found innocent of the accident but is kicked out of the Navy for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. Cooper goes to find Bankhead and does not mind leaving the service, he plans to make Bankhead happy for the rest of her life. The End.
Later at home Laughton shows his truer side and jealously taunts and verbally tortures his wife, trying to get a confession. She distraught as his accusations gives in to his wanting a demonstration of their fidelity. He wants Bankhead to invite Grant over for a private conversation while Laughton eavesdrops seeking the truth. She's at her wits end as he gets even more crazy with jealousy. It seems Laughton not only got Grant (his second in command on board a submarine) fired but also implicated that he was incompetent (seeking to ruin his career.) Grant, innocently enough comes to the house later that night to see if he can help Bankhead. Laughton hides and listens in. Bankhead on pins and needles gives away nothing and Grant proceeds to tell her he only wanted to see if he could help her in some way. He confesses he does not love her or anything like that, it's just seems she was in distress and that people talked about her without knowing anything about her. He compares her to a mistreated puppy dog or a puzzle and then he leaves.
Laughton not hearing the evidence of an affair is angry and claims she must have warned Grant before Laughton could hear. Laughton accuses her of thinking he's insane, and that she is driving him to it. Laughton threatens to ruin them both or kill her!
Bankhead goes out into the night, giving up, but knowing she has to get away. In the dark she falls into the crowded street festival and the crowd carries her along finally reaching whirling dervishes of all things symbolic. Cornered and exhausted a strangers hand pulls her into a shop, it is Gary Cooper wanting now to save her from the crush of the crowd. Cooper wants to know more about her, anything to help her. She does not divulge any secrets but end up walking out into the desert at night. Star gazing they fall for each other amid the calm.
EVEN MORE SPOILERS: Laughton hires the store keeper where they met to later be a witness to try and frame her even more. And it turns out Laughton's new second in command is to be Cooper who of all things is replacing Grant! Bankhead knowing Laughton is nutz goes on board the submarine to warn Cooper. Laughton finds out she is on board demands the set sail ASAP trapping her on board. Once at sea and underwater Laughton guides the sub into the pathway of a large cruise ship he alone sees using the periscope and just before it hits turns the periscope 180 degrees and tells Cooper to look thru it. As the seconds tick by he does not turn it around until it's too late and they are rammed and their ship starts to sink.
Laughton calmly orders the men to do this and that while he stealthily sabotages the radio before a distress signal can be sent, but Bankhead sees him do it. Cooper is then told by Laughton in front of the men the crash was Coopers fault and he is to stand down. Bankhead has heard too much and speaks up, shocking all the men who did not know she was on board. Laughton tries again to get the men to open doors that would lead not only to more flooding but would kill all those on board. Bankhead speaks up explain to the men, her husband is crazy, maybe she cares for Cooper while married to Laughton, it is Laughton who she saw scuttle the radio and how he did it. The men realize Laughton in his jealous state is trying to kill them all! Cooper takes charge and carefully organizes the men to slowly leave the sub using portable air tanks. In the first group he send Bankhead to the surface, and after almost all have been evacuated he tries to get Laughton to safety, but Laughton dashes behind a door, locks himself in and starts letting more water in... Later at a trial Cooper is found innocent of the accident but is kicked out of the Navy for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. Cooper goes to find Bankhead and does not mind leaving the service, he plans to make Bankhead happy for the rest of her life. The End.