Plot

When a tycoon (Ernest Truex) is accused of murder, the private eye (James Stewart) tracking him finds himself roped in as an accessory and attempts to evade police, kidnapping a poetess (Claudette Colbert) along the way.

Detective Guy Johnson's (James Stewart) client, Willie Heywood (Ernest Truex) is framed for murder and while Guy hides him so he can catch the real killer, both of them are nabbed by the police, tried, convicted and sentenced to jail -- Guy for a year, Willie to be executed. On the way to jail, Guy comes across a clue and escapes from the police.—Ron Kerrigan <mvg@whidbey.com>

Guy Johnson (James Stewart) is a novice private detective who is hired by millionaire Willie Heyward (Ernest Truex) to keep an eye on Heyward as he frequently drinks too much and gets into trouble. Heyward is framed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend by his new wife, Vivian (Frances Drake) and her lover, Al Mallon (Sidney Blackmer). Guy attempts to shield Heyward so he can catch the real culprits, but both are captured and sent to prison, with Heyward to be executed. Armed with a clue of a half of a dime, Guy escapes the police, but stumbles upon poet Edwina Corday (Claudette Colbert). Guy reluctantly kidnaps her to prevent her warning the police, but she quickly believes his story and insists on helping Guy, even when he does not want it. Meanwhile, Vivian and Mallon have their own complication when Vivian's husband, actor Ned Brown (George Meeker), assumed dead, returns and blackmails them over the murder. They decide it will be easier to get rid of him than pay him. The trails of both parties eventually intersect in a small theater group in upstate New York where the cases will be resolved.—Patrick Depew

Private detective Guy Johnson (James Stewart) escapes on the way to prison with a new lead on proving his death-row client's (Ernest Truex) innocence. Encountering poetess Edwina Corday (Claudette Colbert), he has no option but to take her along as she sees him as a hardened desperado. This is a mixed blessing for him, but the complete ineptitude of the pursuing police is all good news.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}