Classic drama from Alfred Hitchcock. In 1831, Irishman Charles Adare (Michael Widling) travels to Australia to start a new life with the help of his cousin who has just been appointed governor. When he arrives he meets powerful landowner and ex-convict Sam Flusky (Joseph Cotten), who wants to do a business deal with him. Whilst attending a dinner party at Flusky's house, Charles meets Flusky's wife Henrietta (Ingird Bergman) who he had known as a child back in Ireland. Henrietta is an alcoholic and seems to be on the verge of madness.

William Fitch (Will Hay, in his last film) is a disbarred barrister now summoned to court to face charges of sending begging letters. Falling back on his legal skills, Fitch manages to make mincemeat of the cross examining lawyer, Claude Bobbington (Claude Hulbert), and is found not guilty. However, this lucky streak does not last for long; a madman Fitch helped put in prison years earlier has now escaped, and is out for revenge. Fitch turns to Claude for help, but the pair fail to convince the constabulary that there is a real threat to Fitch's life, and are forced to track down the convict themselves.