Henry Maurier (Charles Boyer) is forced to care for his demanding invalid wife, Emily (Rachel Kempson), but he is secretly having an affair with young Doris Mead (Ann Blyth). When Emily dies suddenly of a heart attack, he is free, and quickly gets married to Doris. The coincidence proves too much for investigators, who find arsenic in Emily's system, and Henry goes on trial for murder, facing the death penalty. His friend Dr. Libbard (Cedric Hardwicke) may be his only hope.