Geoffrey Carroll (Humphrey Bogart) is a married artist who meets the lovely Sally Morton (Barbara Stanwyck) while on vacation. Hiding his marital status from Sally, Geoffrey goes on to paint a foreboding portrait of his spouse and then kills her by gradually slipping her poison. Before long, Geoffrey woos and marries Sally, but eventually he begins an eerie painting of her, as his attention shifts to the beautiful Cecily Latham (Alexis Smith). Will the deranged Geoffrey murder again?