Plot

An alcoholic actress who is considered a dangerous jinx is rehabilitated, but she then shows that she's as dangerous as ever.

Dan Bellows finds former stage star Joyce Heath a penniless drunk and takes her to his Connecticut home for rehabilitation. Unaware that she is married to Gordon, he asks his fiancée Gail to free him and offers to sponsor Joyce in a play. When Gordon refuses to give Joyce a divorce, she runs the car into a tree crippling him for life. Joyce urges Dan return to Gail, opens her play, and begs Gordon for forgiveness.—Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>

The aristocratic architect Don Bellows worships the former successful actress Joyce Heath, who prematurely left the stage considered a jinx, for changing his life for better. When Don goes with his fiancée Gail Armitage and a friend to a bar, he sees Joyce completely drunken and penniless, and he takes her to his house in the countryside. Joyce stays there for a period in rehabilitation, and Don falls in love with her and calls off his engagement with Gail. Don also decides to produce a play for her and to get married with Joyce after the opening night. But Joyce has a secret in her past that will affect their lives forever.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Joyce Heath plays a difficult actress in this film, based loosely on the life of early-20th-century Broadway and film star Jeanne Eagels. Joyce has all but destroyed her career and depleted her bank account because of her nasty drinking habit. Don Bellows, a rich architect, thinks Joyce can mount a comeback with the right role. As Don helps Joyce, she falls for him, but matters are complicated by Joyce's vindictive husband.—Jwelch5742

A three-cornered love, inspiration, and redemption of "dangerous" theatrical actress Joyce Heath (Bette Davis), is conducted by successful architect Don Bellows (Franchot Tone), loyal to his inspired memory of her dramatic prowess. Bellows explains to his fellow club members that her performance inspired him to become an architect. One of the club members notes a recent encounter with the downtrodden Heath who won't even admit that it is her. Bellows coincidentally encounters Heath at a Prohibition speakeasy, between drinks purchased by Bellows, Heath performs several lines from the play that inspired Bellows, he takes her to his country house away from New York City. Bellows places the combative Heath in his housekeeper's care to aid in her recovery from alcoholism. Bellows also deceives his fiancee regarding his impetuous love affair with Heath. In rapid succession, Bellows helps Heath to overcome her alcoholic decline, bankrolls a new show by mortgaging his latest housing project, and attaining agreement from the show's producer that only Heath could perform the starring role. In explaining his actions to Heath, Bellows will only offer the role if she promises to marry him. Bellows in a fit of honesty secures his marriage proposal release from his fiancee. However, Heath has a secret that threatens to disrupt all of Bellows' plans - she is already married. Heath sets out to locate her estranged husband Gordon and pleads for his agreement to a divorce. His resistance induces Heath to create a terrible automobile crash so as to either kill herself or her husband. Joyce and Gordon survive the crash and during her recovery, Bellows rejects her irresponsible nature, returning to marry his former fiancee. Heath finally takes responsibility for her life, continues on successfully in the play and now cares for her permanently disabled husband.